Jackrabbits defend Dakota Marker Saturday

10/14/2009 12:30:00 PM | Football

By: SDSU Sports Info

The 14th-ranked South Dakota State University football team will attempt to maintain a share of the lead in the Missouri Valley Football Conference race, as well as retain the Dakota Marker, when it hosts North Dakota State Saturday night.
Kickoff is slated for 6:07 p.m. at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium. The game is scheduled to be televised on Midcontinent (Ch. 23) and Mediacom (Ch. 10) cable systems throughout the Upper Midwest, as well as KNBN-TV in Rapid City and NBC affiliates throughout North Dakota.
SDSU enters the matchup with a 4-1 overall record and part of a three-way tie atop the Missouri Valley Football Conference at 3-0. The league's two other undefeated teams, second-ranked Northern Iowa and fifth-ranked Southern Illinois, are scheduled to play Saturday afternoon in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
North Dakota State, meanwhile, is off to an uncharacteristic 1-5 start, including an 0-3 mark in league play.

THE SERIES: Saturday's matchup will mark the 96th time South Dakota State and North Dakota State have met on the gridiron, with NDSU leading the series 51-39-5.
The series dates back to 1903, when NDSU opened the series by handing the Jackrabbits their worst loss in school history, 85-0, in Fargo. With both schools charter members of the North Central Conference and continuing through the transition to Divison I athletics as members of the Great West Football Conference, the Jackrabbits and Bison have played every year since 1919 except from 1943-45 due to World War II.
SDSU held the upper hand in the series until 1964, when the Bison began a stretch of winning 27 of 29 games, including 17 in a row from 1976-92. The Jackrabbits finally ended the streak in 1993 with a 42-30 victory at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium. In fact, SDSU has won five of the last seven games played in Brookings, including the last three — in 2002, 2004 and 2007.

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 package is available for purchase at www.valley-football.org.
Radio coverage Saturday begins on WNAX 570 AM at 4:30 p.m., with an expanded pre-game show. Steve Imming returns to call the play-by-play, with Tyler Merriam providing color commentary.
Video streaming is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m.

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.

DAKOTA MARKER: The Dakota Marker, a replica of the 7-foot by 10-inch red quartzite monuments planted in the early 1890s along the North Dakota-South Dakota border, is the name of a traveling trophy that SDSU and North Dakota State began competing for during the 2004 season. The trophy stands about three feet high and weighs 78 pounds. The black granite base used to display the trophy weighs another 181 pounds.
The original idea for the trophy came from the Blue Key Honor Society at NDSU. The student associations at both schools share dual ownership of the trophy.
Creation of the trophy coincided with SDSU's and NDSU's entry into NCAA Division I-AA football (currently Football Championship Subdivision). And it signaled a revised rivalry between two schools that have a football history dating back to 1903.
SDSU leads the Dakota Marker series, 3-2, following a 25-24 victory in 2008 in which the Jackrabbits became the first road team to claim a victory in the series. The games have been played before record crowds and provided many memorable moments, including:
• Oct. 9, 2004 — SDSU 24, North Dakota State 21: Wide receiver Chris Molitor teamed with Brad Nelson for a 22-yard touchdown pass with 39 seconds remaining in the game as South Dakota State rallied to defeat North Dakota State, 24-21, in the inaugural Dakota Marker game at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium.
The winning touchdown capped a 14-play, 80-yard drive. SDSU took over on its own 20-yard line after a Bison punt went into the end zone with 2:34 remaining. Nelson completed seven passes on the drive, including a pair of fourth-down passes which kept the drive alive.
• Nov. 12, 2005 — North Dakota State 41, SDSU 17: North Dakota State's ball-control running game coupled with a stingy defense propelled the Bison to a 41-17 victory over SDSU at the Fargodome.
The Bison rushed for 307 yards, led by Kyle Steffes, who rushed 31 times for 141 yards. He scored three touchdowns, all on short runs in the first half.
• Nov. 18, 2006 — North Dakota State 41, SDSU 28: South Dakota State's magical late-season run came to an end as the Jackrabbits fell to North Dakota State, 41-28, in a game that decided the Great West Football Conference championship.
Fourth-ranked NDSU scored 31 second-half points, highlighted by an 84-yard punt return for a touchdown by Travis White with 6:13 remaining in the game.
• Nov. 17, 2007 — SDSU 29, North Dakota State 24: Cory Koenig scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 42-yard run midway through the fourth quarter and the Jackrabbits made big plays on special teams to defeat previously undefeated North Dakota State and claim both the Great West Football Conference and the Dakota Marker with a 29-24 win at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium.
The game, which was sealed by a Brock Gentile interception in the closing minutes, was played before an SDSU-record crowd of 16,345.
SDSU grabbed the early momentum, building a 20-3 lead. The Bison stormed back to take a 24-23 lead early in the fourth quarter before Koenig's decisive touchdown run.
• Nov. 22, 2008 — SDSU 25, North Dakota State 24: Ryan Berry connected with JaRon Harris on a 1-yard touchdown with 2 minutes, 20 seconds remaining in the game, and then threw the game-winning two-point conversion to Mike Steffen, lifting SDSU to a 25-24 win at the Fargodome
The win was SDSU's first in Fargo since 1962 and marked the first time the road team claimed the Dakota Marker.
The Jackrabbit heroics came after Berry left the game in the first quarter due to injury. A senior from Watertown, Berry re-entered the game midway through in the fourth quarter.
Just as they did the year before, the Jackrabbits came up with a late interception to seal the victory, with Conrad Kjerstad picking off a pass in the closing minutes.
Peter Reifenrath added three field goals of 40-plus yards in the Jackrabbit victory.

