No. 9 Jacks host No. 3 SIU for league title

11/4/2009 11:00:00 AM | Football

By: SDSU Sports Info

Sole possession of first place in the Missouri Valley Football Conference and the league's automatic berth in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision playoffs will be on the line Saturday as ninth-ranked South Dakota State hosts third-ranked Southern Illinois.
Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m. at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium.
Both teams enter Saturday's game with 7-1 overall records and 6-0 marks in league play. SIU has won 12 consecutive MVFC games, while the Jackrabbits bring a seven-game league winning streak.
Saturday's game also will be Military Appreciation Day at SDSU. All veterans and current service members with a valid military ID, copy of their DD form 214 or with a DAV, VA or VFW or American Legion membership card can pick up their two free tickets on the day of the game at the ticket office at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium, starting at 11:30 a.m.
In addition, $5 tickets are available through Friday at the following locations in Brookings: Jackrabbit Central (downtown location), Cubby's Sports Bar and Grill and Burger King. Tickets also are available online at GoJacks.com or by calling 1-866-GO JACKS.

THE SERIES: Saturday's matchup will mark only the second-ever matchup between SDSU and Southern Illinois in football.
The Salukis claimed the inaugural meeting, 38-35, on Nov. 15, 2008, in Carbondale, Ill. Kyle Dougherty kicked a 28-yard field goal with 2 minutes, 59 seconds remaining for the decisive score.
SDSU trailed 35-21 at halftime, but knotted the game in third quarter on touchdowns by Mike Steffen and Kyle Minett.

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.
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 also begins at 12:30 p.m. Central Time.

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

ATTENDANCE SURGE: The Jackrabbits have drawn an average of 14,003 fans through their first four home games, with one more regular season games remaining at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium this season. Overall, SDSU ranks 12th in the Football Championship Subdivision for home attendance.
SDSU is on pace to shatter the single-season average attendance record of 11,218 set in 2007, when the Jackrabbits won the Great West Football Conference championship.
Eleven of the last 16 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 25-6 mark at CAS, including a perfect 7-0 record in Missouri Valley Football Conference games.
Lights were installed at CAS prior to the 2001 season and SDSU has turned in a 20-5 record in home night games.

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

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

RABBITS RANKED: For the third year in a row, South Dakota State appeared in the preseason national rankings for the Football Championship Subdivision.
The Jackrabbits began the season ranked 22nd in the Sports Network poll and 23rd in the preseason poll conducted by the Football Championship Subdivision coaches. SDSU has since achieved its highest ranking in a national poll, climbing to ninth in both the Sports Network and FCS Coaches' polls after downing Northern Iowa on Oct. 24. The Jackrabbits held steady at No. 9 this 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.

VERSUS RANKED OPPONENTS: Playing a ranked opponent is nothing new for the Jackrabbit football team, which has taken on some of the nation's elite FCS programs since moving up from Division I at the start of the 2004 season.
In its five-plus seasons at the FCS level, SDSU has played 27 games against ranked opponents and compiled a 9-18 overall record.
The Oct. 24 game versus Northern Iowa marked the Jackrabbits' first win over a ranked opponent this season.

