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South Dakota State University Athletics
Ranked Jacks move on to UNI
9/16/2008 1:00:00 AM | Football
BROOKINGS, S.D. ? Another week, another ranked Missouri Valley Football Conference opponent for the South Dakota State University football team.
The Jackrabbits, themselves ranked 12th in this week's Sports Network poll and 13th in the Football Championship Subdivision Coaches' Poll, will travel to Northern Iowa Saturday afternoon for a key league matchup. SDSU moved up one spot in the Sports Network poll and four slots in the coaches' poll this week.
Kickoff is slated for 4:05 p.m. at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
UNI, 1-1 overall, enters its Valley Football opener ranked seventh by the coaches and eighth by the Sports Network.
SDSU, meanwhile, has gotten off to 2-0 start in league play with home victories over then-No. 14 Youngstown State and 15th-ranked Western Illinois. The Jackrabbits are 2-1 overall, with their lone loss a 44-17 setback at Iowa State in the season opener on Aug. 28.
THE SERIES: Saturday's matchup will mark the 43rd meeting between SDSU and UNI on the gridiron. The two squads met regularly from the time the series started in 1935 until UNI (formerly Iowa Teachers College) left the North Central Conference in the late 1970s to join the Division I ranks.
UNI holds a 24-16-2 advantage following a 31-17 Panther victory last season in Brookings. The Panthers have won each of the last two meetings since the series resumed in 2006 after a 27-year hiatus.
SDSU's last victory in the series was a 14-7 win at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium in 1979.
TELEVISED GAME: For the second time this season, the Jackrabbits will appear on television.
Saturday's game is scheduled to be broadcast on both Mediacom and Cedar Falls Utilities. Coverage on Mediacom (Channel 10 in the Brookings area) is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.
SDSU football will have an increased presence on Mediacom throughout the 2008 season. Replays of Jackrabbit home games will air from 8-11 a.m. Monday-Friday on the Mediacom Connections Channel in South Dakota and Minnesota, followed by John Stiegelmeier's coach's show from 11-11:30 a.m. The coach's show also will be aired from 4:30-5 p.m. Fridays on the Mediacom Connections Channel in South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin, followed by game replays from 5 to 8 p.m.
ONLINE COVERAGE: Audio and video 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 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.
A league-wide video package is available for purchase at www.valley-football.org.
Local radio coverage Saturday begins on WNAX 570 AM at 2:30 p.m., with an expanded pre-game show. Steve Imming returns to call the play-by-play and Jerry Oster will once again provide color commentary.
Video streaming will not be available for Saturday's game.
DYKHOUSE CENTER GROUNDBREAKING: Prior to the Sept. 13 game against Western Illinois, South Dakota State University officials and lead donor Dana Dykhouse broke ground on the Dykhouse Student-Athlete Center to be constructed directly north of Coughlin-Alumni Stadium.
Construction is scheduled to begin in October and will mark the first stage of a master plan to dramatically modernize athletic facilities at SDSU.
Last fall, Dykhouse, a Sioux Falls banker and former Jackrabbit football player, presented seed gifts totaling $6 million from his family and Sioux Falls businessman and philanthropist T. Denny Sanford. The donation set in motion the construction of the first major athletic building on campus since Frost Arena in 1973.
The 30,000-square-foot facility will house football coaches' offices, meeting rooms and a locker room, as well as strength and condititioning facilities and a fully equipped academic center for all Jackrabbit student-athletes.
The facility is scheduled to be completed in November 2009.
TOUGH AT HOME: Over the years, the Jackrabbits have enjoyed a home-field advantage at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium. During John Stiegelmeier's tenure as head coach, SDSU is 50-15 (.769 winning percentage) in games played at CAS, while currently putting together a seven-game winning streak at home.
SDSU's winning percentage is even higher in home night games. Since lights were installed prior to the 2001 season, the Jackrabbits have posted a 17-4 record, good for an .810 winning percentage.
TRANSITION OVER: The NCAA Division I Management Council Administrative Committee, acting on behalf of the DI Management Council, announced in late June that South Dakota State University has met the requirements to become an active member of NCAA Division I, starting at the beginning of the 2008-09 academic year.
