A Legacy of Excellence: The History of Angelo State University Football

The Angelo State Rams football team has a rich and storied history, representing Angelo State University with pride in NCAA Division II college football. As a member of the South Division of the Lone Star Conference, the Rams have consistently demonstrated their competitive spirit and commitment to excellence. The team plays all home games at LeGrand Stadium at 1st Community Credit Union Field.

A Championship Heritage

Angelo State boasts a national championship title, earned in 1978 when the team clinched the NAIA Division I title. This victory stands as a testament to the program's dedication and talent throughout its history.

Playoff Appearances

The Rams have a strong tradition of postseason play, having made nine appearances in the NCAA Division II playoffs. Before joining the NCAA, the Rams also made three appearances in the NAIA playoffs, showcasing their consistent competitiveness on a national level.

Top ASU Players

From all around the state and beyond, an impressive collection of football players made their way through San Angelo during the last decade to suit up for the Angelo State Rams. Here are our top ASU players from 2010 to 2019:

Angelo State All-Decade Football Team Co-MVPs

QB Kyle Washington (2012-15)

The 6-foot-6, 225-pounder from Humble High School was a jaw-dropping dual-threat quarterback who rewrote the Angelo State records book and put the Rams back on the map. After serving as a freshman backup in 2012, Washington was a three-year starter. As a sophomore, he broke ASU's single-season record for total offense with 2,073 yards passing and 1,102 yards on the ground. In 2014, he helped ASU finish 9-3, win the Lone Star Conference Playoff Championship and celebrate the first playoff victory in 17 years. He threw for 3,236 yards and 34 touchdowns that season and ran for a team-high 911 yards and nine TDs. In his final year, he led the nation with 411.1 yards per game, broke his own school record with 3,691 yards passing and 27 TDs, and rushed for a team-high 831 yards and 15 scores. He was a Don Hansen All-American honorable mention selection and a two-time LSC Offensive Player of the Year. He was also the LSC Academic Player of the Year twice. He was in rookie mini-camp with the Philadelphia Eagles but wasn't able to make the roster. Washington is in his second season as an assistant coach at McNeese State.

Read also: ASU Baseball History

DL Markus Jones (2015-2018)

The Crowley High School graduate started to make a name for himself as a sophomore en route to becoming one of the greatest defensive players in Rams history. The 6-3, 260-pound defensive end had 37 career sacks to finish No. 1 in ASU history. As a senior, he led all divisions with 36.5 tackles for loss and broke ASU's single-season mark with 17.5. The two-time LSC Defensive Player of the Year and second-team All-American led the country with seven blocked kicks in 2017. He finished sixth in the Harlon Hill voting his senior year, which is the D-II equivalent of the Heisman Trophy. Jones signed a free-agent contract with the Baltimore Ravens this past spring, and his rights were later obtained by the Green Bay Packers before he got cut. He played briefly for the St. Louis BattleHawks in the now-defunct XFL and is currently a free agent.

Offensive Standouts

QB Josh Neiswander (2006-07, 2009-10)

Neiswander is the second-leading career passer in program history with 8,166 yards, and he's second in career TD passes with 61. In his senior season in 2010, Neiswander threw for 2,983 yards and 27 TDs against seven picks, and he was selected as the MVP of the All-American Bowl all-star game. He is tied with Trey Weishuhn for the most TD passes in a single game with six against Southeastern Oklahoma in 2009. As a junior, the 6-2, 215-pounder from Winnsboro High School set new school passing records for completions, attempts, touchdowns, completion percentage (62.4), average yards per game (266.6) and total offense (2,895) at the time. He turned pro and played for the Canadian Football League's Montreal Alouettes.

QB Blake Hamblin (2010-12)

Hamblin ranks 14th in program history with 3,429 yards of total offense, and he's 13th on the all-time passing yardage list with 3,233 yards. He was a two-year starter in 2011 and 2012, though he was limited to a combined 14 games due to injury. When he was on the field, though, his talent and leadership were on display. In 2011, he threw for 1,443 yards and 9 TDs in six games. In 2012, he helped groom future starter Kyle Washington by throwing for 1,704 yards and 14 TDs in eight games.

RB Tristan Carter (2010-2011)

Despite playing just two seasons with the Rams, the 5-8, 205-pounder is the 14th-best all-time career rusher with 1,529 yards. He got the bulk of those yards in 2011 when he finished with a team-high 926 yards and 11 TDs. He was also a capable receiver with a combined 61 catches those two years.

