Dale Carr enters his fifth year as the head coach of the Angelo State Rams football team since taking over the position in 2005.
Over the past four seasons, Carr has guided ASU to a 17-26 overall mark, including a NCAA Division II postseason appearance in his first campaign. Now, after three seasons away from the playoffs, he is focused on returning the Rams back to prominence in the Lone Star Conference and NCAA D-II.
At ASU, Carr has coached 21 All-LSC South Division honorees, including three first team selections - tailback Kyle Fox and tight end Justin Carter in 2005 and tight end Jason Watson last season.
Also a firm believer in working hard in the classroom, Carr has had seven of his ASU players named to the LSC South's All-Academic Team, including linebacker Ian Ritchey last fall. Additionally, the Rams have had 23 selections to the LSC Commissioner's Honor Roll under Carr.
With high hopes for the 2008 season, Carr's Rams started strong as they were narrowly defeated by NCAA D-I foe Texas State, 21-14. But, the bigger loss of the night was junior quarterback Josh Neiswander, who was injured in the fourth quarter and missed the rest of the season. Despite the loss of its leader, Carr's squad bounced back to win three of the next five games, with a road victory at Southwestern Oklahoma and home wins over East Central and Eastern New Mexico.
In 2007, the Rams also battled a tough NCAA D-I opponent to open the season, falling at Sam Houston State, 17-13. ASU responded, though, with wins over Central Oklahoma and Eastern New Mexico over the next four weeks. The Rams' victory at ENMU in week five was an exciting clash as they claimed a 28-21 win in double overtime.
In his second campaign with the Rams in 2006, Carr led his squad to a season-opening home win over Western State, 9-8. ASU added victories over Eastern New Mexico and a season-ending win over Texas A&M-Kingsville.
Carr made an immediate impression on the LSC in 2005 while leading the Rams to a 9-3 record in his first season and to the team's first NCAA D-II postseason appearance in eight years. Carr won his first five games as ASU head coach before suffering his first loss.
The Rams opened the season with a 26-7 win at Western State before downing Southern Nazarene, 42-17, in their home opener. That was followed by three straight wins as ASU improved to 5-0 for the first time since 1997. During that run, ASU edged Southeastern Oklahoma, 27-24, on the road and then outlasted Midwestern State, 20-16, and Central Oklahoma, 30-29, both at San Angelo Stadium.
Following their first loss of the season, 38-14, at Eastern New Mexico, the Rams won three straight to improve to 8-1 and made an appearance in the regional rankings. During that stretch, the Rams held off arch-rival Abilene Christian, 27-24, before downing Northeastern State, 49-20, and No. 7 West Texas A&M, 58-53.
The Rams were handed their second loss of the season by Tarleton State, 30-17, but once again rebounded with a 54-51 overtime victory at Texas A&M-Kingsville to claim a spot in the playoffs. Angelo State's first postseason game since 1997 took place at San Angelo Stadium, but the Rams fell to eventual regional-champion Northwest Missouri State, 45-14.
Prior to his arrival in San Angelo, Carr served as the head coach at Tyler Junior College for nine seasons, amassing a 66-31 overall record and leading them to five bowl games, including the 2003 Heart of Texas Bowl. His Apaches also won the 2001 conference title and finished runner-up in the league on four occasions. Before he was the head coach, he was also an assistant coach at Tyler from 1991-95.
From 1989-90, Carr served as a graduate assistant coach at Stephen F. Austin State University and helped lead the Lumberjacks to the 1989 NCAA D-1AA national championship. He spent 1988 as an assistant coach at Niwot (Colo.) High School.
Quite a player himself in his day, Carr earned first team All-Western Athletic Conference honors as a senior at Colorado State University. He was named the Sports Illustrated Defensive Player of the Week after CSU's game with rival University of Colorado.
A native of Odessa, Carr was an all-state performer at legendary Permian High School. He was part of the Panthers' Texas 5A State Championship team as a junior in 1980 and was a member of the Texas High School All-Star Team after his senior season.
Carr received his bachelor's degree in agricultural business from Colorado State in 1987 and his master's degree in physical education from Stephen F. Austin in 1990.
He and his wife, Vanessa, have two children, Alyssa and Benjamin.