Previously a member of Division II, SDSU successfully completed the five-year process of moving its athletics programs to comply with Division I membership requirements. Requirements include compliance with Division I rules for the final four years, meeting minimum financial aid and contest scheduling limits, engaging in a rules compliance review and successfully completing the athletics certification process.
SDSU officials submitted an extensive self-study to the NCAA in the spring of 2007 and a peer-review team completed the information gathering during a visit to the Brookings campus in October 2007.
VALLEY FOOTBALL IN 2008: South Dakota State has been picked to finish sixth out of nine teams as it begins play in the Missouri Valley Football Conference this season, according to a preseason poll conducted by league coaches, media and sports information directors and which was released at the league's media day in July.
Fellow league newcomer North Dakota State was tabbed as the preseason favorite, garnering 13 first-place votes and 289 points. Defending league champion Northern Iowa received the most first-place votes, 15, but ranked second with 275 points. The next three teams were separated by eight points as Youngstown State (Ohio) was third with 209 points, Western Illinois was fourth with 202 points and Southern Illinois fifth at 201.
SDSU led the lower half of the league rankings with 149 points, followed by Missouri State with 105, Illinois State at 104 and Indiana State with 41.
Individually, senior offensive lineman Kevin Robling was the lone Jackrabbit named to the 2008 Missouri Valley Football Conference Preseason Team. A native of Jordan, Minn., Robling started all 11 games at center for SDSU in 2007, earning second-team all-Great West Football Conference honors.
Four other Jackrabbit players received honorable mention recognition on the preseason team: senior quarterback Ryan Berry, senior defensive lineman Eric Schroeder, junior defensive end Danny Batten and junior linebacker Jimmy Rogers.
Among national publications, SDSU was picked to finish third in Valley Football by Lindy's Sports Annuals, while The Sporting News also tabbed the Jacks to finish sixth.
RABBITS RANKED: For the second year in a row, South Dakota State appeared in the preseason national rankings for the Football Championship Subdivision.
The Jackrabbits were ranked 19th in the Sports Network poll and 20th in the poll conducted by the Football Championship Subdivision coaches. Last season, the rankings were reversed as SDSU was 19th in the preseason coaches' poll and 20th in the Sports Network poll.
SDSU's current rankings of 12th in the Sports Network poll and 13th in the FCS Coaches' Poll are the program's highest since moving to the Division I FCS ranks in 2004.
DIFFICULT DOZEN: For the first time in the 111-year history of Jackrabbit football, SDSU will play a regular season slate consisting of 12 games.
As it has throughout its move to the Football Championship Subdivision, SDSU will again play a challenging schedule. Seven of the Jackrabbits' opponents are currently ranked, including five other Missouri Valley Football Conference members in the FCS Coaches top 25. North Dakota State is ranked second, followed by Northern Iowa in the seventh spot. Southern Illinois checks in tied for 14th, with Western Illinois 21st and Youngstown State 24th.
Two non-conference opponents, eighth-ranked McNeese State and 11th-ranked Cal Poly, also appear in this week's poll.
The Jackrabbits will play four of their ranked opponents at home, starting with games against Youngstown State in the Cereal Bowl on Sept. 6 and Western Illinois in the Sept. 13 Beef Bowl. The matchup with McNeese State is scheduled for the Hobo Day game on Oct. 4, with the game against Cal Poly set for Oct. 18.
Three-time defending national champion Appalachian State (N.C.) is the top-ranked team in both polls.
In its four-plus seasons competing at the FCS level, SDSU has squared off against ranked opponents 20 times and holds a 7-13 record following the victory against Western Illinois.
CAPTAINS: Leading the Jackrabbit football team on the field and in the locker room are four senior captains:
? Ryan Berry, quarterback, Watertown, S.D.;
? Brock Campbell, defensive back, Cherokee, Iowa;
? Kevin Robling, offensive lineman, Jordan, Minn.;
? Eric Schroeder, defensive tackle, Stewartville, Minn.