RB Jermie Calhoun (2012-13)

Calhoun transferred to ASU from the University of Oklahoma, where he played in 16 games under head coach Bob Stoops. In two seasons at ASU, he had 1,271 yards on the ground for the Rams. The 6-foot, 215-pounder was ASU's second-leading rusher in 2013 behind QB Kyle Washington, finishing with 930 yards and five TDs.

Read also: ASU Job Opportunities

RB Josh Stevens (2016-17)

The 5-9, 170-pounder only played two season for ASU, but still ranks seventh on the all-time rushing list with 1,958 yards. He was a second-team selection on the All-LSC team in 2017 when he came close to 1,000 yards on the ground with 934 yards rushing and 11 TDs.

FB Blake Smith (2011-14)

Smith was a bruising 6-1, 240-pounder who finished his career with 1,407 yards rushing. He earned first-team honors in the LSC in 2012. His most productive season was in 2013 when he was ASU's No. 3 rusher with 609 yards and seven TDs.

OL Tyler Hamilton (2013-16)

The 6-1, 305-pounder provided great protection for QB Kyle Washington during ASU's most successful seasons of the past decade. In 2014, he started all 12 games at center and helped the Rams win the LSC Playoff Championship and their first playoff game in 17 years. He was a first-team all-LSC pick in 2015 and helped the Rams set school records for passing yards and total offense as a junior and senior.

OL Anthony Lewis (2012-13)

Lewis helped Kyle Washington become the first ASU player to throw for at least 2,000 yards and rush for at least 1,000 yards in 2013. The Rams set a program mark with 3,034 yards rushing that season. He was a Don Hansen third-team All-Super Region Four pick and an LSC first-teamer in 2013. He's currently the offensive line coach at his alma mater.

OL Isi Cocker (2011-13)

Before coming to ASU, the 6-1, 320-pounder helped Euless Trinity High School win the Class 5A Division I state title in 2009. He started his college career at Kilgore College and was a second-team all-LSC performer for the Rams in his final two seasons.

OL Quade Huckaba (2013-15)

The 6-2, 325-pounder from Midland High School was a second-team all-conference player for the Rams in 2015. He helped ASU set school records for passing yards and total offense in back-to-back seasons as a junior and senior.

OL Andre Gillette (2016-17)

The 6-4, 290-pounder from tradition-rich Odessa Permian High School was a second-team all-conference player for the Rams in 2017. Gillette played in all 11 games that season, helping ASU average 494.1 yards per game. The Rams averaged 175.5 yards rushing per game in his senior campaign.

WR Lawson Ayo (2016-19)

Ayo ranks fourth on the Rams' all-time receiving yardage list with 2,618 yards. He was ASU's top receiver in 2018 when he finished with 58 receptions for 1,073 yards (18.5 average) and a team-high seven TDs. In 2019, the 6-1, 195-pounder helped ASU finish 8-3 overall and 5-3 in conference. He was hurt late in the season and finished with 483 yards receiving and five TDs in eight games.

WR Donovan Thompson (2014-17)

Thompson is the Rams' career leading in receptions (192) and single-season receiving yardage (1,136 in 2015). The 6-1, 195-pounder was an LSC first-team selection in 2015 and 2017. He caught a 91-yard TD pass from Kyle Washington in 2015, the third-longest reception in program history. Thompson led the Rams in receiving yardage his final three seasons.

WR Keke Chism (2016-present)

With one more season remaining, Chism ranks sixth on ASU's career receiving yardage list with 2,221 yards. He led the Rams in receiving yardage in 2018 (959 yards, 6 TDs) and 2019 (878, 6 TDs). The 6-4, 210-pounder was a first-team all-LSC pick in 2019 and he ranked fourth in the conference in receiving yardage. He's had nine 100-yard receiving games.

WR C.J. Akins (2009-12)

The 6-1, 200-pounder ranks eighth in program history with 2,089 yards. He had seven 100-yard receiving games. In 2011, he finished with a team-high 645 yards receiving, averaging 17.9 yards per catch. In 2012, he had a career-best 160 yards receiving against Eastern New Mexico. ASU had injury issues at the quarterback spot each season. He was signed as a free agent by the St. Louis Rams but was waived in 2013 after an injury.