ATTENDANCE UP: The Jackrabbits have drawn an average of 13,150 fans through their first two home games, with three more games remaining at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium this season.
SDSU is on pace to break the single-season average attendance record of 11,218 set in 2007, when the Jackrabbits won the Great West Football Conference championship.
Nine of the last 14 games played at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium have drawn crowds of more than 10,000 fans, including all seven games played in September over the last three seasons.

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 23-6 mark at CAS. Lights were installed at CAS prior to the 2001 season and SDSU has turned in an 19-5 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. The Fairfax, Iowa, native 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. After falling four spots in each poll following their loss to Cal Poly on Oct. 3, the Jackrabbits resumed their climb to No. 14 in both polls this week — an increase of five spots in the coaches' poll and six spots in the Sports Network poll.
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.

SCOUTING NORTH DAKOTA STATE: The North Dakota State University football team will be in search of a strong start to the second half of the 2009 season as it meets South Dakota State for the Dakota Marker.
Despite the struggles in the win-loss record, the Bison boast one of the most dynamic offenses in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision. NDSU ranks 12th in total offense with an average of 433.5 yards per game and fourth in rushing offense with an average of 229.8 yards per game thanks in part to an experienced offensive line that includes senior guards Keith Buckman and Ryan Foster, as well as senior tackle and Yankton native Gerry Ebel.
Senior running back Pat Paschall leads the rushing attack with 869 yards — an average of 144.8 yards per game — a figure that ranks second in the FCS. However, Paschall will miss Saturday's game as he will serve a league-issued one-game suspension following an altercation during last week's game against Northern Iowa. He is expected to be replaced by D.J. McNorton, who has gained 129 yards this season.
Quarterback Nick Mertens has completed 55.6 percent (90-of-162) of his passes for 1,211 yards. In his second year as the starter, Mertens has thrown seven touchdowns and has been intercepted six times.
The receiving corps has been led by Warren Holloway, who has caught 24 passes for 349 yards. Shamen Washington has added 12 receptions for 125 yards and is the team's top kick returner with an average of 25.7 yards on kickoffs and 6.5 yards on punts.
Wide receiver Tutus Mack has three touchdown receptions among his five catches.
The defensive side of the ball is where the Bison have struggled, as they rank below 100 nationally for total defense (415.8 ypg), scoring defense (33.8 ppg) and pass defense (259 ypg). NDSU has recorded only two interceptions this season.
Sioux Falls native Preston Evans far and away leads the Bison tacklers with 55 stops this season, including four for loss. Matt Kittelson is next with 33 tackles, followed by safety Kyle Belmont with 28. Belmont also has one of the team's interceptions.
Cornerback Richard Bowman has broken up seven passes.
The defensive line is anchored by Mike Fairbairn, with help up front from Coulter Boyer and Matthew Gratzek. Boyer, a Hurley native, leads the team with 2.5 sacks and ranks second on the squad with four tackles for loss. Gratzek leads the team with five tackles for loss and has added 1.5 sacks.
On special teams, senior kicker Shawn Bibeau has made 6-of-9 field goal attempts with a long of 52 yards in the Bison's lone win of the season, versus Wagner (N.Y.) on Sept. 19.
Punter John Prelvitz is averaging 41.1 yards per attempt and has landed 10 of his 28 punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line.
Adding to the rivalry between North Dakota State and South Dakota State is a coaching connection. First-year Bison defensive coordinator Mike Breske lettered at SDSU during the 1979 and 1980 seasons, earning second-team all-North Central Conference honors both years. Breske previously was a member of national championship coaching staffs at Northern Colorado and Montana.