LAST YEAR VS. UNI: Fifth-ranked Northern Iowa scored 18 consecutive second-half points and rode the right arm of Eric Sanders and the legs of Corey Lewis to surge past South Dakota State, 31-17, in the 12th Annual Cereal Bowl on Sept. 15, 2007.
The Panthers opened the scoring as they took the opening kickoff and drove 75 yards on nine plays. Lewis capped the drive with a 7-yard touchdown run ? the first of his three TDs on the night.
SDSU came right back to tie the game with a quick two-play, 70-yard drive as Ryan Berry found JaRon Harris behind the UNI defense for a 57-yard scoring strike.
After Tyler Koch's interception and ensuing personal foul penalty gave the Jackrabbits the ball at the UNI 40, SDSU took its only lead of the night. Cory Koenig finished off the nine-play drive with a 2-yard touchdown run with 5 minutes, 10 seconds remaining in the first quarter.
The game remained that way until Lewis scored on a 5-yard run for UNI. A bad snap on the extra point prevented the Panthers from tying the game.
The kicking game prevented UNI from taking a halftime lead. On the final play of the half, Billy Hallgren had his second field goal attempt of the half ? a 32-yarder ? blocked by Eric Schroeder to preserve SDSU's 14-13 advantage.
But the second half would belong to UNI and offensive tandem of Sanders and Lewis. In one stretch, Sanders completed 19 consecutive passes, including six on an 11-play, 74-yard drive in which the Panthers took the lead for good. Lewis capped the drive with a 2-yard run at the 6:54 mark of the third quarter, and Sanders later found Victor Williams in the end zone for the two-point conversion.
Hallgren kicked a 21-yard field goal late in the third quarter before Sanders closed out the Panther scoring with an 11-yard bootleg run on UNI's first drive of the fourth quarter.
SDSU got back to within 31-17 on a 37-yard field goal by Parker Douglass with 3:38 remaining in the game.
UNI out-gained the Jackrabbits 514-265 and ran 26 more offensive playes, 77-51. Lewis topped the century mark in both rushing and receiving, carrying the ball 18 times for 125 yards and catching another 10 balls for 164 yards.
Sanders ended the night 27-of-32 for 330 yards.
Jackrabbit quarterback Ryan Berry completed 16-of-25 passes for 183 yards and a touchdown. JaRon Harris led SDSU receivers with five catches for 91 yards.
SDSU's running game was paced by Koenig, who carried 14 times for 52 yards. Kyle Minett added six carries for 45 yards.
Six different Jackrabbit defenders recorded double digits in tackles. Justin Kubesh tallied a game-high 13 tackles, including a sack, with Tyler Koch adding 12 stops. Brock Campbell and Chris Johnson each recorded 11 tackles, followed by 10 tackles each from Adam Fritz and Jimmy Rogers.
SCOUTING UNI: Defending league champion Northern Iowa enters its Missouri Valley Football Conference opener after a bye week.
The Panthers opened the season with a loss at nationally ranked Football Bowl Subdivision opponent Brigham Young (Utah), then began the home season with a 24-13 victory over the University of South Dakota.
Last season, UNI swept through the regular season with an 11-0 mark. The Panthers defeated New Hampshire, 38-25, in the first round of the FCS playoffs before falling to eventual national runner-up Delaware, 39-27, in the quarterfinals.
UNI has replaced All-America quarterback Eric Sanders, who graduated, with Pat Grace. A junior, Grace has completed 65.6 percent (21-of-32) of his passes for 242 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Grace's favorite target so far this season has been Victor Williams, who has caught seven passes for 73 yards, while Johnny Gray, a preseason All-American who also returns kicks, has added four catches for 68 yards and a touchdown.
Preseason All-American Corey Lewis leads the running game and needs 120 rushing yards to reach the 3,000-yard mark for his career. In two games against SDSU, Lewis has run for a combined 321 yards and caught 12 passes for another 183 yards.
Lewis is running behind a revamped offensive line that had two players (Chad Rinehart, third round, Washington, and Brandon Keith, seventh round, Arizona) selected in the 2008 NFL Draft.
