SDSU prepares for matchup with Gophers

11/11/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football

By: SDSU Sports Info

The postseason picture will be much clearer for one team following Saturday's non-conference football matchup between South Dakota State and Minnesota.
Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. at TCF Bank Stadium on the University of Minnesota campus in Minneapolis. The game is scheduled to be televised on the Big Ten Network.
The Jackrabbits enter the game ranked 12th in both the Football Championship Subdivision media and coaches' polls with a 7-2 overall record. SDSU dropped its first Missouri Valley Football Conference game of the season Nov. 7, falling at home to then-third-ranked Southern Illinois, 34-15.
As history suggests, the Jackrabbits will likely secure an at-large spot in the 16-team FCS playoffs with one more victory. In the 25-year history of the league, no MVFC team has missed out on the postseason with eight victories over Division I opponents.
At 5-5 overall, the Golden Gophers stand one win away from being bowl eligible. Minnesota dropped to 3-4 in the Big Ten with a 35-32 home loss to Illinois last week.

THE SERIES: Saturday's matchup will mark the seventh meeting on the gridiron between SDSU and Minnesota, but the first in 76 years.
The Golden Gophers have won all six previous meetings in the series, which dates back to an 81-0 Minnesota victory in 1905. Minnesota claimed a 19-6 victory in the last matchup between the two schools, which was played in 1933.
The 1905 matchup also stands out in SDSU lore as the beginning of the use of Jackrabbits as the school nickname. A cartoon sketch in the Minneapolis Tribune depicted a rabbit hitting a wall, with the description, “The South Dakota Jackrabbit football team runs into the Minnesota stonewall and is bumped.” [From College on the Hill, by Amy Dunkle and V.J. Smith].
When South Dakota Agricutlural College became South Dakota State College in 1907, the Jackrabbit nickname was officially adopted, replacing Barnyard Cadets.
SDSU and Minnesota are scheduled to play again Sept. 5, 2015, in Minneapolis.

PLAYING UP: Saturday's game will mark only the second time SDSU has played a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent since the Jackrabbits moved from NCAA Division II to the FCS ranks at the start of the 2004 season.
SDSU's previous FBS matchup came in the 2008 season opener at Iowa State, a game the Jackrabbits dropped 44-17.

ONLINE COVERAGE: Audio coverage of Saturday's game is scheduled to be available via subscription service at GoJacks.com, the official website of SDSU athletics. Monthly subscriptions for the Jackrabbit Extra, which includes live audio and video streaming of select events are available for $9.95 per month or $99.95 for an entire year of coverage. An audio-only subscription also is available for $4.95 per month, with programming consisting only of live radio broadcasts.
Radio coverage Saturday begins on WNAX 570 AM at 9:30 a.m. Central Time, with an expanded pre-game show. Steve Imming returns to call the play-by-play, with Tyler Merriam providing color commentary. Coverage on a new radio affiliate, Rapid City-based KRKI 99.5 FM will begin at 9:30 a.m. Mountain Time.

JACKRABBIT INSIDER: Throughout the 2009 football season, head coach John Stiegelmeier will be a guest on the “Jackrabbit Insider,” a weekly behind-the-scenes look at South Dakota State University athletics.
The half-hour television show which features interviews with Jackrabbit coaches and student-athletes, airs Sundays at 10:35 p.m., following KSFY ActionNews. The show also can be viewed online at GoJacks.com.

ATTENDANCE SURGE: With the home portion of its regular season schedule completed, the Jackrabbits drew an average of 13,265 fans to shatter the previous single-season average attendance record of 11,218 set in 2007, when SDSU won the Great West Football Conference championship.
Overall, SDSU ranks 19th in the Football Championship Subdivision this season for home attendance.
Twelve of the last 17 games played at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium, including all five games this season, have drawn crowds of more than 10,000 fans. Over the last three seasons, all seven games played in September drew more than 10,000 fans..

HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE: The South Dakota State University football team has enjoyed a home-field advantage at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium since making the move to the Football Championship Subdivision level.
Since joining the FCS ranks at the start of the 2004 season, the Jackrabbits have posted a 25-7 mark at CAS, including a 7-1 record in Missouri Valley Football Conference games.
Lights were installed at CAS prior to the 2001 season and SDSU has turned in a 20-5 record in home night games.

CAPTAINS: Leading the Jackrabbit football team on the field and in the locker room are five senior captains:
• Danny Batten, defensive end, Gilbert, Ariz.;
• Glen Fox, wide receiver, Fairfax, Iowa;
• Chris Johnson, linebacker, Council Bluffs, Iowa;
• Nate Koskovich, offensive lineman, Kingsley, Iowa; and
• Jimmy Rogers, linebacker, Chandler, Ariz.

VALLEY PREVIEW: The South Dakota State University football team was picked to finish third in the Missouri Valley Football Conference race, in a preseason poll announced in conjunction with the league's annual media day in July.
Defending co-champions Northern Iowa and Southern Illinois were voted as the top two teams. UNI garnered 26 of the 36 first-place votes to finish with 314 points, followed by SIU with nine first-place votes and 281 points. The Jackrabbits tallied 231 points, while North Dakota State picked up one first-place vote and 206 points to finish fourth in the poll.
Rounding out the poll were: Western Illinois, 174 points; Youngstown State, 171 points; Missouri State, 111 points; Illinois State, 90 points , and Indiana State, 42 points. The poll was tabulated on votes by league coaches, sports information directors and media representatives.
Individually, five SDSU players were named to the all-Missouri Valley Preseason Team. Seniors Danny Batten and Jimmy Rogers were honored on the defensive side of the ball, while junior running back Kyle Minett and senior wide receiver Glen Fox represented the offense. Kicker Peter Reifenrath completed the Jackrabbit contingent.
A defensive end from Gilbert, Ariz., Batten was a first-team all-MVC selection during the 2008 season, during which he recorded 75 tackles, including team bests with eight sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss. Batten also has received second-team preseason All-America honors from the Sports Network and has been named to the watch list for the Buck Buchanan Award as the top defensive player in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision.
Rogers, a linebacker from Chandler, Ariz., has led the team in tackles each of the past two seasons, including 93 in 2008, when he earned second-team all-conference honors.
Minett, a Ruthton, Minn., native, was a dual threat in the backfield for the Jackrabbits in 2008, leading the team with 1,289 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns, while adding 44 receptions for 415 yards and four scores. Six times Minett topped the 100-yard mark in earning second-team all-MVFC recognition last season.
Fox is the team's top returning wide receiver, recording 66 receptions for 792 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2008. He was a second-team all-conference pick last season.
Reifenrath was a pleasant surprise for the Jackrabbits in 2008, earning second-team all-MVFC recognition after converting 16-of-22 field goal attempts. A junior from Decorah, Iowa, Reifenrath was 5-of-7 on field goals 40 yards or longer en route to 84 total points.

RABBITS RANKED: For the third year in a row, South Dakota State appeared in the preseason national rankings for the Football Championship Subdivision.
The Jackrabbits began the season ranked 22nd in the Sports Network poll and 23rd in the preseason poll conducted by the Football Championship Subdivision coaches. SDSU has since achieved its highest ranking in a national poll, climbing to ninth in both the Sports Network and FCS Coaches' polls after downing Northern Iowa on Oct. 24. The Jackrabbits dropped to .
Last season, SDSU was 19th in the Sports Network preseason poll and 20th in the coaches' poll. The Jackrabbits climbed to their highest FCS ranking — 12th — before falling to Northern Iowa in late September.

VERSUS RANKED OPPONENTS: Playing a ranked opponent is nothing new for the Jackrabbit football team, which has taken on some of the nation's elite FCS programs since moving up from Division I at the start of the 2004 season.
In its five-plus seasons at the FCS level, SDSU has played 28 games against ranked opponents and compiled a 9-19 overall record.
The Oct. 24 game versus Northern Iowa marked the Jackrabbits' first win over a ranked opponent this season.

