Jackrabbits move on to SIU

Another week, another ranked opponent for the South Dakota State University football team.
Saturday, the Jackrabbits will take on defending Missouri Valley Football Conference champion Southern Illinois. Kickoff is slated for 2 p.m. at Saluki Stadium in Carbondale, Ill.
Fresh off their first victory of the season, the 1-4 Jackrabbits will play a ranked Football Championship Subdivision opponent for the third conseuctive week and fourth time during the 2010 campaign. At 1-2 in the MVFC, SDSU also will attempt to remain in contention for the league title. All nine teams in the conference have lost at least once in league play.
SDSU broke into the win column by recording a 33-29 victory over 20th-ranked Western Illinois at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium on Oct. 9.
SIU, ranked in a tie for 15th in this week's FCS Coaches' poll and 17th in the Sports Network/Fathead.com media poll, enters Saturday's matchup 3-3 overall and 2-1 in the MVFC after outlasting Northern Iowa, 45-38, in overtime last Saturday.

THE SERIES: Saturday's matchup marks the third meeting between South Dakota State and Southern Illinois in football. The Salukis won each of the two previous matchups, recording a 38-35 victory in Carbondale during the 2008 season and a 34-15 win on Nov. 7, 2009, at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium - a game that decided the Missouri Valley Football Conference title.
SIU is the only MVFC opponent the Jackrabbits have not defeated in their two-plus seasons in the league.

MEDIA COVERAGE: Audio coverage of Saturday's game is scheduled to be available via subscription service at GoJacks.com, the official website of SDSU athletics. Monthly subscriptions for the Jackrabbit Extra, which includes live audio and video streaming of select games are available for $11.95 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.
Local radio coverage Saturday begins on flagship station WNAX 570 AM at 12:30 p.m. Central Time, with an expanded pre-game show. Steve Imming returns to call the play-by-play, with Tyler Merriam providing color commentary. The game also can be heard on the following Jackrabbit Sports Network stations, starting at 1:30 p.m. CT:
• Belle Fourche: KBFS 1450 AM
• Brookings: KJJQ 910 AM
• Mobridge: KOLY 1300 AM
• Pierre: KGFX 1060 AM
• Rapid City: KRKI 99.5 FM
• Watertown: KWAT 950 AM

JACKRABBIT INSIDER: Throughout the 2010 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 10:30 p.m. on Sioux Falls-based KTTW FOX 7. The show is also broadcast on FOX Sports North at 6 p.m. Tuesdays and on FOX College Sports Central at 9:30 p.m. Tuesdays. Online, the show can be viewed at GoJacks.com.

SLOW STARTS: South Dakota State's 0-4 start to the 2010 campaign marked the first time since 1969 the Jackrabbits had gone winless through their first four games.
After starting both the 2006 and 2007 seasons with 0-3 records, SDSU rebounded to contend for conference titles. The 2006 squad reeled off seven consecutive victories after an 0-3 start to set up a showdown with North Dakota State for the Great West Football Conference championship - a game the Bison eventually won 41-28 at the Fargodome.
In 2007, the Jackrabbits won six of their final seven games, including their final five contests, to claim the GWFC title. SDSU defeated previously unbeaten North Dakota State, 29-24, in the season finale to win their first league title in football in 44 years.

SLOW STARTS, PART II: The Jackrabbits have struggled to find the end zone in the first halves of games so far this season. Through the first five games, SDSU has been outscored 65-7 in the first half.
The Jackrabbits hold a 60-55 scoring advantage in the second half of games.

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 26-8 mark at CAS, including an 8-2 record in Missouri Valley Football Conference games.
Lights were installed at CAS prior to the 2001 season and SDSU has turned in a 21-6 record in home night games.
Overall, SDSU has compiled a 159-99 record in 49 seasons at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium.