WR Dakarai Pecikonis (2009-12, 2014)

Pecikonis is the Rams' career receiving yardage leader with 2,831 yards. He helped the Rams go 9-3 in 2014, as ASU won the LSC Playoff Championship title and earned its first playoff victory in 17 years. He had a career-high 163 yards against Western State in 2014. Pecikonis had eight 100-yard receiving games. He was a second-team selection in the LSC in 2014 as ASU's second-leading receiver with 723 yards and 8 TDs.

WR Talon Smith (2012-15)

Smith played an intstrumental role in helping ASU snap a 17-year playoff-victory drought in 2014 when the Rams rallied from a 21-0 deficit to beat Michigan Tech 42-41 in the first round of the NCAA D-II playoffs. He snagged an 88-yard TD pass from Kyle Washington, and his 50-yard TD catch late in the fourth quarter was the game winner. At 5-8, 180 pounds, the Odessa Permian High School graduate didn't have the size of most receivers, but that didn't keep him from being one of the best in ASU history. He ranks ninth on the all-time list with 1,893 yards. In 2014, he was the Rams' leading receiver with 44 receptions for 756 yards and nine TDs.

TE Alex Young (2012-13)

The 6-4, 250-pounder earned first-team honors in the LSC in 2013, and he was a Don Hansen All-American honorable mention selection. He caught 18 passes for 240 yards (13.3-yard average) and three TDs and was ASU's fourth-leading receiver in his senior campaign.

Defensive Stars

DL Clayton Callicutt (2012-15)

One of the greatest defensive players in ASU history, Callicutt was a first-teamer in the LSC in his final two seasons and the conference's Lineman of the Year in 2013 and 2014. In 2014, he was a BSN All-American first-team selection and a D2Football.com second-team pick. As a senior, the Rams' defensive end was once again a D2Football.com performer, an Associated Press Little All-American and an AFCA pick. The 6-4, 275-pounder finished his illustrious career with 271 tackles and he ranks second on the career sacks list with 31.5.

DL Lawrence Rumph (2011)

The 6-4 250-pounder began his collegiate career at Navarro Junior College and Texas Tech. In his only season with the Rams in 2011, he earned first-team accolades in the LSC. He was the Rams' fifth-leading tackler with 42 stops and a team-high nine sacks, four more than anyone else on the team.

DL Bright Ihegworo (2015-18)

Before transferring to Abilene Christian for his senior season, the 6-1, 285-pounder was a first-teamer in conference for the Rams in 2017 and 2018. His best season for ASU was in 2018 when he had 55 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and four sacks.

DL Joey Searcy III (2012-13)

Searcy was a force as a defensive tackle. He was an LSC first-team pick in both of his seasons at ASU. After recording 38 tackles and 2.5 sacks in 2012, the 6-foot, 335-pounder was the Rams' fifth-leading tackler with 45 stops, including nine for losses and one sack. He had 38 tackles, six tackles for losses and 2.5 sacks in 2012.

LB Rush Seaver (2011-14)

The Rams' hard-hitting linebacker cemented his name among ASU's top defensive players of all time. With 395 career tackles, the 6-3, 250-pounder ranks fifth on ASU's all-time list. Seaver led ASU in tackles as a sophomore (80), junior (107) and senior (148). He had a 100-yard interception return for a touchdown against No. 5 Colorado State-Pueblo in 2013 at the LSC Football Festival at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. In addition to being a first-team all-LSC performer in 2013 and 2014, he was also a Daktronics All-America second-teamer and a Don Hansen All-American first-teamer in 2014.

LB Justin Jackson (2015-17)

Jackson earned first-team LSC honors in 2016 and 2017. The 6-2, 210-pounder ranks 15th on the all-time career tackles list with 238. He was ASU's leading tackler in 2016 (98) and 2017 (113) and led the team in interceptions with three in 2016. He was a Don Hansen All-America honorable mention performer in 2017.

LB Grant Aschenbeck (2015-18)

Aschenbeck was another great linebacker for the Rams. The 6-2, 245-pounder is ASU's sixth-leading career tackler with 355. He led the Rams with 121 tackles in 2018 and he was the No. 2 tackler in 2017 (99).

LB Donavyn Jackson (2017-present)

The former San Angelo Central High School standout earned first-team honors in the LSC as a sophomore in 2018. The 6-1, 210-pounder was the Rams' fifth-leading tackler in 2018 with 83, including 14 for loss. He also had four interceptions, seven pass breakups and two forced fumbles as a sophomore. Injuries limited his playing time in 2019.