SCOUTING MINNESOTA: The University of Minnesota football team closes out its first season at TCF Bank Stadium when it hosts South Dakota State this weekend.
The Golden Gophers have compiled a 3-3 record at their new on-campus facility and have sold out all six games. Minnesota has scored an average of 29.7 points per game at home, while averaging only 16.3 points in its four road games.
Junior quarterback Adam Weber directs the Golden Gopher offense, averaging 207.4 yards per game through the air. Weber has completed 54.4 percent of his passes, but has thrown 13 interceptions compared to 12 touchdowns.
Weber's primary receiver early in the season was All-America and Biletnikoff Award candidate Eric Decker, who has since been sidelined due to a foot injury. Decker caught 50 passes through the first eight games for 758 yards and five touchdowns.
Tight end Nick Tow Arnett has picked up some of the slack on the receiving end, recording 30 receptions for 395 yards and two scores. Sophomore wide receiver Brandon Green has added 20 catches for 286 yards and a touchdown.
The Golden Gopher running game has been by committee this season as three rushers have gained more than 200 yards. Duane Bennett leads the way with 357 yards and six touchdowns, followed by DeLeon Eskridge with 251 yards and three TDs. Kevin Whaley has chipped in with 231 yards and a pair of scores, while backup quarterback MarQueis Gray has contributed 161 yards, while averaging 5.2 yards per carry.
Defensively, the starting linebacking corps of Lee Campbell, Nate Triplett and Simoni Lawrence lead the team in tackles. Campbell enters Saturday's game with a team-best 100 tackles and also leads the squad with nine tackles for loss. Triplett has tallied 90 tackles and a team bests with two interceptions and two fumble recoveries. Lawrence has notched 68 tackles with two sacks.
Minnesota has intercepted seven passes this season, forced 11 lost fumbles and blocked three kicks.
On special teams, Troy Stoudermire is averaging 25.5 yards as the primary kick returner. Kicker Eric Ellestad is 8-of-10 on field goals, and is perfect inside of 40 yards. Blake Haudan has handled the bulk of the punting duties, averaging 42.2 yards per attempt with 11 of 50-plus yards while landing 17 inside the opponent's 20-yard line

LAST WEEK: Third-ranked Southern Illinois clinched at least a share of the Missouri Valley Football Conference title and the league's automatic berth in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision with a 34-15 victory over ninth-ranked South Dakota State Nov. 7 at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium.
The Salukis scored 24 consecutive points between the second and third quarters in improving to 8-1 overall and 7-0 in league play. SDSU, playing before a home crowd of 10,317, dropped to 7-2 overall and 6-1 in the MVFC.
After holding the Jackrabbits to three plays and out on their first offensive possession, SIU took an early 3-0 lead on its opening drive. Kyle Dougherty capped a seven-play, 65-yard drive with a 49-yard field goal.
The Salukis made it 10-0 midway through the first quarter as Joe Allaria took a lateral and ran around the right end for a 21-yard touchdown, finishing off an eight-play, 70-yard drive.
SDSU bridged its first scoring drive of the afternoon between the first and second quarters. A clipping penalty negated an apparent 37-yard touchdown, and the Jackrabbits later were set up first and goal at the 1-yard later in the drive but were stuffed on three consecutive plays before settling for a 22-yard field goal by Peter Reifenrath.
Mistakes continued to pile up for the Jackrabbits throughout the second quarter. A bobbled snap on a punt attempt gave SIU the ball at the SDSU 6, and two plays later the Salukis made it a 17-3 game on a 4-yard pass from Paul McIntosh to John Goode.
Dougherty added a 22-yard field goal on the next SIU possession and the Salukis turned the game into a rout in the closing minutes of the half as Lance Caldwell intercepted a Ryan Crawford pass and returned it 75 yards for a touchdown to make the score 27-3.
Crawford was sacked five times in the first half and six times in the game.
SIU continued its onslaught by scoring on its opening drive of the second half, marching 80 yards on eight plays with McIntosh completing a 40-yard bomb to Jeff Evans for the touchdown.
Backup quarterback Thomas O'Brien entered the game for SDSU on the team's second possession of the second half and led the Jackrabbits on two fourth-quarter scoring drives. O'Brien threw a two-yard touchdown pass to Colin Cochart to complete the Jackrabbits' longest scoring drive of the season, a 96-yard march that took 12 plays.
O'Brien also threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to Mike Steffen with 2:26 remaining in the game. SDSU failed on both of its two-point attempts.
Southern Illinois held a 388-342 advantage in total offense, gaining 280 yards on the ground. Walter Payton Award candidate Deji Karim became the first player to rush for 100 yards against SDSU this season, gaining 127 yards on 21 carries. McIntosh gained 76 yards on seven carries and complete 11-of-18 passes for 108 yards and two scores. Bryce Morris led the Saluki receivers with three catches for 23 yards.
For SDSU, O'Brien finished the game 16-of-25 passing for 181 yards and an interception. Crawford completed 15-of-29 attempts for 147 yards.
Glen Fox caught a career-high 12 passes for 101 yards. Saunders Montague added six receptions for 48 yards.
Kyle Minett led the Jackrabbit ground game with 61 yards on 11 carries.
Defensively, Conrad Kjerstad notched a career-high 15 tackles for SDSU. Danny Batten added 10 stops.
Mike McElroy led SIU with eight tackles. Caldwell recorded both of both of the Salukis' interceptions, the second one coming in the end zone to thwart a potential Jackrabbit scoring drive in the third quarter.