VALLEY PREVIEW: The Jackrabbits were picked to finish in second place in the 2010 Missouri Valley Football Conference race, according to a poll conducted by league coaches, sports information directors and media that was released in early August.
SDSU finished the 2009 season as league runner-up with a 7-1 conference record and 8-4 overall mark. SDSU made its first postseason appearance in 30 years and first as a member of the Division I Football Championship Subdivision, falling to top-seeded Montana in the opening round.
Defending champion Southern Illinois was picked to repeat, gaining 30 of the 36 first-place votes to tally 313 points. SDSU was next with 252 points, including a pair of first-place votes, followed by Illinois State with 249 points and three first-place votes.
The middle third of the preseason poll consisted of Northern Iowa, fourth with 244 points and one first-place vote; Missouri State, fifth with 164 points, and North Dakota State, sixth with 151 points.
The bottom third of the poll included Youngstown State (130 points), Western Illinois (70) and Indiana State (47).
In addition, five Jackrabbit players were named to the MVFC Preseason Team. On offense, senior center Ryan McKnight and senior running back Kyle Minett were recognized.
A first-team all-Missouri Valley Football Conference selection in 2009, McKnight started all 12 games for the Jackrabbits' playoff-qualifying squad and was an integral part of an offense that averaged 27.8 points and 341.2 yards of total offense per game. Last week, the Sioux Falls native was named to the Sports Network Preseason All-America First Team.
Minett, a native of Ruthton, Minn., has been named to the Walter Payton Award watch list for the top offensive player in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision, as well as to the Sports Network Preseason All-America Third Team. Minett enters his senior season third among returning FCS backs and fourth on the SDSU career charts with 3,069 career rushing yards. A two-time second-team all-Missouri Valley Football Conference selection, he has posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, rushing for 1,304 yards and 16 TDs last season, when he was named to the Associated Press All-America Third Team.
The defensive unit included senior linebacker Derek Domino and senior strong safety Conrad Kjerstad.
Domino posted a team-high 100 tackles in 2009, earning first-team all-MVFC honors. The Spring Lake Park, Minn., native also shared the team lead with five interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns.
Kjerstad ranked third on the team with 81 tackles and shared team-high honors with five interceptions, but has since suffered a career-ending injury.
SDSU also was represented on special teams as senior punter Dean Priddy was named to the MVFC Preseason Team. An Eden Prairie, Minn., native, Priddy averaged a career-best 41.2 yards per punt in earning second-team all-MVFC honors. Priddy landed 19 of his 60 punts inside the opponents' 20-yard line and notched eight punts of 50 yards or more.
Senior tight end Colin Cochart recevied honorable mention recognition. The team's top returning receiver, the Kewaunee, Wis., product led the team with five touchdown catches last season, while adding 26 receptions for 240 yards.

CAPTAINS: Leading the Jackrabbit football team on the field and in the locker room are four senior captains:
• Cole Brodie, defensive back, Dacula, Ga.;
• Conrad Kjerstad, defensive back, Wall;
• Ryan McKnight, offensive lineman, Sioux Falls;
• Kyle Minett, running back, Ruthton, Minn.

RABBITS RANKED: For the fourth year in a row, South Dakota State appeared in the preseason national rankings for the Football Championship Subdivision, checking in at No. 9 in the Sports Network/Fathead.com media poll and 10th in the FCS Coaches' poll.
Following back-to-back losses to start the season, the Jackrabbits fell out of the top 25, but remain among the teams receiving votes in both polls.
The Jackrabbits began the 2009 season ranked 22nd in the Sports Network poll and 23rd in the preseason poll conducted by the Football Championship Subdivision coaches. SDSU climbed to as high as ninth in the national rankings before finishing the season 11th in both the media and coaches' polls.
In 2008, SDSU opened the season 19th in the Sports Network poll and 20th in the coaches' poll. When opening the 2007 season, the rankings were reversed as SDSU was 19th in the coaches' poll and 20th in the Sports Network rankings.

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 Football Championship Subdivision programs since moving up from Division I at the start of the 2004 season.
In its first six-plus seasons at the FCS level, SDSU has played 32 games against ranked FCS opponents and compiled 10-22 overall record.