Defensively, the Panthers are led in tackles by cornerback Darrell Lloyd with 23 and Sioux Falls native Josh Mahoney with 22 stops from his linebacker position. James Ruffin had posted 2.5 sacks among his nine tackls and forced two fumbles.
Coach Mark Farley is in his eighth season as head coach at UNI and has posted a 64-26 overall record, including a 7-4 mark in postseason play.
COACH STIG: John Stiegelmeier has built the South Dakota State University football team into a program on the rise in the ranks of the Division I Football Championship Subdivision.
The 2007 season, Stiegelmeier's 11th as head coach of the Jackrabbits, was his most successful as SDSU claimed its first conference title since 1963 by winning the Great West Football Conference championship. After starting 0-3 for the second consecutive season, SDSU reeled off seven wins in its final eight games, including a 29-24 victory over previously undefeated North Dakota State the final week of the season, to claim the GWFC title with a 7-4 overall record and 4-0 mark in league play.
In leading SDSU to the GWFC title, Stiegelmeier was named conference coach of the year and was honored by the American Football Coaches Association as the Division I Football Championship Subdivision Region 5 Coach of the Year. In addition, he was one of five finalists in the FCS for the 2007 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award.
Overall, Coach Stig has led the Jackrabbits to a 70-52 record (.574 winning percentage). SDSU has posted six consecutive winning seasons, including the school's first four campaigns at the FCS (formerly Division I-AA) level. The Jackrabbits have had a winning record in nine of Stiegelmeier's 11 years as head coach, including four with seven or more victories.
After posting back-to-back 6-5 seasons in 2004 and 2005, the Jackrabbits rose another notch in 2006 as they compiled a 7-4 overall record, finishing the season ranked 21st in the final FCS poll conducted by The Sports Network and 22nd in the College Sporting News coaches' poll. After an 0-3 start, the Jackrabbits rebounded by winning seven consecutive games for the first time since 1963. Three of the victories came in the closing minutes against nationally ranked teams, setting up a showdown with North Dakota State on the final week of the season for both the Dakota Marker and Great West Football Conference title.
Although SDSU fell short in the championship game, the Jackrabbits finished with their most victories since 2003 and their best mark in the three-year history of the GWFC at 3-1.
In 2008, the Jackrabbits will enter another new era in their Division I pursuits as they join the nine-team Missouri Valley Football Conference. With the transition period over, SDSU will be able to qualify for the NCAA postseason either by earning the league's automatic berth as league champion or as an at-large selection.
Stiegelmeier, 51, is the 20th head coach for the Jackrabbits. His tenure of 11-plus years as head coach is the second-longest head coaching stint in school history.
The Selby, S.D., native first became acquainted with the Jackrabbit football program as a student assistant under John Gregory during SDSU's only NCAA playoff season in 1979. With the Jackrabbits' victory at McNeese State (La.) on Sept. 30, 2006, Stiegelmeier passed Gregory (55-50-3 from 1972-81) for sole possession of second place on the SDSU career wins list.
After graduating from SDSU with degrees in mathematics and physical education, Stiegelmeier enrolled in graduate school at the University of Northern Iowa, where he served on the coaching staff of a Panther squad which posted a 7-4 mark in 1981.
Stiegelmeier coached at Eau Claire (Wis.) North High School from 1981-84, then returned to his home state as defensive coordinator, secondary coach and recruiting
coordinator at Northern State University from 1984-87. Northern was 8-3 in his last season with the Wolves and finished fourth in the nation in total defense.
After NSU, Stiegelmeier went back to school, enrolling at the University of Wisconsin, where he was a graduate assistant on the staff headed by Don Morton while working on his doctorate.
Stiegelemeier returned to his alma mater in July 1988, joining Wayne Haensel's Jackrabbit coaching staff as secondary coach and recruiting coordinator. After Haensel stepped down following the 1990 season, Stiegelmeier was elevated to defensive coordinator by new head coach Mike Daly.
In six seasons as defensive coordinator, Stiegelmeier helped guide the Jackrabbits to a 41-23 record, turning in a winning record in all six seasons, including five seven-win seasons. That track record of success helped Stiegelmeier secure his first head coaching position in December 1996, when he was named Daly's successor.
