Jacks prep for regular season finale

11/18/2009 10:00:00 AM | Football

By: SDSU Sports Info

The South Dakota State University football team will attempt to make one last statement toward a possible Football Championship Subdivision playoff berth Saturday, when it travels to Western Illinois for the regular season finale.
Kickoff is set for 1:05 p.m. at Hanson Field on the Western Illinois University campus in Macomb.
SDSU enters the matchup with a 7-3 overall record, including a 6-1 mark in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The Jackrabbits, ranked 12th in both the Sports Network media poll and FCS coaches' poll, can secure sole possession of second place in the league standings with a victory and also reach the eight-win mark for the first time since 1999.
As history suggests, the Jackrabbits will likely secure an at-large spot in the 16-team FCS playoffs with a victory on Saturday. In the 25-year history of the league, no MVFC team has missed out on the postseason with eight victories over Division I opponents.
Western Illinois is looking to avoid a winless season in conference play. After winning their season opener against Sam Houston State (Texas), the Fighting Leathernecks have dropped their last nine games, including all seven against Missouri Valley Football Conference foes.

THE SERIES: Saturday's matchup will mark the seventh meeting on the gridiron between SDSU and Western Illinois.
The Fighting Leathernecks hold a 4-2 series advantage, despite a 24-22 Jackrabbit win on Sept. 13, 2008, in Brookings.
The last time the two teams met in Macomb, Western Illinois came away with a 29-26, four-overtime victory in the 2007 season opener. That game stands as the longest in Jackrabbit football history.

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 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 11:30 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 11:30 a.m. Mountain Time.
Video streaming, via a feed from Western Illinois, is slated to start at 12:30 p.m. Central.

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 17th 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 based 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 12th in both polls after a Nov. 7 loss to Southern Illinois, but did not lose any ground following a narrow 16-13 loss at Minnesota last week.
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 WESTERN ILLINOIS: The 2009 season has been a difficult one on multiple fronts for the Western Illinois University football game.
Besides being mired in last place in the Missouri Valley Football Conference, the Fighting Leathernecks are in the midst of a nine-game losing streak and have undergone a midseason coaching change.
Longtime head coach Don Patterson, who battled cancer a year ago, stepped down Sept. 25 due to health concerns. Assistant head coach and offensive coordinator Mark Hendrickson has again filled in as head coach on an interim basis.
The Leatherneck offense has struggled in Missouri Valley Football Conference play, scoring no more than 21 points in any league game and being held to one touchdown or less in three consecutive contests.
Starting quarterback Matt Barr opened the season with 437 yards passing against Sam Houston State, but later suffered an injury and hasn't played since early October.
WIU has given up a league-worst 42 sacks this season, while its quarterbacks have completed only 51.5 percent of their passes while throwing nine touchdown passes against 15 interceptions. Redshirt freshman Wil Lunt has started six times and has completed half of his pass attempts (79-of-158) to go along with four touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
Lito Senatus, who caught 11 passes for 235 yards in the season opener, leads the receiving corps with 58 catches for 756 yards and five touchdowns. Justin Rideau ranks second on the team with 21 catches for 312 yards.
The running game is led by workhorse Dre Gibbs, who topped the 1,000-yard mark last weekend. He is averaging 4.5 yards per carry and has scored five touchdowns.
Defensively, the Leathernecks are led by Kyle Glazier with 108 tackles and two interceptions. Brandon Kreczmer has added 80 tackles and a team-best six sacks, while Buddy Dudczak has tallied 76 tackles and a team-leading 9.5 tackles for loss.
As a team, WIU has picked off only four passes all season while allowing an average of 363.8 yards per game in total offense.
On special teams, Todd Speight has been the team's top performer, leading the squad in both kickoff return average (21.2 yards per attempt) and punt returns (11.7 avg.).
Kicker Brian Egan is a perfect 19-for-19 on PATs, but is only 2-of-7 on field goals, while punter Chris Fuchs is averaging 38.3 yards on 58 attempts.