WORKING OVERTIME: Since overtime rules were implemented in college football in 1996, the Jackrabbits have played five overtime games. SDSU won its first-ever overtime contest, a 30-27, double-overtime decision on Hobo Day against Nebraska-Omaha, but has lost its last four extended games.
Following is a history of SDSU's overtime games:
• Oct. 17, 1998 vs. Nebraska-Omaha W, 30-27 2 OT
• Oct. 19, 2002, at Augustana (S.D.) L, 33-39 3 OT
• Nov. 13, 2004, at Southern Utah L, 17-23 2 OT
• Aug. 30, 2007, at Western Illinois L, 26-39 4 OT
• Oct. 4, 2008, vs. McNeese State (La.) L, 44-46 3 OT

SCOUTING SOUTHERN ILLINOIS: A perennial contender for conference titles and playoff berths, the Southern Illinois University football team also will attempt to remain in the hunt for league supremacy in Saturday's game.
The Salukis have earned at least a share of the Missouri Valley Football Conference title five of the last seven seasons, including the 2008 and 2009 campaigns. However, SIU has made early exits in the FCS playoffs each of the past two seasons, losing in the first round in 2008 and the national quarterfinals last year.
This season, SIU suffered a rare three-game losing streak to end September, but has seen its fortunes rise as the calendar flipped to October. The Salukis claimed a 38-17 victory at Illinois State on Oct. 2 and recorded a 45-38 overtime win against Northern Iowa last week to even their overall record at 3-3 and up their MVFC mark to 2-1.
SIU features a balanced offensive attack that is putting up 34.2 points per game. The Salukis are averaging 169.5 yards rushing and 186.8 yards per game through the air.
Shariff Harris, a transfer from Pittsburgh, leads the ground game with 341 yards and five touchdowns. Lucien Walker has added 270 rushing yards and three scores.
At quarterback, the Salukis have effectively used two signal-callers. Senior Chris Dieker has taken the bulk of the snaps, completing 60 percent (84-of-140) of his passes for 922 yards with seven touchdowns and seven interceptions. Paul McIntosh has been efficient in a reserve role as he has completed 12-of-16 attempts for 191 yards with three touchdowns. McIntosh has been a threat with his legs, as well, rushing 34 times for 146 yards and a touchdown.
Joe Allaria leads the receiving corps with 34 receptions for 323 yards and a touchdown. Jeff Evans has emerged as a big-play threat as he caught two passes covering more than 50 yards last week against UNI. For the season, Evans has caught 29 passes for a team-high 386 yards and three touchdowns.
The Salukis have jumped on opponents early, outscoring the opposition 62-24 in the first quarter this season. SIU has scored first in 25 of 31 games under head coach Dale Lennon and holds a 20-5 record in those contests.
Defensively, the Salukis have forced 14 turnovers and recorded 37 tackles for loss through their first six games. Stephen Franklin leads SIU with 46 total tackles, with Joe Okon adding 33 tackles, including 4.5 for loss. Jayson DiManche has posted a team-high six tackles for loss and Chance Coda leads the squad with 2.5 sacks.
Freshman Boo Rodgers leads a secondary that has been beset by injuries this season with two interceptions. Korey Lindsey has added five pass breakups and contributed 22 tackles.