SCOUTING SOUTHERN ILLINOIS: The Southern Illinois University football team is in search of its fifth Missouri Valley Football Conference title in seven years as it takes to the field today at South Dakota State for a game in which the winner clinches at least a share of the MVFC title and the league's automatic playoff berth.
Since 2003, the Salukis have compiled a 66-18 record, good for a .786 winning percentage. SIU has made six consecutive Division I Football Championship Subdivision playoff appearances, reaching the semifinals during the 2007 season before falling to eventual
national runner-up Delaware.
The Salukis have featured a balanced offensive attack that ranks second in the MVFC in total offense with an average of 417 yards per game.
Running back Deji Karim ranks second in the league — and nation — for rushing with an average of 139.1 yards per game. Karim, who sat out the entire 2008 season due to a knee injury, has posted five 100-yards game this season, including a 273-yard performance against Illinois State on Oct. 10. Karim was recently added to the list of candidates for the Walter Payton Award, which is given to the Football Championship Subdivision's top
offensive player.
Karim runs behind an offensive line that includes three senior starters and is anchored by right tackle Shawn Smith.
At quarterback, SIU has turned to redshirt freshman Paul McIntosh in place of an injured Chris Dieker. McIntosh has completed 69.2 percent (27-of-39) of his passes for 313 yards and one touchdown, and has displayed dual-threat capabilities by rushing for an average of 6.6 yards per carry with two touchdowns.
The primary receiving target has been junior wide receiver Joe Allaria. A converted wide receiver, Allaria has recorded 40 catches for 538 yards and three touchdowns. Bryce Morris has added 27 receptions for 332 yards with a touchdown.
Morris was honored by the Sports Network as its National Special Teams Player of the Week after blocking a punt and returned it for a touchdown last week at Indiana State.
Also on special teams, the Salukis return standout performers in kicker Kyle Dougherty and punter Scott Ravanesi. Dougherty has made 13-of-16 field goal attempts this season, including 7-of-9 from 40 or more yards.
Ravanesi is averaging a league-best 44 yards per punt and has landed 15 of his 34 punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line. He has nine punts of 50 or more yards this season.
Defensively, the Salukis rank second in the league — behind SDSU — in points allowed with an average of 14.1 per game. SIU has given up a combined eight points in its last two games, wins over Youngstown State and Indiana State.
The leader of the Saluki defense is inside linebacker and Buck Buchanan Award nominee Brandin Jordan. A senior, Jordan shares the team lead with 47 tackles, including three sacks.
Outside linebacker Chauncey Mixon missed four games earlier in the season, but has tallied 16 tackles after earning second-team all-conference honors in 2008.
Reserve linebacker Kyle Walker leads the squad in both tackles for loss (6) and sacks (5.5).
A ball-hawking secondary has allowed the Salukis to come up with a league-best 16 interceptions. Cornerback Korey Lindsey leads the way with six picks, while free safety Mike McElroy has added five. Lindsey shares the team lead with 47 tackles, with McElroy adding 46 stops.
Strong safety Marty Rodgers has contributed 42 tackles and an interception.
As a team, SIU has notched 21 sacks, with 16 different players contributing to that total.
SIU is coached by Dale Lennon, who previously served as the head coach at the University of North Dakota for nine years (1999-2007). Lennon led UND to the 2001 NCAA Division II national championship and has guided teams to the postseason six consecutive seasons.

LAST MEETING: Southern Illinois' Kyle Dougherty kicked a 28-yard field goal with 2 minutes, 59 seconds remaining in the game, and the Salukis intercepted a South Dakota State pass in the final minute, ending the Jackrabbits' hopes of a share of the Missouri Valley Football Conference title on Nov. 15, 2008, in Carbondale, Ill..
With the 38-35 victory at McAndrew Stadium, ninth-ranked SIU improved to 8-2 overall, 6-1 in the MVFC. SDSU dropped its fourth game of the season against a top-10 team, falling to 6-5 overall and 5-2 in league play.
Early on, it was big plays by SIU that gave the Salukis the lead. A 36-yard return on the opening kickoff by Richard White put SIU in Jackrabbit territory. The Salukis cashed in on the good field position as White scored from two yards out 10 plays later.
The Jackrabbits answered on their second possession of the game. Taking over at their own 49, Ryan Berry connected with Glen Fox for a 50-yard pass play to the SIU 1, and Kyle Minett followed with a 1-yard plunge to tie that game at 7-all with 4:48 to play in the first quarter.
The tie lasted all of 12 seconds, however, as Larry Warner returned the ensuing kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown. It was Warner's third kickoff return for a touchdown this season and the second allowed by SDSU.
SDSU again tied the game as Berry hooked up with Fox on a 4-yard scoring strike to cap a 15-play, 75-yard drive that covered more than six minutes.
SIU regained control with three touchdowns in the second quarter. Helped by two Jackrabbit personal foul penalties, the first SIU score of the period came on a 20-yard pass from Chris Dieker to Damian Sherman and was followed 17 seconds later by a 57-yard interception return for touchdown by Marty Rodgers.
The Jackrabbits came back with another long scoring drive, this one covering 70 yards on 13 plays, as Minett scored on a 3-yard screen pass from Berry with 50 seconds remaining in the half. The touchdown pass was Berry's 28th of the season, breaking Brad Nelson's school-record mark of 27 set in 2003.
The Saluki offense struck one final time before halftime. Starting at their own 32, Warner put SIU in scoring position as he scampered 42 yards on a shovel pass to the SDSU 14 and had another seven yards tacked on by a personal foul penalty against the Jackrabbits. Two plays later, Warner scored from two yards out to make the score 35-21 at the half.
SDSU gained the momentum in the third quarter, scoring on the opening drive of the half. Berry completed a pair of 11-yard passes to JaRon Harris to open the drive, then connected with Mike Steffen on an 18-yard touchdown pass.
After forcing a fumble on SIU's first possession of the half and then pinning the Salukis at their own 2-yard line on Dean Priddy's career-long 61-yard boot, the Jackrabbits put together the game-tying scoring drive. Cole Brodie's 17-yard punt return put the ball at the SIU 37, and the Jackrabbits continued to excel in the red zone as Minett went up and over the Saluki defense for a 1-yard touchdown run — his third score of the game — to knot the game at 35-all.
The Jackrabbits missed an opportunity to take their first lead of the game early in the fourth quarter. Conrad Kjerstad recorded his team-leading third interception of the season the ball was moved to the SIU 38 after a face mask penalty. However, the Jackrabbits couldn't move the ball past the 33 before being forced to punt.
SIU took over at its own 14 and began a methodical game-winning drive. A 19-yard pass on second and long from Dieker to Joe Allaria extended the drive, which covered 16 plays and 75 yards and tookchewed up nearly seven minutes off the clock before Dougherty's 28-yard field goal.
SDSU appeared on the verge of putting together the decisive scoring drive as Berry connected on his first four passes to move the Jackrabbits into SIU territory at the 36. After an incompletion, Berry hit Fox on back-to-back throws to put the ball at the SIU 23. But on second and 10, Berry was pressured and intercepted at the 9-yard line by James Wheeler with 36 seconds remaining.
The Jackrabbit defense held SIU without a first down, and used all three of its timeouts to force a Saluki punt. SDSU regained possession at its own 33 with 12 seconds remaining, but the Jackrabbits' last-ditch effort came up short as time expired.
Berry finished the game 29-of-46 passing for 286 yards as he also set Jackrabbit single-season records with 384 attempts and 248 completions, while setting a new career mark with 823 attempts.
Fox, who caught seven passes for 91 yards in the first half, ended the game with nine receptions for 104 yards. Steffen added career highs with eight catches for 82 yards, and Harris contributed seven receptions for 60 yards.
Minett led the ground game with 90 yards on 26 carries.
SDSU held a 383-347 advantage in total offense and tallied 27 first downs, compared to 23 by the Salukis.
Warner tallied 269 all-purpose yards for SIU, leading the Salukis in rushing with 76 yards on 19 carries and in receiving with six receptions for 73 yards. Dieker was an effective 25-of-35 passing for 245 yards.
Defensively, Chris Johnson posted a game-high 10 tackles for SDSU. Brodie, Jimmy Rogers, Derek Domino and Kjerstad each made eight stops.