LAST MEETING: South Dakota State built a 24-0 halftime lead, then held off a Western Illinois rally in the second half for a 24-22 victory in the 42nd Annual Beef Bowl Sept. 13, 2008, at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium.
SDSU opened the scoring midway through the first quarter as Ryan Berry hooked up with Colin Cochart on a 19-yard touchdown, capping a four-play, 54-yard drive.
The 13th-ranked Jackrabbits then scored on each of their last three possessions of the second quarter to build the 24-point margin. Peter Reifenrath made a 37-yard field goal at the 7:51 mark, followed by a Kyle Minett 1-yard run, finishing a five-play, 46-yard drive in which SDSU took possession after Isaiah Jackson forced a fumble.
SDSU's final touchdown came with 21 seconds remaining in the half as Berry scored on a bootleg from 2 yards out.
Western Illinois quickly grabbed the momentum in the second half. Travis Cherry picked off a Berry pass on the second play of the half and returned it 21 yards to the SDSU 2. On the first play of the ensuing drive, Herb Donaldson scored from 2 yards out. However, the Jackrabbits' special teams unit came up big as Eric Schroeder broke through the line to block the extra-point attempt, ending Taylor Rowan's Football Championship Subdivision record PAT streak of 129 in the process.
The Leathernecks cut the margin to 24-9 on a 33-yard field goal by Rowan with 29 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
SDSU struggled to move the ball offensively in the second half, gaining only two first downs and 61 yards of total offense.
Meanwhile, WIU continued to move the ball effectively. The Leathernecks scored on their first possession of the fourth quarter, marching 70 yards on 12 plays almost entirely all through the air. Quarterback Matt Barr, who was 8-of-11 passing on the drive, found Paul Anderson in the back of the end zone from 10 yards out to make the score 24-16 following a Rowan PAT.
Barr scored on an 18-yard run on the Leathernecks' next possession, finishing off an eight-play, 78-yard to pull to within 24-22 with 2:04 remaining. After a WIU timeout and a Jackrabbit penalty that moved the ball to the 1-yard line, Derek Domino preserved the Jackrabbit victory as he broke through the line and sacked Barr on the two-point conversion attempt.
Domino recovered the ensuing onside kick, but the Jackrabbit offense could not run out the clock. With the ball at the WIU 44, Dean Priddy delivered a 42-yard punt that was downed at the WIU 2 with 50 seconds to play. The Leathernecks did pick up a first down on their drive before Nash Simet batted down a fourth-down pass in the final seconds to close out the game.
For the Jackrabbits, Berry finished the night 17-of-28 passing for 191 yards, connecting with eight different receivers. Redshirt freshman Brandon Gant led the receiving corps with five catches for 45 yards.
Kyle Minett led the running game with 71 yards on 21 carries.
Defensively, linebackers Isaiah Jackson and Chris Johnson each made 11 tackles. Jimmy Rogers added 10 stops, while Danny Batten, who was named Outstanding Player of the Beef Bowl, registered eight tackles, including 1.5 sacks.
The Jackrabbit defense was stout against the run, holding WIU All-America running back candidate Herb Donaldson to 43 yards on 18 carries. Donaldson also caught seven passes for 40 yards, with Carl Sims adding seven receptions for 80 yards.
Barr finished the night 27-of-48 passing for 284 yards.