LAST MEETING: Third-ranked Southern Illinois clinched at least a share of the Missouri Valley Football Conference title and the league's automatic berth in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision with a 34-15 victory over ninth-ranked South Dakota State on Nov. 7, 2009, at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium.
The Salukis scored 24 consecutive points between the second and third quarters in improving to 8-1 overall and 7-0 in league play. SDSU, playing before a home crowd of 10,317, dropped to 7-2 overall and 6-1 in the MVFC.
After holding the Jackrabbits to three plays and out on their first offensive possession, SIU took an early 3-0 lead on its opening drive. Kyle Dougherty capped a seven-play, 65-yard drive with a 49-yard field goal.
The Salukis made it 10-0 midway through the first quarter as Joe Allaria took a pass and ran around the right end for a 21-yard touchdown, finishing off an eight-play, 70-yard drive.
SDSU bridged its first scoring drive of the afternoon between the first and second quarters. A clipping penalty negated an apparent 37-yard touchdown, and the Jackrabbits later were set up first and goal at the 1-yard later in the drive but were stuffed on three consecutive plays before settling for a 22-yard field goal by Peter Reifenrath.
Mistakes continued to pile up for the Jackrabbits throughout the second quarter. A bobbled snap on a punt attempt gave SIU the ball at the SDSU 6, and two plays later the Salukis made it a 17-3 game on a 4-yard pass from Paul McIntosh to John Goode.
Dougherty added a 22-yard field goal on the next SIU possession and the Salukis turned the game into a rout in the closing minutes of the half as Lance Caldwell intercepted a Ryan Crawford pass and returned it 75 yards for a touchdown to make the score 27-3.
Crawford was sacked five times in the first half and six times in the game.
SIU continued its onslaught by scoring on its opening drive of the second half, marching 80 yards on eight plays with McIntosh completing a 40-yard bomb to Jeff Evans for the touchdown.
Backup quarterback Thomas O'Brien entered the game for SDSU on the team's second possession of the second half and led the Jackrabbits on two fourth-quarter scoring drives. O'Brien threw a two-yard touchdown pass to Colin Cochart to complete the Jackrabbits' longest scoring drive of the season, a 96-yard march that took 12 plays.
O'Brien also threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to Mike Steffen with 2:26 remaining in the game. SDSU failed on both of its two-point attempts.
Southern Illinois held a 388-342 advantage in total offense, gaining 259 yards on the ground. Walter Payton Award candidate Deji Karim became the first player to rush for 100 yards against SDSU this season, gaining 127 yards on 21 carries. McIntosh gained 76 yards on seven carries and completed 12-of-19 passes for 129 yards and three scores. Bryce Morris led the Saluki receivers with three catches for 23 yards.
For SDSU, O'Brien finished the game 16-of-25 passing for 181 yards and an interception. Crawford completed 15-of-29 attempts for 147 yards.
Glen Fox caught a career-high 12 passes for 101 yards. Saunders Montague added six receptions for 48 yards.
Kyle Minett led the Jackrabbit ground game with 61 yards on 11 carries.
Defensively, Conrad Kjerstad notched a career-high 15 tackles for SDSU. Danny Batten added 10 stops.
Mike McElroy led SIU with eight tackles. Caldwell recorded both of both of the Salukis' interceptions, the second one coming in the end zone to thwart a potential Jackrabbit scoring drive in the third quarter.