LB Hunter Kyle (2017-present)

The 6-3, 230-pounder was a second-team all-LSC performer. He finished with a team-high 101 tackles in 2019, in addition to 4.5 sacks and 12 tackles for losses. In 2018, he had a career-high 121 tackles, which ranked second on the team by one tackle, in addition to four interceptions. He still has his senior year ahead of him.

DB Fred Lawrence (2014-17)

The Abilene Cooper High School graduate earned first-team all-conference honors in 2015 and 2017 and second-team accolades in 2016. In his freshman season, he had a 93-yard punt return for a touchdown in a season-opening win against Oklahoma Panhandle State. He led the Rams in interceptions in 2015 (3), 2017 (3) and tied for the lead in 2014 (3). In 2017, he became the first Ram since Glenn Saterfield in 1984 to be named the LSC Defensive Back of the Year.

DB Leddy French (2016-present)

Before coming to ASU, French was the Offensive MVP for Brock High School in the Class 3A D-I state championship game in 2015, and he also played on a state championship basketball team earlier that year. French started to make a name for himself at ASU when he was the fourth-leading tackler as a redshirt freshman in 2017 (63) and he made two picks. In 2018, he moved up to the No. 3 tackler (85) and had two more interceptions. He was the No. 2 tackler in 2019 (58) and added four sacks to earn first-team all-LSC honors. He has one more year left with the Rams.

DB Alvin Johnson (2009-12)

Johnson was a four-year starter for the Rams who led ASU in tackles in 2011 with 69, including a season-high 12 tackles against Abilene Christian that year. The 5-8, 185-pounder was an honorable mention all-LSC performer in 2010 and 2011. He led the Rams with four interceptions in 2010 and had an 80-yard interception return for a touchdown in 2009.

DB Ryan Clapsaddle (2012-15)

Clapsaddle finished in the top three in tackles in 2013 (2nd, 72) and 2014 (3rd, 97), and he was a two-time honorable mention selection in the conference. The 5-11, 190-pounder tied for the team lead with three interceptions in 2013. In 2015, he was the fifth-leading tackler with 54 and he had two picks.

Special Teams Ace

K Connor Flanigan (2016-19)

Flanigan set school records by making 17 field goals in 2017, including a program-best 52-yarder against Midwestern State. In his most suc…

From San Angelo College to National Prominence

When the school started football in 1939, Homecoming was moved to the fall, where it has remained except for four years from 1960â63 when San Angelo College temporarily dropped football as it transitioned into Angelo State University. By the turn of the 21st century, Homecoming was an elaborate ritual jointly run by the Alumni Association, the university and the students. All during the week leading up to the game, student organizations compete for the Spirit Stick, given to the group that has shown the most spirit and contributed the most to the many tasks required to make the event a success.

Early Years and Growth

After an unsuccessful 1923 bid to be selected as the home of Texas Technological College, the residents of San Angelo decided they would create their own college, even if they had to pay for it themselves. When classes began, 112 students enrolled with city students paying $75 tuition and out-of-town students $115. In May 1929, six students walked across the stage in the institutionâs first commencement exercise.

Barely had the college opened its doors than the Stock Market collapsed in 1929 and plunged the country into the Great Depression throughout the 1930s. SAC survived the downturn of the Depression and the World War II years with an eye toward the future. Having outgrown its downtown campus, the college looked to move to its current location, though tax monies were inadequate to make the change to a new campus. The residents of San Angelo stepped in and raised $300,000 to help make the transition.

Pioneering Integration

By the 1950s, SAC was growing on its new campus on West Avenue N, thanks to the GI BillÂ® and a growing emphasis on education. During the 1950s, SAC was a pioneer in racial relations, admitting its first black students a year before Brown vs. Board of Education and in 1955 graduating its first black student, Mary Frances Simpson, the outstanding graduate that year. SAC also broke the color barrier in Texas intercollegiate football in 1953 when Ben Kelly, who later that academic year would be named class favorite, started for the Rams.

Transition to Angelo State University

The 1960s were a time of change as San Angelo College evolved into a four-year, state-supported university, fulfilling the dreams of local residents all the way back to the 1920s. Gov. John Connally in 1963 signed legislation making SAC a state institution and a part of what became the Texas State University System.

Expansion and Generosity

During the 1970s, the ASU campus flourished as the Baby Boomers arrived in full force. Intercollegiate athletics for women began in 1975. Upon his death in 1978, long-time ASU supporter Robert G. Carr established a foundation funded by his mineral and royalty interests from oil-producing properties in 16 West Texas counties. His wife, Nona Carr, would add her interest in those properties to the foundation upon her death nine years later. The Robert G. and Nona K. Carr Foundation, established to provide scholarships for âneedy and worthyâ students, would have a profound impact on Angelo State. The first scholarships were awarded in 1981.

