ANGELO-STATE

Legendary Angelo State football coach Hess remembered fondly

Charles Bryce
San Angelo Standard-Times
Former Angelo State head football coach Jim Hess, who led the Rams to the 1978 NAIA national title, passed away at the age of 84 on Sunday, Oct. 3, 2021.

Former Angelo State University head football coach Jim Hess, who led the Rams to the 1978 NAIA national championship, passed away at the age of 84 Sunday after succumbing to longtime health problems.

A native of Farmersville, Texas, Hess played college football at Paris Junior College and later Southeastern Oklahoma State. He was a fullback and cornerback in his playing days.

He began his coaching career at McKinney High School in 1961-62. He also coached in the high-school ranks at Rockwall, Kilgore and Baytown Sterling.

Hess got his first college coaching job as a defensive line coach at Rice University from 1967-70.

ASU hired Hess as its defensive coordinator in 1972 and two years later he became the Rams' head coach.

He served as ASU's head coach from 1974 to 1981 before Jerry Vandergriff took over.

"That's what he was destined to be was a football coach," said former ASU defensive coordinator Mike Martin. "He didn't have any other hobbies or anything. He was just a football coach. A lot of people love to hunt and fish and take time off. He decided to just be with family. 

"He studied football all the time. I moved to defense in 1975. He made me the defensive coordinator. There was a lot of work involved and there were a lot of late-night hours. He was a football coach 24/7."

Angelo State sports icon

Hess had a record of 65-23-3 (73.1%) at ASU.

While leading the Rams to that 1978 NAIA title, Hess was selected as the NAIA Coach of the Year. He was the Lone Star Conference Coach of the Year in 1977.

The Rams went 14-0 overall and 7-0 in conference during that magical 1978 season, culminating with a 34-14 blowout against Elon College (North Carolina) in the title game.

After his days at ASU, Hess went on to head-coaching jobs at Stephen F. Austin (1982-1988) and New Mexico State (1990-1996).

His overall record as a college head coach was 134-108-5.

Hess and the ASU staff went all around the country visiting different universities.

"We took a lot of trips to different schools to find out what they were doing," Martin said. "He studied it all the time. He liked to watch film and he was always scheming and coming up with new ideas and new things."

Hess told Martin he wasn't good at calling defense, so he wanted Martin to take over as the defensive coordinator.

"He knew we had a very talented team," Martin said. "That defense in 1975 still holds the record for the least amount of yards given up (in program history) and the least amount of points given up. 

"It'll probably stay that way forever. It was his scheme of defense and he offered all kinds of advice and support."

The 1978 team is still the only football team in ASU history that went on to win a national title.

Stock image

"It was just a culmination of things," Martin said. "Jerry Vandergriff recruited a lot of those kids. We had more high school players at that time. It worked out, but there were some tense times when we were playing. 

"I remember we were behind at East Central Oklahoma and they had (future New York Jets star) Mark Gastineau. We weren't playing well, but we made it through and that's the mark of a pretty good team. And (Texas) A&I (now Texas A&M-Kingsville), we had a tough time with them here. I think we won by three points or something like that. It was a very talented team and a bunch of fun."

Martin talked about what winning the 1978 national title meant to his former mentor.

"That's everything you strive for," Martin said. "Winning the Lone Star Conference back then meant that chances are you're going to win a national championship. Back then, Abilene Christian was very good, and East Texas State (now Texas A&M-Commerce) was always good, and Texas A&I. 

"We finally got to where we could compete with all those guys. It was just a special thing. We were in the playoffs for three years in a row there and had a chance to go back-to-back (with national titles). It didn't work out, but it was a fun time."

Martin said Hess was a player's coach.

"They all loved him," the former ASU assistant said. "He was a fun guy to work for. It was a good thing for me to learn from him.

"Of course, he was a co-founder of the Angelo Football Clinic and later on Jerry (Vandergriff) and I got involved in it. He and John Paul Young founded that clinic, basically because they wanted to learn more."

The Angelo Football Clinic celebrated its 47th running this past summer.

After retiring from coaching, Hess became a college scout for the Dallas Cowboys and he's the one who "discovered" quarterback Tony Romo for Big D.

Doug Kuhlmann, a former head football coach at San Angelo Lake View High School who is now the Bronte secondary principal, was a redshirt freshman backup quarterback for Hess in 1978.

"Coach Hess knew how to treat college athletes," Kuhlmann said. "He always had a way of explaining things well and letting you know how you should act and shouldn't act in a school setting.

"They were very general rules. I remember early on he said, 'When you come to college, you ought to be a mature person and know how to conduct yourself. Just don't embarrass your family, yourself or Angelo State University.' "

Kuhlmann spoke about the impact Hess had on him as a young man.

"I tell this story to a lot of people," Kuhlmann said. "All the coaches in my life have made a positive impact on me. The two who probably made the greatest impact were coach (Carlin) Wicker at Fredericksburg High School and coach Hess at Angelo State University.

"No doubt, all the coaches made a big difference in my life -- coach Martin, coach Vandergriff and the ASU coaches. It was a great setting for a college athlete to be among those type coaches. For me to go onward and continue into a career of education and coaching, those two made the biggest impact on me. At one time, I was looking into going into the Secret Service. I changed my mind and decided to become a coach and educator. Coach Hess was very instrumental in that part of my decision process."

Martin spoke about the health problems that Hess had been dealing with in recent years.

Former New Mexico State football coach Jim Hess passed away Saturday, it was announced by his family.

"He always had heart trouble," Martin said. "When he was at New Mexico, he had a five-way bypass (surgery). He had a lot of stents in his heart. He had neuropathy real bad in his lower legs from the knees down and he got to where he couldn't drive anymore. He was almost bed ridden because he couldn't walk. 

"He got some infections in his feet and it took forever to get rid of the infection he had. He really lost all of his ability of being able to move and do things and even walk with a walker. And then finally he was home and I think he had a heart attack and a stroke that finally got him. He was ready to go. His quality of life was deteriorating and it was time."

Martin has a lifetime of great memories about his former boss.

"We had a lot of fun," the former ASU assistant said. "He taught me how to be a good coach. Working with him was a lot of fun and a lot of excitement and a lot of hard work. 

"The coaching clinic has been a big success. You always meet a lot of people. All my technical football that I've learned I guess was really from him."

The news of Hess passing away also hit Kuhlmann hard.

"I was sad to hear it," the former Rams quarterback said. "I knew coach Hess hadn't been doing well, but when it finally happens, it sure strikes you. Oh gosh, it just makes you think of all the good times you've had."

Charles Bryce is a journalist covering sports in West Texas. Send him a news tip at cbryce@gannett.com. Consider supporting West Texas journalism with a subscription to GoSanAngelo.com.