LAST WEEK: South Dakota State scored three fourth-quarter touchdowns, including the game-winner on a 13-yard pass from Thomas O'Brien to Colin Cochart with 1 minute, 36 seconds remaining, to lift the Jackrabbits to a 33-29 victory over 20th-ranked Western Illinois on Oct. 9 at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium.
Playing before a Beef Bowl crowd of 11,353, SDSU picked up its first win of the season, improving to 1-4 overall and 1-2 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The Leathernecks dropped to 4-2 overall, 2-1 in league play.
Western Illinois missed out on a pair of potential scoring opportunities in the first quarter, missing a 27-yard field goal on its opening drive and being stopped on a fourth-down play from the SDSU 24 on its next possession.
The Jackrabbits capitalized after taking over on downs, marching 75 yards on 12 plays before Kyle Minett crossed the goal line from 2 yards outs. For Minett, it was his first touchdown of the season and the first first-half score by SDSU this season.
WIU knotted the game at 7-all in the final minute of the first half as Lito Senatus caught a 27-yard touchdown pass from Matt Barr to cap an eight-play, 93-yard drive that took only 1:28 off the clock. A screen pass from Barr to Bryce Flowers on third-and-15 covered 35 yards and kept the drive alive as the Leathernecks moved into SDSU territory.
Minett, who topped the 100-yard mark for the fourth consecutive game and 18th time in his career, gave the Jackrabbits the lead midway through the third quarter with a 5-yard touchdown run.
The Fighting Leathernecks came right back to tie the game on a 9-yard pass from Barr to Senatus with 3:37 remaining in the third quarter, then took the lead on the second play of the fourth quarter as Terriun Crump broke through the Jackrabbit defense on a 46-yard pass play from Barr.
Crump ended the night with 10 catches for 183 yards, with Senatus adding 10 receptions for 125 yards.
SDSU answered behind the passing of O'Brien and running of backup running back Tyler Duffy. O'Brien completed all three pass attempts for 51 yards and Duffy gained the other 31 yards on the 10-play drive, including a 1-yard leap into the end zone. However, a low snap on the point-after try prevented the Jackrabbits from tying the game.
The Jackrabbit defense held on the next WIU possession and the special teams unit came up big as Cole Brodie put SDSU at the Leatherneck 22 with a 35-yard punt return. Five plays later, Minett scored his third touchdown of the night, from 2 yards out, with 6:54 to play. SDSU missed the two-point conversion to keep the score at 26-21.
Once again, WIU answered to take the lead. Bryce Flowers recorded gains of 14 and 16 yards to move the ball deep into Jackrabbit territory before Barr connected with Josh Gableman on a 4-yard scoring strike. The Leathernecks converted the two-point conversion to go up 29-26.
Brodie again came through on special teams, returning the ensuing kickoff 32 yards and had another 15 yards tacked on by a personal foul penalty to give the Jackrabbits the ball at their own 47 with 4:23 to play. Minett ground out 18 yards before O'Brien connected with Tyrel Kool for another 18 yards to put the ball at the WIU 17. On second down, O'Brien found Cochart across the middle for the decisive score.
Western Illinois wasn't done, however. Barr converted a fourth-and-10 with a 20-yard scramble to the Leatherneck 34 and moved into SDSU territory on an 18-yard pass to Senatus. On first-and-10 from the Jackrabbit 36, Corey Jeske sacked Barr for a loss of 19 yards. WIU got the ball back to the SDSU 32, but Barr's last-second pass to the end zone was knocked down by Chris Tracy to seal the victory for the Jackrabbits.
Barr accounted for 382 of Western Illinois' 542 yards of total offense, completing 26-of-44 passes for 351 yards and four touchdowns, and adding 31 yards on 12 carries. Flowers led the Leathernecks with 91 yards on 13 carries.
For SDSU, Minett finished the game with a season-high 143 yards on 26 carries. Duffy added career highs of 15 carries and 76 yards.
Kool led the Jackrabbit receivers with seven catches for 85 yards. O'Brien ended the night 18-of-28 passing for 206 yards.
Defensively, Jeske led the Jackrabbits with a career-high 17 tackles. Darryl Jackson added nine stops.
Kyle Glazier led all players with 21 tackles for Western Illinois.

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: South Dakota State University football players Cole Brodie and Corey Jeske were honored for their performances in the Jackrabbits' 33-29 victory over 20th-ranked Western Illinois on Oct. 9.
Brodie, a senior from Dacula, Ga., was named MVFC Special Teams Player of the Week after talllying 136 return yards in the game, making two key returns in the fourth quarter. He returned two punts for 43 yards, including a career-long 35-yarder that set up the Jackrabbits' second touchdown of the fourth quarter. He also returned four kickoffs for 93 yards (23.3 yards per return). Brodie's 32-yard kickoff return and subsequent personal foul penalty against WIU set up the Jackrabbits near midfield on what turned out to be their game-winning drive. He also was credited with eight tackles (1 TFL) from his cornerback position.
Jeske, a senior strong safety from Buffalo, Minn., earned MVFC Defensive Player of the Week honors after being credited with a career-high 17 tackles (10 solos), including a key 19-yard sack on Western Illinois' final drive as the Jackrabbits broke into the win column for the first time this season. Jeske also broke up a pass from his starting strong safety position.

