G5 head coach who made ex-Auburn football QB TJ Finley a star an Alabama offensive coordinator option

G.J. Kinne, Texas State's head coach who made former Auburn football quarterback TJ Finley a star during the 2023 season, is an option for Alabama's vacated offensive coordinator role according to Mike Farrell Sports' Mike Huesmann.

"Another rising G5 head coach who just finished his first year at a school,  came to Texas State from FCS Incarnate Word where he was also only at for a single season," Huesmann prefaced before saying, "This may be a jump he doesn't have interest in, being a coordinator again, but if Bama interests him and I'm DeBoer, I consider it. He was 12-2 last year, where their season ended in the FCS semifinals. His Bobcat team finished 8-5 with a bowl win and lit up the scoreboard in wins over Baylor, among others along the way. He had  playing lights out and Ishmail Mahdi running very hard at the end of the year. Kinne also understands the portal as well as anyone as evidenced by the roster overhaul he performed."

Finley finished with 3,439 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, and eight interceptions during his first and only season in San Marcos. The Ponchatoula, Louisiana native is Western Kentucky-bound after finding his fourth FBS home.

The Crimson Tide's offensive coordinator is open after Ryan Grubb left the post before even starting it and taking the same job with the Seattle Seahawks; making it difficult for Kalen DeBoer to beat the "Husky Harsin" allegations.

Alabama and Auburn football reset coaching staffs in offseason

There were certainly levels to the overhaul both Alabama-based SEC schools had this offseason, but both the Crimson Tide and the Tigers gave their play-calling on both sides of the ball facelifts; though not every departure was the schools' choice.

AU updated its coordinators while keeping the head honcho, Hugh Freeze, in charge. Charles Kelly and DJ Durkin were brought on after Ron Roberts took a job at Florida, while Philip Montgomery's ouster led to the addition of Derrick Nix.

Alabama had to start from scratch after Nick Saban retired. There are also co-defensive coordinators, that DeBoer hired away from South Alabama and SUNY Buffalo, while the offensive coordinator role is still vacant.

There's rarely ever been this much change for AU and Alabama collectively, and it happens as the SEC expands with two powerhouses (Oklahoma, Texas) in 2024.