TOP-10 DEFENSE: South Dakota State dropped out of the top spot in the Football Championship Subdivision for scoring defense after giving up a season-high 34 points last week to Southern Illinois. SDSU currently ranks sixth in the division by allowing only 13.89 points per game. The Jackrabbits have not allowed a touchdown in three games this season: versus Georgia Southern, versus Indiana State and at Youngstown State.
The Jackrabbits also lead the Missouri Valley Football Conference in pass efficiency defense (95.54) and total defense (285.56 yards per game). Their defensive pass efficiency rating ranks second nationally at the FCS level.

THIRD-DOWN EFFICIENCY: A key to the Jackrabbits' success on offense this season has been the team's ability to convert on third down.
Through nine games, SDSU has converted 43.31 percent (55-of-127) of its third-down attempts, ranking 20th in the Football Championship Subdivision. Three of the five touchdowns the Jackrabbits scored Sept. 26 at Illinois State came on third-down plays, including Kyle Minett's 64-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter on a third-and-13 play. Minett's first touchdown of the game, an 11-yard run in the second quarter, was set up by SDSU converting on third-and-8 and third-and-9 earlier in the drive.
All three of the Jackrabbits' touchdowns at Missouri State came on third down, including a 23-yard pass from Thomas O'Brien to Saunders Montague on a third-and-16 play in the first quarter.

LIMITING MISTAKES: The Jackrabbits enter Saturday's game as the least-penalized team in the Missouri Valley Football Conference.
SDSU has committed only 33 penalties this season — an average of 3.67 per game — to rank third in the Football Championship Subdivision for fewest penalties. In addition, the Jackrabbits rank seventh for fewest penalty yards with an average of 38.22 yards per game.
The Jackrabbits also have won the turnover battle so far this season, recording seven more takeaways than their opponents, 17-10. In its seven wins, SDSU is plus-11 in the turnover category; the Jackrabbits are minus-4 (5 lost, 1 gained) in their two losses.

BATTEN ON BUCHANAN LIST: South Dakota State University defensive end Danny Batten remains on the watch list for the Division I Football Championship Subdivision's top defensive player.
A senior from Gilbert, Ariz., Batten was one of 20 players to be considered on the preseason watch list for the Buck Buchanan Award, which is presented by the Sports Network. The watch list will be revised again in November before the final ballot is announced.
Voting from a panel of FCS sports information directors, writers, broadcasters and other football experts will be conducted after the regular season ends. Three finalists will be announced on Nov. 30 and will be invited to the 23rd annual Sports Network Awards banquet on Dec. 17 in Chattanooga, Tenn., the night before the NCAA Division I championship game. The Walter Payton Award and the Eddie Robinson Award will also be presented that evening.
Batten stepped into the starting lineup as a true freshman in 2006 and has started 42 of the 43 games he has played. He earned honorable mention All-America recognition each of the past two seasons while earning first-team all-Great West Football Conference honors in 2007 and first-team all-Missouri Valley Football Conference accolades in 2008. Batten ranked fourth on the team with 75 total tackles in 2008 and led the team with eight sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss.
He currently ranks third on the team with 63 tackles, while leading the squad with 12.5 tackles for loss and five sacks. He has recorded a tackle for loss in seven of the team' nine games so far this season.
Besides being named to the preseason Buchanan watch list, Batten has been chosen as a second-team preseason All-American by both the Sports Network and College Sporting News.

