Former A&M OC returns to Kyle Field with Texas State

COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Jake Spavital knows a little something about Kyle Field that most coaches never will understand. Standing left sideline, he still can see the marks in the dirt, the best places to cut and a perfect lane to score.

Spavital spent three seasons at Texas A&M serving as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 2013-2015. One of the youngest up-and-coming play-callers in College Football history, the now 34-year-old got his chance to call the shots at just ripe age of 28.

On Thursday, Spavital will return to the place that gave him his first real chance to strut his stuff. This time, he'll be calling all the shots as the Texas State head coach. Still, it's a moment Spavital might not be ready for when the crowd begins to cheer.

"It’s actually going to be kind of a surreal moment for me, because A&M was the place where I got my first opportunity to call plays," Spavital said during the Sun Belt teleconference on Monday. "(I was) a young coach, learned a lot, grew up a lot. It’s going to be a surreal moment for me to go back to the place where it really all started for me."

Spavital left College Station in 2016 following the controversy surrounding both Kyler Murray and Kyle Allen, who both transferred during the offseason. Spending a season at California before returning to coach the West Virginia Mountaineers, he found success once again.

Transforming the Mountaineers offense, Spavital helped a struggling Will Grier rebound in both 2017 and 2018. The now Carolina Panthers quarterback would throw for a combined 7,354 yards for 71 touchdowns and a completion rating of 65.7 in two seasons. Following a 3-9 season in San Marcos, the Bobcats elected to give the red-hot coach a shot.

Spavital understands the type of success that is expected in College Station each season. He also is very familiar with A&M quarterback Kellen Mond, who he helped recruit and later offered a scholarship to before his departure.

Now as an upperclassman, Spviatal has noticed the progression of a quarterback he once thought he could mold.

"He’s a fun player to watch. You know, he can do it all," Spavital said. "The thing that has probably most impressed me is how big he’s gotten, the profile of his body – he’s just a good-looking kid out there. And he carries himself with a lot of confidence."

It's one thing to prepare players for a road trip against a top-ranked opponent. The other part is getting them ready for the noise they'll hear echoing into the night. Bobcat Stadium holds roughly 30,000 people on a Saturday afternoon. Kyle Field seats over 100,000.

Well aware of the sound found inside the walls of Kyle Field, Spavital has already told his players to be ready for the chants potentially muting out the play calls.

"I told them all, 'This will be the loudest stadium you guys ever play in.'" Said Spavital. "There’s a reason why they call it the 12th Man and it is one of the best home-field advantages out there (and) probably one of the best stadiums in college football,"

It won't be long until the former OC returns to Aggieland, completing the journey that started seven years ago. A&M and Texas State will kick off on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at Kyle Field.