Angelo State University Men's Football

Jeff Girsch, who has spent more than 20 years as a college football coach, will enter his seventh season as head coach of the Rams, 12th overall at Angelo State. Taking over the program in 2018, Girsch transformed a .500 win team into a national championship contender in just three seasons. In his first season as head coach, Girsch led the Rams to an 8-3 overall record, going 5-3 in the Lone Star conference to finish third overall in 2019. He is currently the winningest coach in program history, holding a career record of 49-15 with a winning percentage of .765. In 2024, the Rams claimed their second Lone Star Conference title in three seasons, finishing 9-0 in conference play and 9-3 overall for the year. ASU advanced to the NCAA Division II postseason for the third time in four years and collected 30 LSC All-Conference honors, including the Offensive Player of the Year in quarterback Braeden Fuller. Girsch was named the LSC Coach of the Year for the third time in his career. The Rams finished the 2023 campaign with a 7-3 overall record, going 6-2 in the Lone Star to finish third overall. ASU tallied 19 All-Conference honors while Noah Plsek was named the LSC Offensive Lineman of the Year. In 2022, Girsch led the Rams to a 12-1 overall record, setting a new program record in wins while claiming the Lone Star Conference title for the fourth time in program history,. The Rams also made their second straight appearance in the NCAA Division II National Championship quarterfinals.  The Rams finished the 2021 campaign with an 11-3 overall record, advancing to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II National Championship for only the second time in program history. They also tied the most wins in a season in the Division II era with 11. The Rams ranked 11th in Division II in rushing yards per game with 224.9 and had the eighth ranked defense, allowing 253.3 yards of offense per game. He was named the AFCA Region 4 Coach of the Year. Prior to being named the head coach, Girsch served as the defensive coordinator from 2014-2018 Before joining Angelo State University, Girsch had spent 18 years coaching at St. Ambrose University, with his last six as the Defensive Coordinator and Assistant Head Coach.  He was named the MSFA Assistant Football Coach of the Year in 2008.  Girsch is a graduate of St. Ambrose University, where he excelled as a four-year starter as a wide receiver on the football team.  Prior to joining Angelo State University, Girsch had spent 18 years coaching at St. Ambrose University, with his last six as the Defensive Coordinator and Assistant Head Coach.  He was named the MSFA Assistant Football Coach of the Year in 2008. During his tenure at St. Ambrose, Girsch coached over 50 All-Conference Players, Five All-Americans, and was a part of Seven Mid-States Football Association Conference Championships. His defense finished in the top 25 in scoring five of his six years as the Coordinator, highlighted by a No. 2 finish in 2009 and a No. 5 finish in 2011.  Girsch is a graduate of St. Ambrose University, where he excelled as a four-year starter as a wide receiver on the football team.  He currently ranks fourth in career receiving yards (1,617), 10th in career receiving touchdowns (11), and 10th in career receptions (94).  Girsch and his wife Erin, who is the Tutoring Center & Supplemental Instruction Coordinator at ASU are proud parents of two daughters, Jamee and Jill.  

Salgado had spent the 2011 season as a graduate assistant for the Rams. Salgado guided Clayton Callicutt to 8.0 sacks and 20.0 tackles for loss. Callicutt garnered LSC Defensive Lineman of the Year honors and was ranked in the top 10 in tackles for loss nationally. Salgado coached a defensive line that registered 25.0 of the teams 31 sacks on the season while also registering 60 of the teams 94 tackles for loss. Salgado guided John Siliga to second team All-LSC honors in 2014 and Joey Searcy IV to first team honors in 2013. Callciutt and Kyle Patterson were honorable mention selections in 2013 as well. He is no stranger to the Lone Star Conference as he served as linebackers coach at Eastern New Mexico during the 2010 season. Prior to coaching at Eastern New Mexico, Salgado spent two years as a graduate assistant at the University of Wyoming. He arrived at Wyoming from Fullerton Community College in Fullerton, Calif., where he served as a defensive assistant coach for four seasons, working with the defensive line and linebackers. His final season at Fullerton, he also coordinated the special teams. During his four years at Fullerton Community College from 2003-06, the Hornets captured a Mission Conference Championship in 2003, posting a perfect 5-0 conference record and advancing to the finals of the Southern California Junior College playoffs. Salgado also helped coach the Hornets to the 2004 Golden Empire Bowl where they played Bakersfield College. Salgado began his college playing career at Fullerton College as a defensive end from 1999-2001. He then continued his college playing career at West Virginia Tech University, an NAIA member school in Montgomery, W.Va. Originally from Garden Grove, Calif., Salgado graduated from Los Alamitos High School. He earned a bachelors degree in physical education from Chapman University in Orange, Calif., in 2005, and then earned a masters degree in sports administration from Eastern New Mexico University in 2011. Salgado married his wife Justine on July 11, 2008. He is the son of Blanca and Gilbert Salgado, and has one brother, Gilbert.  