LAST MEETING: Ryan Berry connected with JaRon Harris on a 1-yard touchdown with 2 minutes, 20 seconds remaining in the game, and then threw the game-winning two-point conversion to Mike Steffen, lifting South Dakota State to a 25-24 victory Nov. 18 in the battle for the Dakota Marker before a crowd of 18,428 at the Fargodome.
The win, SDSU's first in Fargo since the Kennedy Administration, sealed sole possession of third place in the Missouri Valley Football Conference for the Jackrabbits in their
inaugural season in the league. SDSU ended the season 6-2 in the MVFC and 7-5 overall. NDSU dropped to 6-5 overall, 4-4 in the MVFC.
The Jackrabbit heroics came after Berry left the game in the first quarter due to injury. A senior from Watertown, Berry re-entered the game midway through in the fourth quarter after backup Ryan Crawford was injured, but was sacked twice on his first drive.
With SDSU trailing 24-17 after a Bison field goal with 6:32 remaining, the game-winning drive began at the Jackrabbit 32. Kyle Minett opened the drive with a 12-yard run and the Jackrabbits picked up another first down on a pass interference penalty. Berry then found his rhythm, connecting with Harris on three consecutive passes, including a 19-yarder that had an additional 15 yards tacked on for a personal foul against the Bison that moved the ball to the NDSU 13.
Berry took over the career passing yardage lead at SDSU on the drive, which culminated when he hit Harris on a slant on second-and-goal for the 1-yard touchdown that made the score 24-23 in favor of NDSU. Rather than kick an extra point to potentially force overtime, SDSU opted for the two-point conversion and ran nearly an identical play with Steffen scoring on a slant.
Just as they did the year before against NDSU, the Jackrabbits came up with a late interception to seal the victory. On the second play of the drive, Conrad Kjerstad intercepted a Nick Mertens pass at the NDSU 44 and returned it 17 yards to the NDSU 27 with 1:58 remaining.
The Jackrabbits were unable to completely run out the clock, turning the ball over on downs at the NDSU with only two seconds remaining. NDSU's final play was a completed pass that was later fumbled and recovered by Jackrabbit senior defensive lineman Eric Schroeder.
SDSU built an early 9-0 lead behind three field goals of 40 or more yards by sophomore kicker Peter Reifenrath. Penalties stalled Jackrabbit drives early on, but Reifenrath made field goals on each of the Jackrabbits' first two possessions from 41 and 40 yards in the first quarter. NDSU's Shawn Bibeau missed a 44-yard field goal wide left on the first Bison drive.
With Berry shaken up, Ryan Crawford led the Jackrabbits on their next scoring drive, directing SDSU on a 16-play, 61-yard drive that chewed up 8 minutes and 54 seconds before ending with Reifenrath connecting again from 41 yards with 8:55 remaining in the second quarter. Crawford, who had attempted only seven passes all season prior to Saturday, was 4-for-4 on the drive for 30 yards. Tyler Duffy also gained 28 yards on the ground.
The Bison scored the first touchdown of the game on their next possession, marching 75 yards on nine plays, culminaing with a Tyler Roehl 1-yard run with 3:45 left in the first half.
NDSU appeared on the verge of taking a halftime lead, but Bibeau's 29-yard field goal attempt in the closing seconds was blocked by Schroeder.
The Bison did gain the lead on the opening drive of the second half as Mertens capped a seven-play, 73-yard drive with a 1-yard quarterback keeper at the 11:43 mark of the third quarter. Bibeau added the extra point to give NDSU a 14-9 lead.
SDSU responded with its longest kickoff return of the season, 72 yards by Cole Brodie, which put the Jackrabbits deep in Bison territory at the NDSU 23. Six plays later, on third-and-six, Crawford hit Minett along the left sideline for an 8-yard touchdown. The two-point conversion was good was Minett took a late pitch from Crawford and dove to the right corner of the end zone, giving SDSU a 17-14 advantage.
The Bison regained the lead moments later on a 23-yard pass from Mertens to Jerimiah Wurzbacher. The quick-scoring drive covered 69 yards on four plays.
NDSU had an opportunity to break the game open after partially blocking a punt on the Jackrabbits' next possession and taking over at the SDSU 29. However, the Jackrabbit defense held NDSU without a first down before Bibeau made his lone field goal of the night, a 39-yarder with 6:32 remaining.
Berry ended the night 8-of-11 passing for 80 yards, ending his career with 6,023 yards to surpass the previous Jackrabbit career yardage record of 6,016 previously held by Ted Wahl from 1985-88.
Crawford was 10-of-13 for 50 yards.
Harris led Jackrabbit receivers with eight catches for 60 yards, while Colin Cochart added four receptions for 46 yards. Cochart hauled in a 32-yard reception on the first play from scrimmage in the game.
Minett gained 85 yards on 22 carries, as he finished the year with the sixth-highest single-season rushing total at SDSU with 1,289 yards.
For NDSU, Mertens ended the game 15-of-27 passing for 239 yards and also was the leading rusher for the Bison with 58 yards on eight carries. Roehl was limited to 33 yards on 12 carries.
Kole Heckendorf led the Bison with five catches for 96 yards.
Defensively, NDSU applied constant pressure and recorded seven sacks. Joe Lardinois had two sacks among his seven tackles, while Cyrus Lemon and Mike Maresh each tallied a game-high 12 tackles.
Jimmy Rogers led SDSU with eight stops.