FOX TOPS CENTURY MARK: Senior wide receiver Glen Fox has moved into the Jackrabbit career top 10 in both receptions and receiving yards during the 2009 season.
By recording a team-best 52 receptions through the first nine games, Fox has moved into fourth place on the Jackrabbit career receptions chart with 142, passing Rusty Lenners (137 receptions from 1993-96) last week against Southern Illinois, when he posted a career-high 12 catches.
In addition, Fox cracked the top 10 for receiving yards in the Southern Illinois game, recording a season-best 101 yards to up his career total to 1,630.
Fox played in the Jackrabbit secondary and on special teams during his freshman season in 2006.

STEFFENS STEP UP: The Jackrabbits have received solid contributions this season from brothers and Mount Vernon natives Mike and Jake Steffen.
Mike Steffen posted career highs with 98 receiving yards — on four receptions — and two touchdowns from his wide receiver position in the season opener against Georgia Southern. Both of his touchdowns came in the third quarter, covering four and 62 yards. The 62-yard scoring play was the longest reception of his career. He added five receptions for 89 yards and a touchdown Sept. 19 versus Indiana State, then posted seven catches for 90 yards at Illinois State last week. He currently leads the team in receiving yards with 629 — an average of 18 yards per catch — and also leads the team with four touchdown receptions.
Jake Steffen made his first career start against Georgia Southern and contributed four tackles, including two tackles for loss and a sack. He also was credited with two quarterback hurries. He currently ranks second on the team with 6.5 tackles for loss and is tied for third with two sacks, despite missing two games due to a knee injury. He returned to the starting lineup in the Oct. 24 Hobo Day victory over Northern Iowa and recorded his second interception of the season.

CRAWFORD AT THE HELM: Senior Ryan Crawford made a successful first career start in the Sept. 12 season opener against Georgia Southern, completing 15-of-21 passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns. Crawford's totals for completions and attempts matched his career totals entering the season.
The Outstanding Player of the 43rd Annual Beef Bowl, Crawford completed 21-of-27 passes for a career-high 239 yards and two touchdowns in the Sept. 19 game versus Indiana State. He went 70 pass attempts before throwing his first collegiate interception, which came on his first attempt of the fourth quarter against the Sycamores.
Crawford currently has a passing efficiency rating of 136.19 this season, and has completed 64.3 percent of his passes this season and 65.2 percent for his career.
Crawford, who suffered a knee injury at Cal Poly and missed tthree games, returned to the starting lineup Oct. 31 at Youngstown State, completing 19-of-28 passes for 178 yards. Redshirt freshman Thomas O'Brien started the three games in place of Crawford.
A senior from Oro Valley, Ariz., Crawford entered fall camp as the quarterback with the most experience in a Jackrabbit uniform. During the 2008 season, Crawford played in six games and completed 14-of-20 passes — 70 percent — for 106 yards and one touchdown. His most extensive playing time came in the season finale at North Dakota State as he stepped in for an injured Ryan Berry and completed 10-of-13 passes for 50 yards and a score.
Junior transfer Lee Mondol and freshman Mike Whittier also were in competition for the starting nod in fall camp.