Bill Weber joined the ASU Football staff in July 2025, originally serving as the offensive line coach. In 2026, he was promoted to the Assistant Head Coach and Run Game Coordinator.  Prior to joining the Rams, he served as the assistant offensive line coach at North Texas where in his first season with the Mean Green, the UNT offense finished third in the country in total offense, fourth in passing offense and 23rd in scoring offense. The offensive line excelled despite starting 10 different units in 13 games, including a pair of true freshman for the majority of games, on the season. Previously to Denton, Weber served as a quality control coach at Cincinnati in 2023 where he worked with the tight ends. Before then, he previously spent time as an offensive graduate assistant working primarily with the offensive line and tight ends at Utah from 2021-22. Utah ranked second in the Pac-12 and 11th nationally with a 217.6 rushing offense and Weber was instrumental in the development of Pac-12 All-Conference First Team selections Braeden Daniels and Sataoa Laumea and honorable mention selection Keaton Bills in 2022.   He also served as the Utes’ defensive line assistant in 2020, assisting with player development in addition to daily tasks that included scouting reports and leading drills. Prior to his time in the collegiate coaching ranks, Weber coached the offensive line and served as the run-game coordinator for the Potsdam Royals in the German Football League.   He was a coach and trainer for Lineman Performance Association from 2018-19, helping to develop and train athletes while acquiring new clients.   Weber played football at Toledo from 2014-17 before transferring to Abilene Christian to finish out his collegiate career from 2017-18. He was named a team captain and on the leadership council his senior year.   Weber graduated with a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies in 2018. The Weber household is home to Bill, his wife Emily, and their beloved dog, Moose. Coaching History 2020: Utah, defensive line assistant 2021-22: Utah, graduate assistant, offense 2023: Cincinnati, quality control, offense 2024-25: North Texas, assistant offensive line coach 25-pres.: ASU, offensive line coach

Jason Johnson completed his ninth season as the Wide Receivers’ coach/Recruiting Coordinator at Angelo State following the conclusion of the 2025 campaign.  Under Johnson’s tutelage, the Rams have had 14 LSC All-Conference performances at the wide receiver position since 2017, most recently in 2025 when Zeek Freeman and Hunter Wallis were tabbed Honorable Mentions. In 2023, Zorhan Rideaux and Kyle Bradford were named First-Team Offense as they finished second and fourth, respectively in receiving yards within the conference standings, combining for 1,113 yards and seven touchdowns. In 2022, Noah Massey was named Second-Team Offense after he recorded 52 receptions for 684 yards and four touchdowns for a Rams team that went 9-0 in league play in route to an LSC title and an NCAA Quarterfinal Appearance. In 2021, Kellen Pachot was named First-Team Offense. Pachet led the conference in receiving yards with 907, as the Rams had the top passing offense, accumulating a total of 3,071 passing yards. In 2018 and 2019, Keke Chism and Lawson Ayo both earned LSC honors while ranking in the top 10 in receiving yards per game in both seasons. In 2016, Johnson helped Mark Munson to the longest play from scrimmage in ASU history with a 99-yard pass from Jake Faber against UTPB. Donovan Thompson caught 50 passes on the season while Munson averaged 19.3 yards per catch for the Rams.   Johnson spent the five seasons (2011-2015) as the Wide Receivers coach at Texas State. He produced Texas State’s top three leaders in receptions after C. J. Best led the Bobcats with 58 receptions for 591 yards and Jafus Gaines caught 42 passes for 521 yards. In addition, Brandon Smith, who Phil Steele named an All-Sun Belt Conference Third-Team selection as a kickoff returner, caught 33 passes for 429 yards. Johnson’s wide receivers combined to catch 144 passes for 1,563 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2014. Best was named to the Sun Belt Conference All-Newcomer team after logging 37 receptions for 355 yards and two TDs. Smith also caught 36 passes and ranked second on the team with 414 receiving yards, while Ben Ijah caught 27 passes for 289 yards and three TDs. Gaines added 22 catches for 289 yards and a team-high of four TD receptions. Prior to Texas State, Johnson spent a season as the Wide Receivers coach and Recruiting Coordinator at Kentucky State in 2010. While at Kentucky State, he produced one of the top five receivers in the Southern Intercollegiate Conference who was named a second team all-conference performer.  He went to Kentucky State after serving two seasons on the coaching staff at Sul Ross State. He was the quarterbacks coach in 2009 when he produced an honorable mention all-conference performer after coaching the wide receivers in 2008 while serving as a graduate assistant coach.  Johnson began his coaching career at Bacone College in Oklahoma as a wide receivers coach in 2002 and a quarterbacks coach in 2003. He helped lead the Warriors to second-place finishes in the Central States Football League both seasons before playing Arena Football from 2004-07. He was a quarterback for the Odessa Roughnecks in 2004-05 before playing one season with the Lakeland Thunderbolts in 2006. In 2007, he played quarterback for the Laredo Lobos in the Arena 2 Football League. Johnson also played two seasons at Western Kentucky in 2000 and 2001, where he earned honorable mention All-Ohio Valley Conference honors as a quarterback in 2000, when he led Western Kentucky in passing with 1,148 yards and six touchdowns and in total offense with 1,904 yards. In addition, he helped lead the Hilltoppers to an 11-2 overall record, an OVC championship with a 7-0 league record and the second round of the NCAA Division I FCS playoffs. Johnson also earned OVC Newcomer of the Week on Oct. 15 that season. He went to Western Kentucky after playing two seasons at Kemper Military Junior College in 1998 and 1999. Johnson was named a NJCAA Honorable Mention All-America in 1999 after leading the NJCAA in total offense with 3,531 yards on 437 plays.  Johnson earned an associate of arts degree at Kemper Military Institute in 1999 and a bachelor’s degree in health at Western Kentucky in 2002. He also earned a master’s degree in physical education at Sul Ross State in 2009. Johnson and his wife, Jessica, have three children, Saniya, Ellis and Savana. Johnson’s Coaching History 2002-2003: Bacone College (OK), Wide Receivers 2008-2009: Sul Ross State, Graduate Assistant (Wide Receivers) 2010: Kentucky State, Wide Receivers 2011-2015: Texas State, Wide Receivers 2016-2025: Angelo State, Recruiting Coordinator & Wide Receivers 2026-pres.: Angelo State, Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks

Tyler O'Bryan begins his first season as assistant coach for ASU, specializing on defense with the linebacker group, and his sixth season overall working with the program. The long, long time graduate assistant has helped turn the Rams into one of the best defensive teams in Division II, coaching All-American linebacker Hunter Kyle along with LSC All-Conference recipients Daron Allman, Josh Quinton, and Donavyn Jackson.   In 2021, the Rams had one of the top defenses in the country, ranking eighth overall in total defense, allowing only 253.3 yards of offense per game. ASU allowed only 76.9 rushing yards per game which was the sixth lowest average in all of Division II. Hunter Kyle was named the Lone Star Defensive Player of the Year while the Rams tallied nine LSC All-Conference honors and four All-Region honors on the defense. The Rams allowed 14 or fewer points in eight games on the season and ranked 11 in the country in turnover margin and 17th in scoring defense.   A Marion native, O’Bryan is a Texas Tech graduate where he earned a degree in Kinesiology before completing his master’s degree in Education in Coaching and Athletic Administration at Angelo State.

Rob Messinger joins the Rams in March of 2026 after after spending the previous three seasons at Butler Community College serving as the Offensive Coordinator. During his time with the Grizzlies, he produced 20 offensive players to the Division I level. In 2025, BCC boasted a top 20 offense in points per game, rushing and red zone scoring while producing a NJCCA 1st Team All American. Messinger is no stranger to the Lone Star Conference as he was previously with UT Permian Basin, serving in multiple roles including Wide Receivers, Special Teams and Assistant Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator from 2019-2022 where he produced multiple All-Conference selections and the 2022 LSC Player of the Year in wide receiver MJ Link.   Previous roles for Messinger includes five seasons at Northeastern State University.  Prior to Northeastern State, Messinger spent the 2013 season as the co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Ottawa University in Kansas. He also coached at Ottawa from 2006-08, serving as the junior varsity head coach and offensive coordinator.   Messinger worked from 2010-12 at the University of Miami (FL). He was the coordinator of football operations from 2011-12 and was a volunteer assistant in 2010.  Before that he served as the defensive backs coach and recruiting coordinator at Washburn University from 2008-10.   The Topeka, Kansas native received a Bachelor of Science degree in sociology from the University of Kansas in 2005, where he also played defensive back. He went on to earn a Master of Education degree from Washburn in 2010. Messinger's Coaching History 2006-2007: Ottawa University, Offensive Coordinator 2008-2010: Washburn University, Defensive Backs/Recruiting Coordinator 2011-2012: University of Miami, Coordinator of Football Operations 2013: Ottawa University, Offensive Coordinator 2014-2016: Northeastern State University, Defensive Backs/Special Teams Coordinator 2017-2018: Northeastern State University, Assistant Head Coach/Wide Receivers 2019-2021: UT Permian Basin, Wide Receivers/Special Teams 2022: UT Permian Basin, Assistant Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator 2022-2025: Butler Community College, Offensive Coordinator