LAST WEEK: General Parnell intercepted two passes, including one in the end zone with under a minute to play, as South Dakota State held off a Missouri State comeback attempt, 24-17, Oct. 10 in Missouri Valley Football Conference action at Springfield, Mo.
The 19th-ranked Jackrabbits improved to 4-1 overall and stayed perfect in league play with a 3-0 mark. Missouri State dropped to 3-3 overall, 1-2 in the MVFC. The game was played before a crowd of 10,592 at Plaster Field.
Missouri State put together the first scoring drive of the game, moving the ball 58 yards on 10 plays on its first possession before Matt Hottelman nailed a 49-yard field goal.
The Jackrabbits came back to take a 14-3 lead late in the first quarter with a pair of touchdowns two minutes and 18 seconds apart. Kyle Minett capped a 10-play, 75-yard drive with a 3-yard touchdown run for the first Jackrabbit score. SDSU's Dirk Kool then recovered a short kickoff to set up the Jackrabbits at the MSU 32. Five plays later, on third-and-16, redshirt freshman quarterback Thomas O'Brien found Saunders Montague behind the Bear defense for a 23-yard touchdown.
The Bears scored first touchdown of the day with a methodical 19-play, 72-yard drive that chewed up more than seven and a half minutes. After converting twice on short fourth down plays, Miguel Warren found the end zone from six yards out.
SDSU tacked on an 18-yard field goal by Peter Reifenrath late in the second quarter to take a 17-10 halftime lead. The Jackrabbits, who had a long touchdown run by Minett called back earlier in the drive by a holding penalty, opted for the field goal rather than going for it on fourth-and-1.
The Jackrabbits were able to establish more of a running game in the second half. Minett gained 35 yards on a third-quarter drive before O'Brien hit Glen Fox on a slant for a 19-yard touchdown pass that put the Jackrabbits up 24-10 with 2:31 to play in the third quarter.
SDSU failed to score on two possessions in Missouri State territory early in the fourth quarter, while the Bears started to find their stride offensively. MSU put together another long drive, finishing off a 16-play, 80-yard drive as Jared Emery made a lunging catch on a 5-yard pass play from Cody Kirby with 6:02 remaining to pull to within a score at 24-17.
After holding the Jackrabbits three plays and out, MSU took over at its own 18 with under four minutes remaining. The Bears converted on fourth-and-four and again on third-and-14 before two long pass plays to Jermaine Saffold put the Bears at the SDSU 31. Two more completions set up the Bears first and goal at the SDSU 6, but Parnell stepped in front of a Kirby pass in the right corner of the end zone and returned the ball 63 yards to the MSU 37, sealing the Jackrabbit victory.
O'Brien, making his first career start, completed 14-of-21 passes for 211 yards and two touchdowns. Fox led the receiving corps with seven catches for 87 yards, while Minett gained 105 yards on 26 carries.
For MSU, Kirby completed 29-of-46 attempts for 288 yards, and also led the Bears with 59 yards rushing on 14 carries. All three of Kirby's interceptions came in the second half. Emery tallied seven catches for 67 yards, while All-America tight end Clay Harbor added six receptions for 53 yards.
Defensively, Derek Domino led the Jackrabbits with 12 tackles. Chris Johnson and Danny Batten each recorded eight stops. Derek Miller posted a game-high 13 tackles for the Bears, with Antoine Wilkinson and Skylar Smith each adding 12.
The Bears held a 404-344 advantage in total offense and ran 19 more plays, 78-59, than the Jackrabbits. .