LAST WEEK: Eric Ellestad's third field goal of the game, a 25-yarder with 2 minutes and 22 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, gave Minnesota a 16-13 victory over visiting South Dakota State Saturday afternoon at TCF Bank Stadium.
Minnesota improved to 6-5 overall and became bowl-eligible with the victory. SDSU, ranked 12th in the Football Championship Subdivision, dropped to 7-3 overall.
South Dakota State turned the ball over a season-high four times, including a botched snap deep in their own territory that set up the Gophers for the winning score.
Neither team scored an offensive touchdown in the defensive struggle. The Jackrabbits grabbed a 10-6 lead early in the second quarter as linebacker Derek Domino recorded his team-leading fifth interception of the season and returned the pick 22 yards for a touchdown.
Minnesota returned the favor on the Jackrabbits' next offensive possession. Redshirt quarterback Thomas O'Brien was sacked and stripped of the ball by defensive back Michael Carter and D.L. Wilhite picked the ball out of mid-air for a 3-yard touchdown return.
The Golden Gophers took an early 6-0 lead with field goals on consecutive first-quarter possessions. Minnesota's best drive of the day, a 13-play, 78-yard march ended with a 23-yard field goal by Ellestad.
An interception by Traye Simmons on the next Jackrabbit drive gave Minnesota the ball at the SDSU 40. The Jackrabbits fended off first-and-goal from the 8 before Ellestad booted a 26-yard field goal.
SDSU appeared on the verge of cracking the scoring column as Tyrel Kool broke off a season-best 84-yard kickoff return coupled with a face-mask penalty that gave SDSU the ball at the Minnesota 6-yard line. However, O'Brien was picked off for the second time in the game on the second play of the drive.
The Jackrabbits again used a long return on special teams to get on the board early in the second quarter. Saunders Montague returned a punt 49 yards to the Minnesota 11, but the Jackrabbits could only get to the 3 before settling for a 20-yard field goal by Peter Reifenrath.
SDSU struggled offensively throughout much of the first half and did not record a first down until their sixth drive of the game.
The Jackrabbits missed on a couple chances in the kicking game in the middle quarters. Kyle Harris missed wide left on a 49-yard attempt to end the first half and Reifenrath couldn't convert a 25-yarder midway through the third quarter.
Reifenrath came back to tie the game at 13-all in at the 8:27 mark of the fourth quarter with a 34-yard attempt.
With under five minutes remaining, SDSU took over at its own 18-yard line. On second down, O'Brien couldn't corral a low snap and defensive end Cedric McKinley fell on the loose football for the Golden Gophers at the Jackrabbit 11.
The Jackrabbit defense again held firm, holding Minnesota to three yards before Ellestad's game-winning field goal.
SDSU had two more chances, crossing midfield after a short kickoff on the first possession, but could muster only one first down the rest of the way.
Total yardage was nearly identical as Minnesota held a 231-229 advantage. The Golden Gophers gained 137 yards on the ground, led by Kevin Whaley's 56 yards on 16 carries. Adam Weber was 10-for-21 passing for 94 yards, with Nick Tow-Arnett leading the receiving corps with four catches for 39 yards.
SDSU gained 183 of its yards through the air as O'Brien finished the game 15-of-39 with the two interceptions. Glen Fox posted a team-best five receptions for 95 yards, including a 51-yard reception late in the second quarter. Kyle Minett gained 79 yards on 19 carries as he topped the 1,000 mark for the second consecutive season.
Danny Batten paced the Jackrabbit defense with a career-high 12 tackles and collected one of the team's four sacks. Conrad Kjerstad added eight stops.
Lee Campbell and Kim Royston each registered six tackles to lead Minnesota.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Redshirt freshman Tyrel Kool was named Missouri Valley Football Conference Special Teams Player of the Week following his performance against Minnesota on Nov. 14.
A native of Yankton, Kool returned two kickoffs 118 yards (56-yard average), including a season- and career-long 84-yarder. The Jackrabbit return teams excelled against the Football Bowl Subdivision Golden Gophers, racking up 146 yards on four kickoff returns (36.5 avg.) and 68 yards on five punt returns (13.6 avg.).
Four other times this season, the South Dakota State University football team has had two players honored as MVFC 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)

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 Nov. 7 to Southern Illinois. SDSU currently ranks seventh in the division by allowing only 14.1 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 lead the Missouri Valley Football Conference in pass efficiency defense (94.03) and pass defense (166.5 yards per game), while ranking second in toal defense (269.3 ypg). Their defensive pass efficiency rating ranks second nationally at the FCS level.