Continued Growth and Recognition

News and World Report as one of the nationâs up-and-coming universities. In the decade between 1996 and 2006, ASU enjoyed its second-biggest building boom, leaving the university with one of the most modern campuses in the state. Local residents once again demonstrated their support and interest in the institution when they petitioned legislators in 2007 to move Angelo State University from the Texas State University System to the Texas Tech University System. With legislative approval and the governorâs signature, that move became effective on Sept. 1, 2007, three months to the day after Dr. Joseph C.

Campus Transformation

The implosion of University Hall, also known as the Womenâs High Rise, marked 2009 as an explosive year in ASU history, and allowed for further campus growth and expansion. In 2010, the Rambelles track and field team garnered ASUâs fourth national title as it claimed the NCAA Division II Outdoor National Championship. Another milestone came for the university in 2011 when fall semester enrollment surpassed 7,000 students for the first time. ASU also continued to attract national attention in 2012 when it was named for the fourth straight year to the Princeton Reviewâs âBest Collegesâ guide. Another notable event in 2012 was the appointment of Dr. Brian J. May as president of Angelo State University.

Milestones and Expansion

anniversary, and the university celebrated with its first capital campaign, which raised over $35 million. Growth was the major theme for 2015 with a new record fall enrollment of 8,156, fueled in part by a new off-site dual credit program, continued increases in graduate students taking online courses, and the launch of the new civil engineering program. In 2017, the Hunter Strain Engineering Labs facility were completed, and the building for the Archer College of Health and Human Services neared completion in 2018. Community Credit Union Field, the Health and Human Services Building, the Shannon Sportsmed Clinic, and a new wing for the Centennial Village residence hall. A generous private gift led to the naming of the Norris-Vincent College of Business, and a project to add the ASU Mayer Museum was announced. ASUâs first civil engineering graduates received their diplomas, and approval was granted for a new mechanical engineering program. Enrollment topped 10,500 for the first time in 2019, which was also highlighted by more new construction on campus as ground was broken for the Stephens Chapel and Mayer Museum.

Adapting to Change

Change was a major theme for 2020 as ASU thrived despite closing the campus and finishing the spring semester through virtual classes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. By the time students, faculty and staff returned to campus for the fall semester, ASU had new leadership as retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Ronnie D. Hawkins Jr. president of Angelo State following the resignation of Dr. Brian J. May. ASUâs first official Core Values were adopted in 2021, along with new Mission and Vision statements. The early spring was interrupted by âSnow-mageddonâ closing campus for a week due to arctic weather. A new Bachelor of Commercial Aviation degree was added, as well as ASUâs second doctoral degree, a Psy.D. in counseling psychology. ASU was selected to pilot a community cybersecurity program with UTSA, and the campus was back to full capacity and operations for the start of the fall semester.

Innovation and Growth

ASU was selected to pilot another cybersecurity program in 2022 and soon became the site of the stateâs first Regional Security Operations Center. Ground was broken for the Housley Tower and significant renovations began for what is now the Elta Joyce Murphey Auditorium in the Mayer Administration Building. Other new additions included a new Doctor of Social Work degree, the first Latinx Stole Ceremony at commencement, and the Mariachi Los Pastores ensemble. The new ASU Rodeo Team dominated the headlines in early 2023, along with the addition of the ASU Rodeo Complex at the San Angelo Fairgrounds. The Rams baseball team won its first national championship, the fifth in Angelo State history, and ground was broken for a new Rambelles Soccer Clubhouse. ASU also achieved SACS-COC re-accreditation, added a new Center for Digital Learning and Instruction to better leverage online course offerings, and added a fourth doctoral degree, an Ed.D. in transformative leadership. Continued growth and expansion was the underlying theme for 2024, but so was loss as ASU completed demolition of the vacant Concho Hall high rise dorm. The campus landscape was also changed forever with the dedication of the Housley Tower and the addition of the Rambelles Soccer Clubhouse at the newly-named LeGrand Soccer Complex, and new Cattle Show Barns were added to the ASU Ranch. Ground was broken for a new Angelo State Golf Complex and short-game course, as well as dual expansions to the ASU Mayer Museum, while improvements continued at the ASU Rodeo Complex at the fairgrounds.

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