O'BRIEN BACKS UP: Redshirt freshman Thomas O'Brien helped lead the Jackrabbits to victories in each of his first three career starts while playing in place of an injured Ryan Crawford.
In wins over Missouri State, North Dakota State and Northern Iowa, O'Brien completed a combined 53-of-79 passes — 67.1 percent — for 615 yards and four touchdowns. His best outing came Oct. 24 against Northern Iowa as he set career highs with 26 completions on 37 attempts for 285 yards and two touchdowns.
O'Brien did not throw an interception in any of his three starts and his quarterback and compiled an efficiency rating of 149.19.

MINETT LEADS RUNNING GAME: Junior Kyle Minett is again handling the bulk of the duties at running back for South Dakota State this season.
Last season, Minett earned second-team all-Missouri Valley Football Conference honors after ranking second in the league with 1,289 yards rushing — an average of 107.4 yards per game. His rushing total was the sixth highest in school history and the most by a Jackrabbit at the FCS level.
After tallying 947 yards in the first nine games of the 2009 season, Minett enters this weekend with 2,712 career rushing yards. He cracked the Jackrabbit top 10 for career rushing Sept. 26 at Illinois State, and has since moved into sixth place after passing Darwin Gonnerman (2,598 yards from 1966-68) Oct. 31 at Youngstown State.
Minett has posted 12 career 100-yard games, including five times this season. He currently ranks fifth in the Football Championship Subdivision with an average of 105.22 yards per game.
In addition, Minett posted the third-highest point total in school history with 112, scoring 18 touchdowns and a pair of two-point conversions in 2008. Four of his touchdowns came through the air, ranking third on the team with 44 receptions for 415 yards.
Minett has scored a league-best 13 touchdowns — 12 rushing and one receiving — this season and is tied for 13th place in the FCS ranks with an average of 8.67 points per game.
For his career, Minett has scored 38 touchdowns — 31 rushing and seven receiving. The Jackrabbit record for career touchdows is 69, set by Josh Ranek from 1997-2001.
Minett also stands 53 yards away from the 1,000-yard mark for the season. He would be the first Jackrabbit since Ranek in 1998 and 1999 to rush for 1,000 yards in consecutive seasons.

COCHART CATCHING ON: South Dakota State University tight end Colin Cochart has become more of a target in the Jackrabbit passing game in recent weeks.
A junior from Kewaunee, Wis., Cochart caught three passes, including his first touchdown of the season and a two-point convervsion, in the Oct. 24 Hobo Day victory over Northern Iowa. In the Oct. 31 at Youngstown State, Cochart caught a career-high six passes for a season-high 51 yards, then added two catches for 39 yards last week versus Southern Illinois.
Cochart enters this weekend's game against Southern Illinois fourth on the team with 20 receptions for 184 yards.

OH, DOMINO: Junior linebacker Derek Domino has emerged as the team's leading tackler in recent weeks.
A junior from Spring Lake Park, Minn., Domino has tallied 73 tackles so far this season and has recorded four games with double figures for tackles. Domino notched a career-high 12 tackles in consecutive weeks, helping the Jackrabbits to league victories over Missouri State and North Dakota State.
In addition, Domino ranks in a tie for the team lead with four interceptions. He picked off two passes Oct. 17 against North Dakota State, returning his first interception of the game 16 yards for a touchdown.
Last season, Domino returned an interception 82 yards for a touchdown in the Hobo Day game against McNeese State (La.).

KJERSTAD LEADS SECONDARY: Junior strong safety Conrad Kjerstad recorded the ninth interception of his career Oct. 31 at Youngstown State, picking off a pass on the Penguins' final offensive play of the game. The Wall native also registered five tackles in the game.
Kjerstad, who was credited with a career-high 15 stops last week against Southern Illinois, has moved into second place on the Jackrabbit tackles list this season with 66.
His nine career interceptions are the most by any active Jackrabbit player. He led the team with four during the 2008 campaign and is tied for the team lead this season.