LAST WEEK: The South Dakota State University football team methodically moved one step closer to a possible Missouri Valley Football Conference championship, posting a 17-3 road victory at Youngstown State behind stout defense and two rushing touchdowns from Kyle Minett.
The ninth-ranked Jackrabbits matched their best start since 1963, improving to 7-1 overall and 6-0 in the MVFC in holding an opponent without a touchdown for the third time this season. SDSU came into the game ranked fifth in the Football Championship Subdivision by allowing an average of 12.6 points per contest.
Quarterback Ryan Crawford, who missed the last three games due to injury, was sharp early on in his return to the starting lineup as he completed his first four passing attempts on the opening drive for 41 yards to set the Jackrabbits up first and goal at the YSU 4-yard line. A motion penalty stalled the drive and SDSU came up empty as Peter Reifenrath missed a 26-yard field goal.
The Penguins came back to score on their first possession of the game, marching 49 yards on 11 plays before Stephen Blose tied a career long with a 48-yard field goal.
SDSU tied the game in the second quarter after the Jackrabbits put together a methodical drive that consumed more than eight minutes. Reifenrath capped the 15-play, 75-yard drive with a 25-yard field goal at the 4:33 mark.
The Jackrabbits came up with a big play defensively to open the second half. On the first play from scrimmage, linebacker Derek Domino dropped into coverage and made a diving interception - his fourth of the season - to give SDSU the ball at the Penguin 32. Seven plays later, Minett bounced around right end from five yards out for the first touchdown of the game.
Youngstown State, which was able to establish more of a running game in the second half, drove the ball deep into Jackrabbit territory on its next drive, but the Penguins came up empty as a 17-play drive ended when Blose missed a field goal attempt from 41 yards.
SDSU iced the game in the fourth quarter with a nine-play, 66-yard scoring drive. Crawford was 3-for-3 on the drive for 37 yards and Minett gained 25 yards on the ground, including the final yard for his second rushing touchdown of the game at the 4:51 mark.
Minett carried the ball 22 times for 87 yards and added two receptions for 32 yards. Crawford ended the game 19-of-28 passing for 178 yards with no interceptions.
Colin Cochart posted a career-high six receptions for 51 yards, with Saunders Montague adding five catches for 39 yards.
The Jackrabbit defense was led by Buck Buchanan Award candidate Danny Batten, who recorded eight tackles, including a sack. Jimmy Rogers and Isaiah Jackson also tallied eight stops.
For Youngstown State, Brandon Summers finished the game 19-of-29 passing for 181 yards after starting the game by completing his first nine attempts. Dominique Barnes caught six balls for 93 yards, and Donald Jones added six receptions for 36 yards.
Backup quarterback Dailyn Campbel led the Penguin rushing attack with 32 yards on seven carries.
Overall, SDSU held a 309-254 advantage in total offense, including a 131-73 edge in the rushing department.