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: South Dakota State University cornerback General Parnell and punter Dean Priddy were selected as players of the week by the Missouri Valley Football Conference for their efforts in the Jackrabbits' 24-17 victory at Missouri State on Oct. 10.
Parnell, a junior from San Bernardino, Calif., earned defensive accolades after recording two interceptions, including one in the end zone in the final minute. He also broke up another pass and added seven tackles to help secure the Jackrabbit victory. His first interception, which he returned 14 yards, came on Missouri State's first drive of the fourth quarter, while his game-saving pick was followed by a 63-yard return. One of Parnell's seven tackles was for a loss of one yard.
A junior from Eden Prairie, Minn., Priddy punted four times for an average of 45.2 yards in earning special teams honors. Two of his punts traveled a season-best 56 yards and three of his punts pinned the Bears inside their own 20-yard line.
SDSU's two selections marks the third time this season the Jackrabbits have had a pair of players honored by the league. Kyle Harris (special teams) and Derek Domino (defense) received player of the week recognition after the Sept. 12 season opener against Georgia Southern, and Kyle Minett (offense) and Jake Steffen (defense) were tabbed for league honors for their efforts in the Sept. 26 matchup at Illinois State.

TOP-10 DEFENSE: South Dakota State enters Saturday's game against North Dakota State ranked in the top 10 of a pair of team defensive categories.
After sitting atop the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision scoring defense standings for two weeks, the Jackrabbits slipped to second — behind conference rival Northern Iowa — with an average of 12.2 points allowed per game. The starting defense has allowed only three touchdowns, and three of the opponents' five touchdowns this season have been on defensive returns.
The Jackrabbits also rank fifth in pass efficiency defense (91.43), while ranking 11th in rushing defense with an average of 82.4 yards per game.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Jackrabbits stand eighth in passing efficiency (150.35) and rank 20th in scoring offense with an average of 32.2 points per game.
Individually, Kyle Minett ranks in tie for fourth in scoring with an average of 10.8 points per game and 10th in rushing with an average of 106 yards per game. Quarterback Ryan Crawford is seventh individually in passing efficiency at 157.51.

