By JOE DODD
Gilmer Buckeyes’ senior quarterback G.J. Kinne announced last week that he had accepted a scholarship offer from the University of Texas to play football for the Longhorns, despite giving an oral commitment to Big 12 Conference rival Baylor in July of last year.
Kinne’s latest decision is sure to receive the same national attention as his previous moves. As a freshman in 2003, Kinne moved from Mesquite to Canton, where his father, Gary Joe Kinne had just been named the Eagle’s head football coach. Kinne the quarterback, helped Kinne the coach, turn around the Eagles program immediately. Canton went 8-4, and won their first playoff game since 1964. After two years at Canton, the Kinnes turned into a national story when an irate parent walked into the Canton field house and shot Gary Joe in the stomach. Kinne survived the shooting and returned to coach the Eagles for the 2005 season. Canton’s players responded with the school’s best season ever; a 12-2 record before losing to eventual state champion Tatum.
Gary Joe Kinne was selected as the 2005 Adams USA National Head Coach of the Year, while G.J. was named the Associated Press Player of the Year.
In January of last year, Gary Joe announced that he was leaving Canton to accept a job at his alma matter, Baylor University, as the linebacker’s coach. Most people assumed G.J would follow his father to Waco to finish his high school career, but instead he moved with his mother and stepfather to Gilmer and enrolled in school in April.
After committing to the Bears, Kinne led the Buckeyes to a 10-1 record, throwing for 3,261 yards and 47 touchdowns before losing to eventual state champion Liberty-Eylau in the first round of the playoffs. For the second straight year, Kinne was named the AP Class 3A Offensive Player of the Year.
Two weeks ago, Texas lost prized quarterback recruit John Brantley, when the Florida native changed his oral commitment from the Longhorns to his home-state Florida Gators. That opened the door for Kinne to join the Longhorns.
“Every time that I went there for a visit, I could tell that it was a real special place, and they have a great football team,” said Kinne, who added that the decision to change his commitment from Baylor was not an easy one. “It was very difficult, especially since my dad is a coach there and I have a lot of ties there. But when it comes down to it, I have to make the right decision for me. It might be real hard for me right now, but in the future I think it will be for the best.”
Gilmer head coach Jeff Traylor admonishes fans to not judge his senior quarterback too harshly for changing his mind. “When the opportunity presented itself; he took it,” said Traylor. “For anybody to second guess that young man is really not giving him enough credit to know that he’s researched it and decided that is what is best for him. I trust that he did what is best for him.”
Kinne credits his move to Gilmer for the opportunity with the Longhorns. “We run more of a pro-style offense and the coaches have really helped me improve my mechanics. I think they liked how much I learned in one year.”
Traylor agreed with Kinne, but said that most of the credit goes to his quarterback. “G.J. Kinne is a great football player that is very intelligent; he has high character, and he earned it. That’s the first and foremost reason. The second reason is we have developed some very good quarterbacks in the past. We’ve coached Randy McCown, Josh McCown, Luke McCown and Manuel Johnson. We’ve coached some very good quarterbacks over the last fifteen years, so when we tell colleges about a quarterback, they believe us because we tell them the truth. So I think G.J.’s stock improved by coming here.”
Kinne’s move to Gilmer also introduced him to another future Longhorn teammate in Gilmer receiver Curtis Brown, who committed to Texas last March. “When G.J. moved here, Curtis was the one that really took him in and made it easier for G.J.” said Traylor. Kinne admitted that Brown’s presence in Austin played a big role in his decision. “We’re such great friends, and we get along so well together, and I know that we’ll be able to room together,” said Kinne.
Traylor said that he is pleased that Kinne has the opportunity to play in Austin. “We didn’t win a state championship, which was very disappointing; we didn’t get him his passing record, which was very disappointing, so I’m just very happy for him that he got something that he really wanted, because he was nothing but unselfish the entire time he was here.”
Gilmer Buckeyes’ senior quarterback G.J. Kinne announced last week that he had accepted a scholarship offer from the University of Texas to play football for the Longhorns, despite giving an oral commitment to Big 12 Conference rival Baylor in July of last year.
Kinne’s latest decision is sure to receive the same national attention as his previous moves. As a freshman in 2003, Kinne moved from Mesquite to Canton, where his father, Gary Joe Kinne had just been named the Eagle’s head football coach. Kinne the quarterback, helped Kinne the coach, turn around the Eagles program immediately. Canton went 8-4, and won their first playoff game since 1964. After two years at Canton, the Kinnes turned into a national story when an irate parent walked into the Canton field house and shot Gary Joe in the stomach. Kinne survived the shooting and returned to coach the Eagles for the 2005 season. Canton’s players responded with the school’s best season ever; a 12-2 record before losing to eventual state champion Tatum.
Gary Joe Kinne was selected as the 2005 Adams USA National Head Coach of the Year, while G.J. was named the Associated Press Player of the Year.
In January of last year, Gary Joe announced that he was leaving Canton to accept a job at his alma matter, Baylor University, as the linebacker’s coach. Most people assumed G.J would follow his father to Waco to finish his high school career, but instead he moved with his mother and stepfather to Gilmer and enrolled in school in April.
After committing to the Bears, Kinne led the Buckeyes to a 10-1 record, throwing for 3,261 yards and 47 touchdowns before losing to eventual state champion Liberty-Eylau in the first round of the playoffs. For the second straight year, Kinne was named the AP Class 3A Offensive Player of the Year.
Two weeks ago, Texas lost prized quarterback recruit John Brantley, when the Florida native changed his oral commitment from the Longhorns to his home-state Florida Gators. That opened the door for Kinne to join the Longhorns.
“Every time that I went there for a visit, I could tell that it was a real special place, and they have a great football team,” said Kinne, who added that the decision to change his commitment from Baylor was not an easy one. “It was very difficult, especially since my dad is a coach there and I have a lot of ties there. But when it comes down to it, I have to make the right decision for me. It might be real hard for me right now, but in the future I think it will be for the best.”
Gilmer head coach Jeff Traylor admonishes fans to not judge his senior quarterback too harshly for changing his mind. “When the opportunity presented itself; he took it,” said Traylor. “For anybody to second guess that young man is really not giving him enough credit to know that he’s researched it and decided that is what is best for him. I trust that he did what is best for him.”
Kinne credits his move to Gilmer for the opportunity with the Longhorns. “We run more of a pro-style offense and the coaches have really helped me improve my mechanics. I think they liked how much I learned in one year.”
Traylor agreed with Kinne, but said that most of the credit goes to his quarterback. “G.J. Kinne is a great football player that is very intelligent; he has high character, and he earned it. That’s the first and foremost reason. The second reason is we have developed some very good quarterbacks in the past. We’ve coached Randy McCown, Josh McCown, Luke McCown and Manuel Johnson. We’ve coached some very good quarterbacks over the last fifteen years, so when we tell colleges about a quarterback, they believe us because we tell them the truth. So I think G.J.’s stock improved by coming here.”
Kinne’s move to Gilmer also introduced him to another future Longhorn teammate in Gilmer receiver Curtis Brown, who committed to Texas last March. “When G.J. moved here, Curtis was the one that really took him in and made it easier for G.J.” said Traylor. Kinne admitted that Brown’s presence in Austin played a big role in his decision. “We’re such great friends, and we get along so well together, and I know that we’ll be able to room together,” said Kinne.
Traylor said that he is pleased that Kinne has the opportunity to play in Austin. “We didn’t win a state championship, which was very disappointing; we didn’t get him his passing record, which was very disappointing, so I’m just very happy for him that he got something that he really wanted, because he was nothing but unselfish the entire time he was here.”
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