TOP-10 DEFENSE: South Dakota State reclaimed the top spot in the Football Championship Subdivision for scoring defense after holding Youngstown State without a touchdown in a 17-3 Jackrabbit victory last week. SDSU is allowing only 11.38 points per game and has not allowed a touchdown in three games this season: versus Georgia Southern, versus Indiana State and at Youngstown State.
The Jackrabbits also lead the Missouri Valley Football Conference in rushing defense (89.88 yards per game), pass efficiency defense (92.54), and total defense (272.75 ypg). Their defensive pass efficiency rating ranks third nationally at the FCS level.

THIRD-DOWN EFFICIENCY: A key to the Jackrabbits' success on offense this season has been the team's ability to convert on third down.
Through seven games, SDSU has converted 41.49 percent (39-of-94) of its third-down attempts, ranking 29th in the Football Championship Subdivision. Three of the five touchdowns the Jackrabbits scored Sept. 26 at Illinois State came on third-down plays, including Kyle Minett's 64-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter on a third-and-13 play. Minett's first touchdown of the game, an 11-yard run in the second quarter, was set up by SDSU converting on third-and-8 and third-and-9 earlier in the drive.
All three of the Jackrabbits' touchdowns at Missouri State came on third down, including a 23-yard pass from Thomas O'Brien to Saunders Montague on a third-and-16 play in the first quarter.

LIMITING MISTAKES: The Jackrabbits enter Saturday's game as the least-penalized team in the Missouri Valley Football Conference.
SDSU has committed only 30 penalties this season — an average of 3.75 per game — to rank in a tie for second in the Football Championship Subdivision for fewest penalties. In addition, the Jackrabbits rank sixth for fewest penalty yards with an average of 37.38 yards per game.
The Jackrabbits also have won the turnover battle so far this season, recording nine more takeaways than their opponents, 17-8. SDSU has turned the ball over offensively only once in the last four games, after committing a season-high three turnovers in its lone loss of the season, Oct. 3 at Cal Poly.

BATTEN ON BUCHANAN LIST: South Dakota State University defensive end Danny Batten remains on the watch list for the Division I Football Championship Subdivision's top defensive player.
A senior from Gilbert, Ariz., Batten was one of 20 players to be considered on the preseason watch list for the Buck Buchanan Award, which is presented by the Sports Network. The watch list will be revised again in November before the final ballot is announced.
Voting from a panel of FCS sports information directors, writers, broadcasters and other football experts will be conducted after the regular season ends. Three finalists will be announced on Nov. 30 and will be invited to the 23rd annual Sports Network Awards banquet on Dec. 17 in Chattanooga, Tenn., the night before the NCAA Division I championship game. The Walter Payton Award and the Eddie Robinson Award will also be presented that evening.
Batten stepped into the starting lineup as a true freshman in 2006 and has started 40 of the 41 games he has played. He earned honorable mention All-America recognition each of the past two seasons while earning first-team all-Great West Football Conference honors in 2007 and first-team all-Missouri Valley Football Conference accolades in 2008. Batten ranked fourth on the team with 75 total tackles in 2008 and led the team with eight sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss.
He currently ranks third on the team with 53 tackles, while leading the squad with 12.5 tackles for loss and five sacks.The Oct. 24 Northern Iowa game is the only game this season in which he did not record a tackle for loss.
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 40 receptions through the first eight games, Fox has moved into fifth place on the Jackrabbit career receptions chart with 130. He needs eight receptions to pass Rusty Lenners (137 receptions from 1993-96) for fourth place.
In addition, Fox reached 1,500 career receiving yards in the Oct. 24 Hobo Day victory over Northern Iowa, recording a season-best 99 yards on five receptions, including a 63-yard touchdown. The scoring strike was the longest passing play of the season for SDSU.
Fox played in the Jackrabbit secondary and on special teams during his freshman season in 2006.