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 five games, SDSU has converted 46.15 percent (30-of-65) of its third-down attempts, ranking 15th 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 thre 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 matchup against North Dakota State as the least-penalized team in the Missouri Valley Football Conference.
SDSU has committed only 20 penalties this season — an average of four per game — to rank seventh in the Footbal Championship Subdivision for fewest penalties. In addition, the Jackrabbits rank 11th for fewest penalty yards with an average of 39.8 yards per game.
The Jackrabbits also have won the turnover battle so far this season, recording four more takeaways than their opponents, 10-6.

BATTEN ON BUCHANAN LIST: South Dakota State University defensive end Danny Batten has been named to the initial watch list for the Division I Football Championship Subdivision's top defensive player.
A senior from Gilbert, Ariz., Batten is 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 in October and 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 38 of the 39 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 second on the team with 35 tackles, while leading the squad with nine tackles for loss and four sacks.
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 reached a career milestone in the Sept. 19 game against Indiana State as he recorded the 100th reception of his career.
By recording a team-best 23 receptions through the first three games, Fox has moved into a tie with Lionel Macklin (113 receptions from 1977-79) for 10th place on the Jackrabbit career receiving charts. Next on the list is Mike Myers, who caught 116 passes from 1990-93.
Fox played in the Jackrabbit secondary and on special teams during his freshman season in 2006.

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 530 yards in the first five games of the 2009 season, Minett enters this weekend with 2,295 career rushing yards. He cracked the Jackrabbit top 10 for career rushing Sept. 26 at Illinois State, and has since moved into seventh place after passing Rick Wegher (2,293 yards from 1981-84) last week at Missouri State. Minett needs 304 yards to pass Darwin Gonnerman (2,598 yards from 1966-68) to take over sixth place
Minett has posted 10 career 100-yard games, including six in 2008.
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 as he ranked third on the team with 44 receptions for 415 yards. He has scored 34 career touchdowns — 27 rushing and seven receiving — and has a streak of 10 consecutive games in which he has scored a touchdown. He scored two touchdowns in the first four games this season, before scoring once at Missouri State.
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.

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 157.51 to rank seventh in the Football Championship Subdivision this season. He has completed 67.4 percent of his passes this season and 68.2 percent for his career.
Crawford, who suffered a knee injury at Cal Poly and missed the Missouri State game, will be re-evaluated this week to see if he can play against North Dakota State. Redshirt freshman Thomas O'Brien would start if Crawford is not cleared to play Saturday.
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.

STEFFENS STEP UP: The Jackrabbits have received solid contributions in the first quarter of the 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 405 on 20 catches, an average of 20.3 yards per catch.
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 second with two sacks, but is sidelined indefinitely after suffering a knee injury at Cal Poly.

TOP TACKLERS RETURN: An experienced Jackrabbit defense returns its top eight tacklers from a year ago. The top three tacklers are the team's starters at linebacker: Jimmy Rogers (93 tackles), Chris Johnson (82 tackles) and Derek Domino (80 tackles).
Also returning are defensive end Danny Batten (75 tackles), linebacker Isaiah Jackson (63), safety Conrad Kjerstad (51) and cornerbacks Cole Brodie (47) and General Parnell (45).

KJERSTAD LEADS SECONDARY: Junior strong safety Conrad Kjerstad recorded the eightth interception of his career last week at Missouri State, snaring a pass in the end zone to end a Bear scoring threat. The Wall native also registered six tackles in the game, and was credited with a career-high 11 stops Sept. 26 at Illinois State as he stands third on the team for tackles with 34.
Kjerstad's eight career interceptions are the most by any current Jackrabbit player. He led the team with four during the 2008 campaign and shares the team lead this season with General Parnell with three.