MINETT ON PAYTON LIST: South Dakota State University running back Kyle Minett remains one of 20 players on the official watch list for the 2010 Walter Payton Award, which is awarded to the top offensive playerin the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision.
A native of Ruthton, Minn., Minett is currently ranked second among active FCS backs with 3,613 career rushing yards - a total that also ranks third on the SDSU career charts. In addition, Minett stands second in career rushing touchdowns among active FCS players with 38 rushing touchdowns, second in total touchdowns with 45 and fourth in total points with 274 (45 TDs, 2 two-point conversions).
A two-time second-team all-Missouri Valley Football Conference selection, he has posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, rushing for 1,289 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2008 and 1,304 yards and 16 TDs last season. In addition, Minett has 97 career receptions for 819 yards and seven scores.
Minett, who was named to the Associated Press All-America Third Team in 2009, is the first SDSU football player to be nominated for the Walter Payton Award, which is sponsored by Fathead.com and presented by The Sports Network. The Walter Payton Award watch list will again be updated on Oct. 25, with ballots sent to a panel of approximately 200 sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries after the regular season on Nov. 22. Three finalists will be announced on Dec. 1 and invited to The Sports Network/Fathead FCS Awards Presentation Jan. 6 - the night before the FCS national championship game - in Frisco, Texas.

PRESEASON ALL-AMERICANS: Three seniors on the South Dakota State University football team have been named to preseason All-America teams.
Center Ryan McKnight was named to the first team of preseason All-America squads selected by The Sports Network and College Sporting News. The 6-foot-1, 295-pound senior from Sioux Falls, was a first-team all-Missouri Valley Football Conference selection in 2009 after starting all 12 games for the Jackrabbits' playoff-qualifying squad and was an integral part of an offense that averaged 27.8 points and 341.2 yards of offense per game.
Linebacker Derek Domino earned second-team recognition on the CSN squad. A native of Spring Lake Park, Minn., Domino also earned first-team all-MVFC recognition in 2009 after leading the squad with 100 tackles and sharing the team lead with five interceptions. Domino returned two of his interceptions for touchdowns.
Running back Kyle Minett was tabbed as a third-team selection by both The Sports Network and College Sporting News. In 2009, Minett was named to the Associated Press All-America Third Team.

O-LINE SHAKEUP: The Jackrabbits shifted a couple players around on the offensive line in the Sept. 25 game against Nebraska - a move that produced some positive results.
Starting center Ryan McKnight moved to left guard in place of Jacob Ludemann and sophomore Will Castle made his first career start as he took over the center duties. The changes contributed to the Jackrabbits rushing for a season-high 141 yards, a total that was surpassed with 155 yards the following week at Northern Iowa.
McKnight shifted back to center last week against Western Illinois, with redshirt Alex Parker earning his first career start at left guard. SDSU again set a season high for rushing, compiling 172 yards on 44 carries.
SDSU has not allowed a sack in the last three games, covering a combined 93 pass attempts. For the season, the Jackrabbits have given up only three sacks.

OH, DOMINO: Senior linebacker Derek Domino has picked up where he left off a season ago, when he emerged as the team's top tackler.
A native of Spring Lake Park, Minn., Domino has tallied a team-high 56 tackles so far this season, including a career-high 16 stops Sept. 25 at Nebraska. Domino had his string of five consecutive games with double digits for tackles, dating back to the 2009 season, end in the Oct. 9 game against Western Illinois, when he notched seven stops. In 2009, Domino led the team with 100 tackles as he registered 12 tackles in a game three times, including SDSU's playoff game at Montana.
In addition, Domino upped his career interception total to nine in the game at Nebraska. Last season, Domino shared the team lead with five interceptions, including one he returned for a 22-yard touchdown at Minnesota. He also picked off two passes Oct. 17 against North Dakota State, returning his first interception of the game 16 yards for a touchdown.
During the 2008 campaign, Domino returned an interception 82 yards for a touchdown in the Hobo Day game against McNeese State (La.).

