SBN Reacts: 56% of Readers Think Tim Beck Will Have A Better Year Than G.J. Kinne

Sun Belt football will have two head coaches in their first year with new programs in 2023.

After spending the last 18 years as an OC and position coach several Power Five programs, Tim Beck takes over at Coastal Carolina. Beck will get his first chance to be a college head coach at the age of 56. G.J. Kinne will take over at Texas State after leading Incarnate Word to the FCS playoffs. While Kinne, 34, has head coach experience at the FCS level, this will be his first time in the role with an FBS program.

In our most recent SB Nation Reacts survey, we asked readers which of the two coaches would fare better in their first year. 56% of respondents explained they had higher expectations for Beck.

RELATED: SBN Reacts: 31% of Readers Think Tom Herman Will Be The Best First-Year AAC Coach

Let’s Think About This

Jamey Chadwell helped elevate the Coastal Carolina program to new heights. Things might have fizzled at the end, but the talent he helped attract to the program is undeniable. Along with three-time Sun Belt Player of the Year Grayson McCall, many of the team’s other key offensive pieces will return next season.

In addition, while Beck’s offensive perspective is likely going to be different from what those players became accustomed to, it seems like it would help to approach things once again with an offensive minded head coach, even if NC State did have one of the more lackluster offenses in the ACC last year.

However, compare the CCU scenario to that at Texas State. In 11 seasons at the FBS level, Texas State have produced nine losing seasons. Their last and only winning FBS season was back in 2014 under Dennis Franchione.

There’s significantly more work to be done in San Marcos. Kinne plans to change things by putting a big emphasis on the offensive side of the ball, similar to what he did at Incarnate Word.

“We’ll play an exciting brand of football,” Kinne said at this introductory presser back in December. “Offensively, we’re going to be a tempo team, run the play-action game and we’re going to light up the scoreboard.”

That should be a welcome change for a program that scored the second-fewest points in the Sun Belt in 2022. It’s understandable to think that Kinne has a high ceiling, but turning the Bobcats around in a year is a very heavy lift that the majority of UDD readers don’t expect to be cleared.