KNIPS SEMIFINALIST FOR CAMPBELL TROPHY: South Dakota State University offensive lineman Casey Knips has been named a semifinalist for the 2009 William V. Campbell Trophy, officials from the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame announced Thursday.
A senior offensive tackle from Adrian, Minn., Knips is in his second season as a regular starter for the nationally ranked Jackrabbits. He is one of 37 players from the Division I Football Championship Subdivision — and one of 154 players from all divisions of college football to be named a semifinalist.
Nominees must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of eligibility, have a GPA of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, have outstanding football ability as a first-team player or significant contributor, and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship.
Formerly the Draddy Trophy, the award was renamed this fall in honor of Bill Campbell, the chairman of Intuit and a former player and head coach at Columbia University (N.Y.).
The NFF Awards Committee will select and announce up to 15 finalists on Oct. 29. Each finalist will be recognized as part of the 2009 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class, receiving an $18,000 post-graduate scholarship. The Campbell Trophy winner, who will have his scholarship increased to $25,000, will be announced live at the NFF's Annual Awards Dinner on December 8 at the prestigious Waldorf-Astoria in New York City.
Last season, Jackrabbit quarterback Ryan Berry became the first SDSU player to be named a member of the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class.

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 a 78-57 record (.578 winning percentage). SDSU has posted seven consecutive winning seasons, including the school's first five campaigns at the FCS (formerly Division I-AA) level. The Jackrabbits have had a winning record in 10 of his 12 years as head coach, including five with seven or more victories.
In 2008, the Jackrabbits entered another new era in their Division I pursuits as they joined the nine-team Missouri Valley Football Conference. With the transition from Division II completed, SDSU fell just short of a playoff berth in its first season of eligibility, ending the year with a 7-5 overall record and 6-2 mark in the MVFC. Of SDSU's five losses, four came against ranked FCS opponents, including conference co-champions Northern Iowa and Southern Illinois. The team's other loss was at the hands of Football Bowl Subdivision opponent Iowa State in the season opener. That game marked the first time the Jackrabbits had played an FBS opponent since moving to Division I at the start of the 2004 season.
Under Stiegelmeier's guidance, SDSU has appeared in the FCS rankings each of the last three seasons. The Jackrabbits cracked the national poll for the first time in late October 2006, after posting back-to-back come-from-behind victories over Cal Poly and UC Davis. After climbing as high as No. 19 on the final week of the regular season, the Jackrabbits finished the 2006 season ranked 22nd by the Sports Network.
SDSU began the 2007 season in a preseason national poll for the first time, checking in at No. 20 in the Sports Network poll. The Jackrabbits dropped out of the rankings after a season-opening loss and didn't return to the top 25 until the final poll of the season with a 19th-place showing.
The Jackrabbits attained their highest ranking at the FCS level during the 2008 season, reaching the 12th spot in the Sports Network poll after opening league play with home victories over No. 14 Youngstown State and No. 15 Western Illinois in back-to-back weeks. In all, SDSU was ranked seven weeks last season.
During the 2007 season, 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 named as one of five finalists in the FCS for the 2007 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award.

A LOOK AHEAD: The Jackrabbits close out a two-game homestand Oct. 24 by hosting nationally ranked Northern Iowa in the annual Hobo Day game.
Kickoff is slated for 2:05 p.m. at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium.
The broadcast of the game is being produced by Mediacom and will be aired on the Medicom Connections channel throughout South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, Missouri and Wisconsin. In aadition, the game is slated to be aired by Midcontinent Communications throughout the Upper Midwest.
The Jackrabbits will make a national television appearance as part of the Missouri Valley Football Conference television package Oct. 31 at Youngstown State (Ohio). That game is scheduled to be broadcast live on Fox College Sports, and also shown on a tape-delayed basis on Fox Sports Midwest.
Another game may be added to the television lineup should the Big Ten Network choose to air the Jackrabbits' Nov. 14 game at Minnesota.