SAN ANGELO – Jason Herring once told the Corpus Christi Caller-Times that he was
born to coach football.
“I live for Friday nights. I absolutely love interacting with the kids, I love the pressure, I love the strategic part of matching wits with the other coach,” he explained to sportswriter George Vondracek back in 2009. “I went straight into college, graduated in three and a half years, went every day in the summer, I mean I knew. I never changed my major. I knew what I wanted to do.”
One hundred and sixty four games into his head coaching career, the evidence proves he was right in choosing his profession. Herring, who graduated from Angelo State in 1992 with kinesiology and history degrees, boasts a 122-42 record at three schools. He was named the athletic director and head football coach at Refugio in 2007 and has led the Bobcats to four consecutive district championships and four straight undefeated regular seasons. A Class 2A state championship in 2000 at Sonora shows he reached the peak, while missing the playoffs only one time in the last 11 years shows his consistency.
“I hope our teams are always identified by kids that are disciplined, hard hitting, and execute well,” said Herring, who is 53-4 at Refugio. “I think a trademark of our teams is the way we execute on offense. We try and keep it very simple so that we can execute perfectly.”
Self-described as not being big or talented enough to play college football for the Rams, Herring instead worked three jobs while at ASU with his eye on the coaching profession after graduation.
“I loved the family atmosphere of ASU,” he said. “The professors that were teaching me were the same men coaching the Rams on Saturdays. I really looked up to those guys.”
Not having playing experience never hurt Herring in pursuing his goal of coaching, but he acknowledges that it can be a struggle sometimes for someone wanting to break into the profession. His advice is to not give up and take advantage of every opportunity.
“It is definitely not a must to play college football, however it helps because of the contacts you make,” he said. “An aspiring coach needs to make as many contacts in the coaching profession as they can. It is not always what you know, but who you know. Be a sponge. Visit, volunteer, and get involved in any program that will allow you to learn.”
Herring, a Robert Lee native, landed his first job at Big Lake coaching junior high and then his first head coach position at Wall. In 2000, Herring led Sonora to a 15-0 record and the Class 2A state championship in his first season at the school. The Broncos were also state semifinalists in 2001 and regional semifinalists in 2003.
At Refugio, a town halfway between Corpus Christi and Victoria on Highway 77, Herring has built on a tradition of football dominance. The Bobcats have had 33 straight winning seasons and have
made the playoffs 19 consecutive seasons. Refugio lost to Daingerfield in the state semifinals in 2009 and to Lexington last season in the semifinals.
Without question one of the most intense and enthusiastic coaches you'll ever see on the sidelines, Herring is also known for making adjustments to his players. Two years ago he rotated quarterbacks routinely in an offensive approach he credits Texas Tech for teaching him as the Bobcats threw the football on most plays. Last season his team ran the ball. He used the skills of three different running backs to rush for 3,124 yards and 55 touchdowns. The Victoria Advocate
named all three running backs its Players of the Year.
“I thought the kids did a great job of being mature and handling it because at any point any one of the three could have gotten really frustrated,” Herring told sportswriter Mike Forman. “They could have played for anybody in the whole area and probably anybody in the state in 2A and be the feature back for any one of them. So to put those goals aside in an effort to do what's best for the team, in an effort to try and win it all, that says a lot for the kind of kids they are.”
Refugio is primed for another strong season with the addition of quarterback, Lynx Hawthorne, who has signed to play at Baylor and key returners from a team that put up nearly 60 points a game last year. Herring said he misses the people of West Texas and the steakhouses, but that he is appreciative for all the success he and the communities he's coached in have experienced.
“The good Lord has really blessed me in my career,” Herring said. “I have been extremely fortunate to be in places that really value athletics.”
A family full of ASU graduates
Jason Herring met his wife, Lisa, while in high school at Robert Lee but didn't start dating her until the two were at Angelo State. His brothers, Joel and Jim graduated from ASU in 1993 and 1995, respectively. The patriarch of the family, Jerry, is a 1971 graduate of Angelo State.
Special thanks to Mike Forman of the Victoria Advocate, George Vondracek and www.lonestargridiron.com for their work which contributed to Jason Herring's story.
Get more:
Fab 15 Info on Jason Herring (Standard-Times)
A look at some of the top coaches to come from ASU (Standard-Times)
Hering takes Refugio job (Standard-Times)
ASU's "Coaching Texas" Archive:
Doug Kuhlmann (Football)
Mike Jinks (Football)
Terri McColloch (Volleyball)
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