The Stiegelmeier era opened in style Sept. 13, 1997, as the Jackrabbits recorded a 17-7 victory at UC Davis. Although SDSU finished Stiegelmeier's first season with a 4-6 record, the foundation was laid for future success. The Jackrabbits posted a 6-5 record during the 1998 season and broke through with an 8-3 overall mark and a 6-3, fourth-place showing in the North Central Conference.
Led by Harlon Hill candidate Josh Ranek, SDSU posted its most victories in 20 years in 1999 and was ranked 15th in the final NCAA Division II regular season poll, despite being picked sixth in the NCC race by both the coaches and media. That season, Stiegelmeier was named North Central Conference Coach of the Year.
SDSU went on to post upper-division finishes in the NCC three of its last four years before moving into the ranks of Division I-AA (now Football Championship Subdivision) in 2004.
CONFERENCE WINNING STREAK: The Jackrabbits enter their matchup with Northern Iowa having won six consecutive conference games and 10 of their last 11. SDSU ran the table with a perfect 4-0 mark in league play en route to the 2007 Great West Football Conference title.
SDSU has begun the Missouri Valley Football era with back-to-back victories over Youngstown State and Western Illinois.
The Jackrabbits' last conference loss came in the 2006 season finale at North Dakota State.
FAST STARTS: SDSU has put together back-to-back dominating first-half performances against Missouri Valley Football Conference opponents.
The Jackrabbits have outscored their opponents, 51-0, building a 27-0 halftime lead against Youngstown State and a 24-0 advantage at intermission versus Western Illinois. In those two first halves, SDSU accumulated 548 yards of total offense, including 402 yards passing from Ryan Berry, who completed a combined 27-of-43 passes with two touchdowns.
Defensively, the Jackrabbits limited their opponents to 63 yards rushing and a total of eight first downs. SDSU opponents failed to convert a third-down attempt in 13 first-half opportunities, forcing 10 punts.
ATTENDANCE SURGE: The Jackrabbits have seen steady attendance increases since joining the Football Championship Subdivision ranks in 2004.
In its last season as a member of NCAA Division II, 2003, SDSU averaged 5,547 fans over six home dates. Average attendance grew to 9,652 in 2006 and a record 11,218 average attendance in 2007.
The Jackrabbits are on pace to surpass the attendance record this season, averaging 13,107 fans per game through two home dates.
SCHROEDER NAMED PRESEASON ALL-AMERICAN: South Dakota State University defensive lineman Eric Schroeder has been named to the Sports Network Preseason All-America Third Team for the Division I Football Championship Subdivision, which was announced on Aug. 22.
A senior from Stewartville, Minn., Schroeder earned second-team all-Great West Football Conference recognition in 2007 after leading the league in tackles for loss with 13 1/2. Entering his third season as a starter, Schroeder also ranked third in the league with 6 1/2 sacks during the 2007 campaign, while tallying 68 total tackles.
Schroeder blocked his third career kick in the Sept. 13 game against Western Illinois, helping preserve a 24-22 Jackrabbit victory. The blocked kick also ended WIU kicker Taylor Rowan's FCS record streak of 129 consecutive PATs.
BERRY AT THE HELM: Senior Ryan Berry returns for his second full season as the starting quarterback and is the most experienced returning signal-caller in the Missouri Valley Football Conference.
In 2007, Berry was efficient as he started all 11 games, completing 60.1 percent (197-of-328) of his passes with 19 touchdowns and only nine interceptions. His 2,132 yards were the ninth-best single-season total in school history.
Berry's record as a starter at SDSU is 10-6, and he has thrown a touchdown pass in 13 of those starts. During his redshirt freshman season in 2005, he led the Jackrabbits to a victory in the season finale over Northern Colorado. In his first career start, against Georgia Southern, Berry tied a Jackrabbit single-game record with five touchdowns in a 55-42 loss.
