Rams' HC Girsch Speaks on Loss to School of Mines

The No. 4 Rams led the No. 2 School of Mines for most of the game but fell behind late in the 4th quarter. Girsch says that while it wasn’t the result that the team wanted, it was a good game overall.

“We have a good football team,” Gisch said. “There’s no doubt it was an outstanding football game on Saturday. Colorado School of Mines is an outstanding football team, and we knew that going in.”

“At the end of the day, it was two really good football teams,” Girsch continued. “I’m proud of our guys. We played hard. We didn’t finish. We didn’t get the win, but [the game was] definitely a sign of a good football team. Mines had pretty much everybody back from a team that was in the championship game last year, and we are right there with them.”

A bright spot in the matchup was the Rams' new starting quarterback Gerald Gardner’s second start. Gardner finished the game on Saturday on 26/46 passing with 278 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception against an incredibly talented defense. Gardner took better care of the football than he did in his Week 1 start, and Girsch said his quarterback is progressing every week.

“It’s reps with him,” Girsch said. “He was here this spring and had camp this offseason. He did a really great job this summer working with our receivers. He’s so calm and collected. He doesn’t get rattled. He’s been hit before, getting sacked, and was out previously. Here, he is getting protected a little bit better. He’s done a really good job of working the pocket, stepping up in there, and making some big-time throws.”

Angelo State needs Gardner to continue on his path to success this weekend against a team that likes to run the ball in Central Washington. Girsch said that he feels his defense will be the key to taking home another win on the road.

“Teams that want to line it up and run the ball at us a lot [find that] it’s tough to do,” Girsch commented. “But I would say that it’s tough to throw it at us all day, too. I’m excited about this group. Our defense has been proven over the last couple of years, and I think it’s a great game plan going in for us, and if teams want to run it at us, we usually do a pretty good job at stopping them.”

Angelo State opens Lone Star Conference play next week when the Rams travel to play Central Washington on Saturday, September 16.