PRIDDY PUNTING: Jackrabbit punter Dean Priddy put together a strong performance in the opening game of the season at Delaware. A senior from Eden Prairie, Minn., Priddy punted four times for an average of 55 yards, with a net punting average of 53.2 yards. His punts traveled 44, 72, 53 and 51 yards, with the 72-yarder a career long that pinned Delaware inside its own 5-yard line late in the first half.
For his efforts, Priddy received co-Punter of the Week recognition from College Football Performance Awards, sharing the honor with Mike Hammonds of Chattanooga (Tenn.).
In 24 attempts this season, Priddy ranks ninth among FCS punters with an average of 43.0 yards per punt and has landed eight attempts inside the opponents' 20-yard line. Combined with outstanding coverage downfield, Priddy's punting has shut down the opposing return game as his net punting average is 38.8 yards - fourth in the FCS ranks - with the opponents tallying a mere 40 yards on 11 returns.

KOOL CATCHING ON: Sophomore Tyrel Kool made a seamless transition to wide receiver as he was a standout performer on offense for the Jackrabbits in their season opener at Delaware.
A converted running back, Kool caught a game-high nine passes for 107 yards in a
losing effort, including a leaping 44-yard reception in the fourth quarter. He became the first Jackrabbit receiver this season to total double figures in receptions, hauling in 10 for 113 yards with his first career touchdown Oct. 2 at Northern Iowa.
Kool continues to lead the team with 31 receptions and 374 receiving yards, heading into Saturday's game.
The Yankton native third on the team in rushing in 2009 with 96 yards, averaging 5.6 yards per carry. He also caught one pass for seven yards during his freshman season.

O'BRIEN UNDER CENTER: Sophomore quarterback Thomas O'Brien enters Saturday's game 57 yards away from reaching the 2,500-yard mark for his career. In 11 career starts, O'Brien has compiled a 5-6 record. He started six games during the 2009 season, including the Jackrabbits' FCS playoff game at Montana, and compiled a 4-2 record.

KJERSTAD NOMINATED FOR CAMPBELL TROPHY: South Dakota State University defensive back Conrad Kjerstad has been selected as a semifinalist for the prestigious William V. Campbell Trophy, which is awarded to a top football scholar-athlete by the National Football Foundation.
Nominated by their schools, semifinalists 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. The trophy — formerly the Draddy Trophy — was renamed last fall in honor of Bill Campbell, the chairman of Intuit, former player and head coach at Columbia University and the 2004 recipient of the NFF's Gold Medal.
A senior from Wall, Kjerstad was selected as a team captain this fall but has been sidelined for the entire 2010 season due to a degenerative neck condition that worsened over the summer. In his first three seasons in a Jackrabbit uniform, Kjerstad tallied 158 career tackles and 10 career interceptions. In 2009, he shared the team lead with five interceptions and ranked third on the squad with 81 tackles in helping lead the Jackrabbits to the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs for the first time.
Off the field, Kjerstad has compiled a 3.93 grade-point average while majoring in agricultural business. He was honored on the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Second Team and the FCS Athletic Directors Association Academic All-Star Team in 2009. In addition, Kjerstad has been a part of numerous community service projects with his teammates, including hospital visits, reading in schools and helping conduct youth football clinics.
The NFF Awards Committee will select up to 15 finalists out of 121 semifinalists and announce the results via national press release on Thursday, Oct. 28. Each finalist will be recognized as part of the 2010 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 and receive a 25-pound bronze trophy, will be announced live at the NFF's Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 7 at the prestigious Waldorf=Astoria in New York City. A total distribution of $277,000 in scholarships will be awarded that evening, bringing the NFF's all-time scholarship distribution to $9.5 million.

