Jay Girdner - Director of Recruiting - Staff Directory

Staff Directory

Jay Girdner

Title:
Director of Recruiting

Jay Girdner joined University of Houston Football as its Director of Recruiting Strategy in March 2024 and was promoted to Director of Recruiting in February 2025. The 2025 season will be his second with the program.

As Director of Recruiting Strategy, Girdner helped identify and evaluate prospects in high school, JUCO and the transfer portal in addition to handling recruiting studies and communication. Girdner directly communicated and built relationships with recruits while helping to schedule and operate their visits. He also helped lead interns within the recruiting department.

Prior to Houston, Girdner spent nearly one year as Player Personnel/Recruiting Analyst at Wisconsin where he identified, evaluated and recruited primarily skill positions in high school and junior college and searched for players in the transfer portal based on position and scheme needs. Girdner also prepped advanced scouting, studied future opponents and assisted with daily recruiting operations among other responsibilities.

While at Wisconsin, the Badgers’ 2024 class was ranked Top 25 nationally and the second highest in program history including the highest rated defensive back in school history. He also worked with the nickels in meetings and at practice while helping chart on game days for the defense.

Girdner came to Wisconsin from Wofford where he spent spring 2023 as its Defensive/Special Teams Quality Control. There, he assisted with outside linebackers, coordinated and executed position drills and organized practices. He also provided self-scout reports for scheme evaluations. He oversaw recruiting and evaluating southwest Georgia and assisted with recruiting operations for junior day and official visits.

Girdner spent fall 2022 as an Offensive Assistant at Furman where he worked with quarterbacks during practice, in meetings and on game days. Prior to Furman, he spent summer 2022 as a Graduate Assistant at Wingate, developing and coaching safeties.

Girdner received his Bachelor of Science in Sport Management from Wingate. He earned his Master of Science in Athletic Leadership from Clemson in May 2024. He was a four-year letterman at The Citadel (2019) and Wingate (2020-22).