This season, Texas State’s RB room is taking back-to-back hits. After losing two key players, the Bobcats have now lost the coach. Under Barrick Nealy, Texas State’s rushing attack made its way up last season, but right now the leading position has become vacant.

Nealy decided to leave Texas State after spending two seasons with the Bobcats. Though the exact reason for his departure hasn’t been revealed yet, he will quit football and follow a path outside it, as reported by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football reporter Mike Craven on Tuesday, July 6.

In 2025, under Nealy’s guidance, the Bobcats’ rushing offense saw a top-10 leap. This could be attributed to Senior RB Lincoln Pare, who had a breakout year, but Nealy did have a big part to play in this improvement.

His coaching ability reflected in his first season with San Marcos itself. He was a QB and WR coach before getting promoted to the coordinator role. After a six-year stint, he moved to UTEP as its Director of Player Development. Barrick Nealy then moved on to other roles before finally becoming an assistant coach with them.

His move to Texas State saw the Bobcats get to No. 27 nationally in rushing yards with 200.1 YPG. Those figures improved to 10th in 2025 with 222.2 yards per game.

But his connection with Texas State wasn’t limited to coaching. In 2024, GJ Kinne brought in Nealy to serve as the Bobcats’ RBs coach, but for the assistant coach, it was a homecoming. Though his collegiate journey began with Houston, he joined the Bobcats in 2003 as a transfer QB. During his tenure, the Bobcats saw a historic run in 2005 when he helped to lead them to the Division I-AA playoff semifinal.

That was the first postseason appearance for Texas State since 1982. His performance as a player was outstanding, and when he returned as a coach following his pro football journey, that old energy was evident in his production. Coaching for one’s alma mater is another level of pride for any student-athlete, even for Nealy.

This is not an isolated case as college coaching has seen its fair share of abrupt departures. In 2017, Gary Andersen walked away from Oregon State six games into the 2017 season. Frustrated by an inability to turn the program around and struggling with team culture, he mutually agreed to part ways and completely waived more than $12 million remaining on his contract.

Two years later, in 2019, Chris Peterson was just 55 years old and at the peak of his career at Washington. He shocked the nation by stepping down as head coach of the Huskies right before their bowl game. Citing intense burnout and a desire to regain his personal life, he chose to transition into an advisory role and completely stepped away from the sidelines. We don’t know what reasons Nealy would have had, but coaching in football can be draining.

This season, the Bobcats were set to make a run for the championship, but the plan will no longer work. Now, Texas State has to find a new key piece at the RB coach position. The program is expected to hire a new assistant coach before the start of this season. The timing is critical, and so is the Bobcats’ RB room’s outlook.

Is Nealy’s departure a big blow for Texas State?

Just months before kicking off the season opener against Texas, Barrick Nealy’s decision to leave Texas State abruptly was definitely a shock to the head coach. But the main concern is to find a steady hand at that position. The program has already decided it won’t bring in anyone from inside the Bobcats’ staff. So, the search needs to be fast to find the right replacement.

However, the new running back coach has to tackle an RB room that isn’t short on options but is missing two key pieces. Lincoln Pare, who rushed for 1,128 yards and delivered a dominant run game, won’t be part of the team. His collegiate eligibility expired. However, the biggest setback is that Texas State’s projected starter, Greg Burrell, isn’t on the team. Texas State released him following his arrest on a third-degree felony charge.

At this moment, Texas State has to find the right guy who can lead RBs like Taji Atkins, Jaylen Jenkins, and Davian Jackson, among others, in the right direction. So the Bobcats again see a massive season in 2026. But there’s a little sense of concern. The season will be their first year in the Pac-12, so adjustments will definitely take place.