LIMITING MISTAKES: The Jackrabbits enter Saturday's game as the least-penalized team in the Missouri Valley Football Conference.
SDSU has committed only 38 penalties this season - an average of 3.8 per game - to rank fourth in the Football Championship Subdivision for fewest penalties. In addition, the Jackrabbits rank fourth for fewest penalty yards with an average of 37.8 yards per game.
The Jackrabbits also have won the turnover battle so far this season, recording five more takeaways than their opponents, 19-14. In its seven wins, SDSU is plus-11 in the turnover category; the Jackrabbits are minus-6 (9 lost, 3 gained) in their three 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, who was named to the Missouri Valley Football Conference's Silver Anniversary Team earlier this fall, stepped into the starting lineup as a true freshman in 2006 and has started 43 of the 44 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.
After recording a career-high 12 tackles at Minnesota, Batten currently ranks second on the team with 75 tackles, while leading the squad with 14 tackles for loss and six sacks. He has recorded a tackle for loss in eight of the team' 10 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 57 receptions through the first 10 games, Fox has moved into fourth place on the Jackrabbit career receptions chart with 147, passing Rusty Lenners (137 receptions from 1993-96) Nov. 7 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. He has since moved into eighth place on the Jackrabbit receiving yards list with 1,725, passing both Darren Baartman (1,658 yards from 1988-91) and Lionel Macklin (1,700 yards from 1977-79) in the Minnesota game.
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 with four touchdown receptions, while ranking second in both receptions (37) and receiving yards (655), averaging a team-best 17.7 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 third on the team with 6.5 tackles for loss and is tied for fourth 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.

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.
By tallying 1,026 yards this season, Minett enters this weekend with 2,791 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. In topping the 1,000-yard mark last week at Minnesota, Minett became the first Jackrabbit running back since career rushing leader Josh Ranek in 1998 and 1999 to gain 1,000 yards in consecutive seasons.
Minett has posted 12 career 100-yard games, including five times this season. He currently ranks ninth in the Football Championship Subdivision with an average of 102.6 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 23rd place in the FCS ranks with an average of 7.8 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.

O'BRIEN AT THE HELM: Redshirt freshman Thomas O'Brien has helped lead the Jackrabbits to a 3-1 record as the Jackrabbits' starting quarterback. After not playing Oct. 31 at Youngstown State when Ryan Crawford returned to the starting lineup, O'Brien was awarded the starting nod for the Minnesota game after a solid second-half outing versus Southern Illinois.
In October 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 UNI as he set a career high with 26 completions on 37 attempts for 285 yards and two touchdowns.
O'Brien did not throw an interception in any of his first three starts at quarterback and compiled an efficiency rating of 149.19.

CRAWFORD BACKS UP: 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 three 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 and again assumed the the starting role last week at Minnesota.
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.

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 Western fourth on the team with 22 receptions for 212 yards.

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 Nov. 7 against Southern Illinois, stands on the Jackrabbit tackles list this season with 74.
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 second on the team this season.

OH, DOMINO: Junior linebacker Derek Domino has emerged as the team's leading tackler this season.
A junior from Spring Lake Park, Minn., Domino has tallied 80 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 leads the team with five interceptions. His fifth interception of the season came at Minnesota last week, one he returned for a 22-yard touchdown. He also 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.).

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 82-59 record (.573 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: Pending the outcome of Saturday's game, the Jackrabbits will await the Football Championship Subdivision playoff selections on Sunday (Nov. 22).
The playoff field is scheduled to be announced at 2 p.m. Central Time Sunday on ESPNews. All first-round FCS playoff games will be played on Saturday, Nov. 28.