SAN ANTONIO – University of the Incarnate Word President Dr. Thomas M. Evans and Athletic Director Richard Duran are proud to announce the hire of G.J. Kinne as the new UIW football head coach. Kinne joins UIW from the University of Central Florida (UCF) where he was the co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
 
"It is a great day to be a Cardinal football fan," said Evans. "With a conference championship, a team of phenomenal student-athletes and a growing fan base, our football program is on the rise. The right head coach will harness our strong forward momentum to propel us to new heights. I believe Coach Kinne is just the kind of Mission-driven leader we need, and I am excited to welcome him to our Incarnate Word family." 
 
"Coach Kinne is a perfect fit for UIW," said Duran. "He is a bright offensive mind who has learned from some of the best in football and understands the importance of preparation on both sides of the ball. But, more importantly, he understands what it is to prepare young men to be accomplished on and off the field. That is our Mission at UIW, and we know Coach Kinne will continue that legacy."
 
Kinne is a former professional quarterback with stints in the NFL and the Canadian Football League. The Gilmer High School product has spent time coaching with the Philadelphia Eagles, at the University of Arkansas, at Southern Methodist University (SMU) and at University of Hawai'i. He has worked with and played for some of the top offensive play-callers in the business, including Doug Pederson, Mike Norvell, Chad Morris, Chip Kelly, Ryan Day and Press Taylor.
 
"I'm honored to be the next head football coach at the University of the Incarnate Word," said Kinne. "This is a special place led by talented and thoughtful people. Thank you, President Evans, Richard Duran, and the countless others involved in the search, for granting me and my family the opportunity of a lifetime. We are going to put together an incredible team guided by amazing coaches that UIW fans and the San Antonio community will be proud of. I cannot wait to get started and compete for a championship."
 
While with the Knights, Kinne helped lead an offense that averaged nearly 400 yards of total offense per game. UCF also finished the regular season ranked second in the nation in 4^th-down conversions, moving the chains on 81.82 percent of its attempts. The Knights finished the 2021 regular season with an 8-4 overall record and a spot in the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl against Florida.
 
Prior to UCF, Kinne spent a season as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Hawai'i, where he helped guide the Warriors to a 28-14 victory over the University of Houston in the New Mexico Bowl.
 
"I'm really proud of G.J. He's a rising star – and what an opportunity this is for him," said UCF Head Coach Gus Malzahan. "He's gonna kill it – and what I mean by that is he's going to do an unbelievable job. He's a great coach – he's an even better person. He's going to be a great example for all these young men, and he's going to do it right. And being from the state of Texas, he's going to do a great job recruiting."
 
"We're thrilled and excited for G.J. and his family," said UCF Vice President & Director of Athletics, Terry Mohajir. "His offensive experience and developing QB's will serve him well in his new role at UIW! In addition, his Texas and NFL background will be a strong recipe for recruiting!"
 
Kinne was a three-year starter at Tulsa from 2009-11 where he threw for 9,472 yards and 81 touchdowns. As a junior, he led Tulsa to a victory over Hawai'i in the 2010 Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl and a final No. 24 national ranking. He was named the 2010 Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year and was a second-team All-Conference USA selection in 2011.
 
Named the MVP of the inaugural 2012 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, Kinne had stints playing with the New York Jets, the Philadelphia Eagles, and the New York Giants, as well as the Saskatchewan Roughriders and later with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League. Following his playing days, Kinne spent a season as an offensive assistant with the Eagles, where he assisted the offensive staff with game planning for a squad that won the NFC East division title with a 9-7 mark.
 
Kinne played his senior season of high school at Gilmer High School under current UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor. He later coached with Traylor at Southern Methodist University (2017) and Arkansas (2018).
 
"I'm thrilled for G.J. and this opportunity he has at UIW, and I'm very excited he's going to be in San Antonio," said Traylor. "He's one of the best young coaches around but he's an even more amazing human. I consider him like my own son. He played quarterback for me in high school, and I coached with him at SMU and Arkansas, so I have experienced firsthand the type of coach and person he is. UIW made an outstanding hire and I'm looking forward to watching his career blossom as a head coach."
 
Originally from Mesquite, Texas, Kinne earned his degree in Exercise Sports Science from Tulsa in 2011. His father, Gary Joe, was a linebacker at Baylor, a longtime Texas high school football coach, and spent time on the Baylor staff. Kinne and his wife, Summer, have one son, Lincoln.
 
The Word on G.J Kinne

Howie Roseman, Executive Vice President/General Manager
Philadelphia Eagles
"Nobody who had the pleasure of working with G.J. during his time with the Philadelphia Eagles is surprised one bit by the success he has experienced already in his young coaching career. As a player, he brought a passion for the game and a desire to get better at his craft every day. In transitioning to coaching, G.J. demonstrated his dedication to helping our players maximize their talents for the betterment of our team. He is a tremendous person and a bright football mind, and the UIW football program is in great hands with G.J."
 
Steve Spagnuolo, Defensive Coordinator
Kansas City Chiefs
"His natural leadership skills will be his greatest asset as he takes on this new challenge as head coach. I am excited to see the great things he will accomplish on the field and the great young men he will develop off it!"
 
Doug Pederson, Former Head Coach
Philadelphia Eagles
"Congratulations to Coach Kinne. He'll be a great leader to the young men he coaches. He has great a passion for football and will be a tremendous asset to the university."
 
Chip Kelly, Head Coach
UCLA
"G.J. is such a great Hire! I've loved him since I was fortunate enough to coach him in the NFL. His mindset and approach to life is contagious, you just want to surround yourself with people like him! He's going to do a great job of carrying on the winning tradition there at UIW."
 
Chad Morris, Head Coach
Allen High School
"G.J. is an ideal fit for UIW. His deep Texas roots make him perfect for recruiting the state of Texas. He is one of the bright young minds in the game. He will bring an exciting brand of football to UIW. His experience both as a player and a coach has prepared him for this great opportunity. I look forward to sending some Allen Eagles to play for him. He is a player's coach and will instill great values in his players that will be with them for the rest of their lives. I look forward to watching his success at UIW."