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 Division I Football Championship Subdivision.
Overall, Coach Stig has led the Jackrabbits to an 84-64 record (.568 winning percentage). SDSU has posted eight consecutive winning seasons, including the school's first six campaigns at the FCS (formerly Division I-AA) level. The Jackrabbits have had a winning record in 11 of Stiegelmeier's 13 years as head coach, including six with seven or more victories.
The 2009 season proved to be a memorable one as Stiegelmeier led the Jackrabbits to their first FCS playoff appearance and the program's first postseason appearance in 30 years. The Jackrabbits finished as runner-up in the Missouri Valley Football Conference with a 7-1 record and finished the season 8-4 overall. SDSU led for much of its playoff game at top-seeded Montana, before falling 61-48 to the eventual national runner-up Grizzlies. Nationally ranked for the entire season, including appearing in the top 10 for two weeks, the Jackrabbits finished the 2009 campaign ranked 11th in both the FCS Coaches' and Sports Network media polls.
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.
Stiegelmeier, 53, is the 20th head coach for the Jackrabbits. His tenure of 13-plus years as head coach is the second-longest head coaching stint in school history.
The Selby, S.D., native first became acquainted with the Jackrabbit football program as a student assistant under John Gregory during SDSU's only other NCAA playoff season in 1979. With the Jackrabbits victory at McNeese State (La.) on Sept. 30, 2006, Stiegelmeier passed Gregory (55-50-3 from 1972-81) for sole possession of second place on the SDSU career wins list.

THE JACKRABBIT JOURNEY: Former South Dakota State University football player Casey Hillman successfully completed “The Jackrabbit Journey,” a walk across South Dakota to raise money and awareness for the Jackrabbit Athletic Endowment.
A Sioux Falls resident, Hillman began his journey through the Rushmore State in Deadwood on Sept. 4. During his journey logged more than 400 miles on foot before ending his journey Sept. 18 by walking into Coughlin-Alumni Stadium and presenting the game ball for the opening kickoff of the Jackrabbit football team's home opener against Illinois State.
Hillman lettered as a cornerback for the Jackrabbits from 1998-2001. He was a second-team all-North Central Conference selection in 1999, when he led the team with six interceptions.
Donations are still being accepted online through the SDSU Foundation, or by calling (605) 688-6942. Funds should be designated for Athletics/Jackrabbit Club with “The Jackrabbit Journey” included in the comments section.

ACADEMIC SUCCESS: The SDSU football team continued to gain conference and national recognition for its academic pursuits during the 2009 season.
Headlining the individual award winners were juniors Kyle Minett and Conrad Kjerstad, who received recognition on the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Team within the University Division.
A running back from Ruthton, Minn., Minett was honored on the first team for the second consecutive year with a 3.60 grade-point average while majoring in economics.
Kjerstad, a safety from Wall, earned second-team honors with a 3.93 GPA in agricultural business. He later was named to the 12th annual Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association Academic All-Star Team.
Minett and Kjerstad were joined on the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Team by senior offensive lineman Casey Knips and punter Dean Priddy.
After leading the Missouri Valley Football Conference in team grade-point average during the 2008 season, the Jackrabbits posted a league-best 10 selections, including three first-team honorees, on the 2009 MVFC All-Academic Team, which was announced in December. It marked the fifth consecutive season SDSU led its football conference in all-academic picks.
The league also recognized 52 Jackrabbit players following the conclusion of the 2009-10 academic year on the MVFC Honor Roll for posting a GPA of 3.0 or better while being enrolled in at least 12 hours during the fall. Of those 52 players, 25 qualified for the Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award, which requires a minimum 3.2 GPA for each of the previous two semesters.
In addition, Tyler Duffy, Knips and Priddy received the Presidents Council Academic Award, which requires a minimum 3.5 cumulative GPA and within 18 hours of graduation.

NEXT WEEK: The Jackrabbits return home to face Youngstown State in the annual Hobo Day game on Oct. 23 at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium.
Kickoff of SDSU's homecoming game is set for 2:05 p.m., with television coverage on Midcontinent and Mediacom cable systems.

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Thomas O'Brien

Completed Event: Football at Montana on December 6, 2025 , Loss , 29, to, 50

Completed Event: Football versus New Hampshire on November 29, 2025 , Win , 41, to, 3

Completed Event: Football at North Dakota on November 22, 2025 , Win , 34, to, 31 , OT

Completed Event: Football versus Illinois State on November 15, 2025 , Loss , 21, to, 35

Completed Event: Football at South Dakota on November 8, 2025 , Loss , 17, to, 24

Completed Event: Football versus Indiana State on November 1, 2025 , Loss , 12, to, 24

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