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: Four times this season, the South Dakota State University football team has had two players honored as Missouri Valley Football Conference players of the week following a Jackrabbit victory.
Honored following SDSU's 24-14 Hobo Day victory over Northern Iowa on Oct. 24 were special teams player of the week Kyle Harris and offensive lineman of the week Ryan McKnight.
A sophomore kicker from Florissant, Mo., Harris booted a go-ahead 49-yard field goal in the third quarter. He also kept UNI's kickoff return unit in check, recording two touchbacks and notching a tackle on the opening kickoff. Harris also was honored by the league after the Jackrabbits' season-opening win over Georgia Southern on Sept. 12.
McKnight, a junior center from Sioux Falls, led an offensive line that paved the way for 429 yards of total offense against UNI. SDSU did not allow a sack in 37 passing attempts and averaged 6.1 yards per play.
Other MVFC players of the week this season include:
• Sept. 12 vs. Georgia Southern: Kyle Harris (special teams), Derek Domino (defense);
• Sept. 26 at Illinois State: Kyle Minett (offense), Jake Steffen (defense);
• Oct. 10 at Missouri State: General Parnell (defense), Dean Priddy (special teams)

COACH STIG: John Stiegelmeier has built the South Dakota State University football team into a consistent winner and a program on the rise in the ranks of the Football Championship Subdivision.
Overall, Coach Stig has led the Jackrabbits to an 82-58 record (.586 winning percentage). SDSU has secured its eighth consecutive winning season, a streak that includes all six seasons at the FCS (formerly Division I-AA) level. The Jackrabbits have had a winning record in 11 of his 13 full years as head coach, including six with seven or more victories.

ACADEMIC SUCCESS: Four South Dakota State University football players, including repeat selections Kyle Minett and Conrad Kjerstad, have been selected to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District VII First Team.
Joining Minett and Kjerstad on the first team were senior offensive lineman Casey Knips and junior punter Dean Priddy. SDSU's four first-team selections were the most of any District VII squad in the University Division for the second year in a row. All four will advance to the national ballot for Academic All-America consideration.
A junior running back from Ruthton, Minn., Minett earned a spot on the first team with a 3.60 grade-point average in economics. A first-team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American in 2008, Minett again leads the team in rushing with 886 yards this season, ranking sixth in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision with an average of 110.75 yards per game and also sixth in career rushing at SDSU with 2,651 yards. He also stands in a tie for fourth place in the FCS ranks with an average of 9.75 points per game this season after scoring 13 touchdowns — 12 rushing and one receiving.
Kjerstad, a junior from Wall, repeated on the first team with a 3.93 GPA in agricultural business. In his second year as the starting strong safety, Kjerstad shares the team lead with four interceptions and ranks fourth in tackles this season with 51. His nine career interceptions are the most by any active Jackrabbit player.
Knips, a native of Adrian, Minn., was honored on the first team with a 3.69 GPA in construction management. A two-year starter at left tackle, Knips was named a semifinalist earlier this fall for the William V. Campbell Trophy, which is awarded to the nation's top football senior scholar-athlete. He was a recipient of the Missouri Valley Football Conference Commissioner's Academic Award in 2008.
Priddy, from Eden Prairie, Minn., has handled the punting duties for the Jackrabbits each of the last three seasons. He currently ranks second in the Missouri Valley Football Conference with an average of 42.4 yards per punt. Priddy is currently pursuing a master's degree in mathematics after compiling a 3.71 GPA as an undergraduate.
Selections to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District VII Team are based on votes by members of the College Sports Information Directors of America from South Dakota, North Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming and Montana. Student-athletes must be at least a sophomore in athletic standing, maintain a minimum grade-point average of 3.3 and be a starter or key reserve.

HOMETOWN CONNECTION: SDSU has used the services of home-grown talent the past few seasons.
In 2009, five Jackrabbit players hail from Brookings: senior running back Jordan Paula, junior running back Tyler Duffy, redshirt freshman wide receiver Dan Schmidt, freshman offensive lineman Alex Parker and freshman running back Mason Winterboer.

A LOOK AHEAD: The Jackrabbits will close out regular season action by traveling to Missouri Valley Football Conference opponent Western Illinois on Nov. 21.
Kickoff is slated for 1:05 p.m. at Hanson Field in Macomb, Ill.
Pairings for the Football Championship Subdivsion playoffs will be announced at 2 p.m. Central Time on Sunday, Nov. 22.