For his career, Berry has passed for 3,597 yards. He stands 123 yards away from tying Mike Law (3,720 yards from 1981-83) for 10th place on the Jackrabbit career charts. Berry topped the 300-yard mark for the second time in his career with a 19-of-30, 319-yard performance against Youngstown State on Sept. 6.
Berry's first 300-yard outing came in a losing effort at Georgia Southern last season, when he tallied 335 yards on 25-of-47 passing.
HARRIS MOVING UP: Senior wide receiver JaRon Harris will attempt to crack the SDSU career top-10 charts in a couple different receiving categories this season.
With a team-best 174 receiving yards and in a tie for second on the squad with 12 receptions in 2008, Harris enters Saturday's matchup campaign with 94 career receptions for 1,449 yards. He needs 18 receptions to tie current Cleveland Browns tight end Steve Heiden (112 receptions from 1995-98) for 10th place in catches and 132 yards to tie Brock Beran (1,581 yards from 1997-2000) for 10th place in receiving yards.
Harris led the team with 40 receptions for 664 yards and seven touchdowns in 2007.
STEFFEN STEPS UP: Junior wide receiver Mike Steffen turned in a breakthrough performance in the Aug. 28 season opener at Iowa State, recording single-game career highs with five catches for 52 yards. The Mount Vernon native had four career receptions coming into the game, and had never caught more than one pass in a game.
The Jackrabbits' three starting receivers ? Steffen, JaRon Harris and Glen Fox ? combined for 17 receptions and 149 yards against Iowa State.
Steffen currently ranks fourth on the team with eight receptions for 87 yards.
MINETT LEADS RUNNING GAME: Sophomore Kyle Minett is expected to handle the bulk of the duties at running back for South Dakota State this season.
The Ruthton, Minn., native led the team with an average of 6.2 yards per carry in 2007, and ranked second in yards gained with 476. He was named the Outstanding Player of the Beef Bowl as he racked up 134 yards on 11 carries and added a 40-yard touchdown reception in a 38-3 victory over Texas State.
Minett posted back-to-back 100-yard rushing performances to open the season, gaining 111 yards on a career-best 22 carries against Iowa State, then tallying 123 yards on 14 carries versus Youngstown State. In addition, Minett leads the team with 13 receptions.
He also has scored a touchdown in all three games this season, scoring twice on runs of 8 and 53 yards against Youngstown State.
SACK ATTACK: After not recording a sack in the season opener at Iowa State, the Jackrabbit defense has tallied three sacks in each of the last two games. Junior defensive end Danny Batten leads the way with 2.5 sacks, while reserve defensive lineman Steven Bazata has been credited with 1.5 sacks. Antonio Thompson and Brian Fischer each have one sack, with Fischer's accounting for a safety versus Youngstown State.
STARTING SAFETIES: Each of South Dakota State's starting safeties collected interceptions in the Jackrabbits' 40-7 victory over Youngstown State.
Senior Brock Campbell recorded the first interception of the season, picking off a Penguin pass on their opening possession. Sophomore Conrad Kjerstad later added a pair of INTs, giving him three for his career. Kjerstad also forced a fumble in the season opener at Iowa State.
Campbell added his second interception of the season in the first half of the Sept. 13 game versus Western Illinois, before leaving the game due to injury. Kjerstad also was injured against WIU and is questionable for Saturday's game. Campbell is expected to return to his starting role at UNI.
PRIDDY PUNTING: Sophomore punter Dean Priddy provided a solid performance in the season opener, booting three balls for an average of 51 yards per punt. All three of his punts covered at least 50 yards, measuring 52, 50 and 51 yards, respectively.
For the season, Priddy is averaging 42.5 yards on 13 punts. He has landed three punts inside the opponents' 20-yard line, including a 42-yarder on his final punt of the night against Western Illinois that pinned the Leathernecks at their own 2-yard line with under a minute to play.
A LOOK AHEAD: The Jackrabbits begin a string of three consecutive non-conference games at Stephen F. Austin (Texas) on Saturday, Sept. 27.
Kickoff is slated for 6 p.m. at Homer Bryce Stadium in Nacogdoches, Texas.
This week's complete press release can be downloaded below.
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