CRAWFORD BACK 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 this season, and 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 tthree games, returned to the starting lineup Oct. 31 at Youngstown State, completing 19-of-28 passes for 178 yards. Redshirt freshman Thomas O'Brien started the three games in place of Crawford.
A senior from Oro Valley, Ariz., Crawford entered fall camp as the quarterback with the most experience in a Jackrabbit uniform. During the 2008 season, Crawford played in six games and completed 14-of-20 passes — 70 percent — for 106 yards and one touchdown. His most extensive playing time came in the season finale at North Dakota State as he stepped in for an injured Ryan Berry and completed 10-of-13 passes for 50 yards and a score.
Junior transfer Lee Mondol and freshman Mike Whittier also were in competition for the starting nod in fall camp.

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 886 yards in the first eight games of the 2009 season, Minett enters this weekend with 2,651 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) last week at Youngstown State.
Minett has posted 12 career 100-yard games, including five times this season and each of the last three games. He currently ranks sixth in the Football Championship Subdivision with an average of 110.75 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 fourth place in the FCS ranks with an average of 9.75 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.
In addition, Minett ranks sixth in FCS rushing with an average of 110.75 yards per game. He has topped the 100-yard mark five times this season to move into sixth place on the SDSU career rushing charts with 2,651 yards.
Minett also stands 114 yards away from the 1,000-yard mark for the season. He would be the first Jackrabbit since Ranek in 1998 and 1999 to rush for 1,000 yards in consecutive seasons.

COCHART CATCHING ON: South Dakota State University tight end Colin Cochart has become more of a target in the Jackrabbit passing game in recent weeks.
A junior from Kewaunee, Wis., Cochart caught three passes, including his first touchdown of the season and a two-point convervsion, in the Oct. 24 Hobo Day victory over Northern Iowa. Last week at Youngstown State, Cochart caught a career-high six passes for a season-high 51 yards.
Cochart enters this weekend's game against Southern Illinois fourth on the team with 18 receptions for 145 yards.

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

STEFFENS STEP UP: The Jackrabbits have received solid contributions this season from brothers and Mount Vernon natives Mike and Jake Steffen.
Mike Steffen posted career highs with 98 receiving yards — on four receptions — and two touchdowns from his wide receiver position in the season opener against Georgia Southern. Both of his touchdowns came in the third quarter, covering four and 62 yards. The 62-yard scoring play was the longest reception of his career. He added five receptions for 89 yards and a touchdown Sept. 19 versus Indiana State, then posted seven catches for 90 yards at Illinois State last week. He currently leads the team in receiving yards with 541 — an average of 17.5 yards per catch — and shares the team lead with three touchdown receptions.
Jake Steffen made his first career start against Georgia Southern and contributed four tackles, including two tackles for loss and a sack. He also was credited with two quarterback hurries. He currently ranks second on the team with 6.5 tackles for loss and is tied for third with two sacks, despite missing two games due to a knee injury. He returned to the starting lineup in the Oct. 24 Hobo Day victory over Northern Iowa and recorded his second interception of the season.

OH, DOMINO: Junior linebacker Derek Domino has emerged as the team's leading tackler in recent weeks.
A junior from Spring Lake Park, Minn., Domino has tallied 65 tackles so far this season and has recorded four games with double figures for tackles. Domino notched a career-high 12 tackles in consecutive weeks, helping the Jackrabbits to league victories over Missouri State and North Dakota State.
In addition, Domino ranks in a tie for the team lead with four interceptions. He picked off two passes Oct. 17 against North Dakota State, returning his first interception of the game 16 yards for a touchdown.
Last season, Domino returned an interception 82 yards for a touchdown in the Hobo Day game against McNeese State (La.).

KJERSTAD LEADS SECONDARY: Junior strong safety Conrad Kjerstad recorded the ninth interception of his career Oct. 31 at Youngstown State, picking off a pass on the Penguins' final offensive play of the game. The Wall native also registered five tackles in the game. Kjerstad, who was credited with a career-high 11 stops Sept. 26 at Illinois State, currently ranks fourth on the team for tackles with 51.
Kjerstad's nine career interceptions are the most by any active Jackrabbit player. He led the team with four during the 2008 campaign and ranks in a tie for the team lead this season with four.

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

COACH STIG: John Stiegelmeier has built the South Dakota State University football team into a consistent winner and a program on the rise in the ranks of the Football Championship Subdivision.
Overall, Coach Stig has led the Jackrabbits to an 82-57 record (.590 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.

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

A LOOK AHEAD: The Jackrabbits will play their final non-conference game of the season, traveling Nov. 14 to Minnesota.
The matchup will mark SDSU's second game against a Football Bowl Subdivision member since moving to the FCS level in 2004.
Kickoff is slated for 11 a.m. at TCF Bank Stadium on the University of Minnesota campus in Minneapolis. The game is scheduled to be televised on the Big Ten Network.