Jacks host YSU on Hobo Day

The South Dakota State University football team will attempt to run its winning streak to three as it hosts Youngstown State in the 97th Hobo Day game.
Kickoff is slated for 2:05 p.m. Saturday at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium. Television coverage is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. (Central Time) on Midcontinent Sports Network. Midcontinent is sponsoring a pre-game gathering south of the stadium. Fans can enjoy a free meal and sign up to win a 32-inch LCD television. The first 500 guests will receive a free stadium blanket.
The Jackrabbits enter Saturday's matchup with a 2-4 overall record and are back in the thick of the Missouri Valley Football Conference race with a 2-2 mark. After opening the season with four consecutive losses, SDSU posted back-to-back wins over nationally ranked opponents, defeating Western Illinois, 33-29, on Oct. 9 and winning at Southern Illinois, 31-10, on Oct. 16.
Youngstown State, meanwhile, has dropped three consecutive conference games, falling to 3-4 overall and 1-3 in the MVFC. Each of the Penguins' last two games have been decided in the final minute; North Dakota State scored with 34 seconds remaining to pull out a 34-29 victory on Oct. 9 at Stambaugh Stadium, and Western Illinois rallied for a 40-38 win last Saturday with a touchdown with a minute to play.

THE SERIES: Saturday's matchup marks the 12th meeting in football between SDSU and Youngstown State, a series that dates back to 1942, when the Penguins posted a 14-0 shutout in Brookings.
The Jackrabbits took a 6-5 series lead with a 17-3 victory on Oct. 31, 2009, in Youngstown, Ohio. SDSU has won both meetings as Missouri Valley Football Conference rivals, starting with a 40-7 victory at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium in 2008.

MEDIA 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 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.

HOBO DAY: Hobo Day, South Dakota State University's annual homecoming celebration, dates back to 1912. Saturday's game is the 97th Hobo Day game as no game was played in 1918 due to World War I and the 1943 game was played between two Army special training teams.
Overall, SDSU is 56-35-5 on Hobo Day. Last season, the Jackrabbits defeated nationally ranked Northern Iowa, 24-14, on Oct. 24, 2009. SDSU has won 11 of its last 14 Hobo Day games and holds a 28-20 record in Hobo Day games played at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium. Since moving to The Division I Football Championship Subdivision in 2004, every Hobo Day game has drawn a crowd of at least 13,000. Each of the last four Hobo Day games has featured a crowd of more than 15,000.
SDSU has never faced Youngstown State on Hobo Day.

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 68-21 in the first half, including a 24-0 margin in the first quarter.
The Jackrabbits hold a 77-62 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.

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 33 games against ranked FCS opponents and compiled an 11-22 overall record.

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.

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 [Hobo Day]
• 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 [Hobo Day]

SCOUTING YOUNGSTOWN STATE: Youngstown State is rebuilding the foundation of its storied football program under first-year head coach Eric Wolford.
The Penguins have undergone an offensive transformation this season, upping their average scoring from 21.1 points per game in 2009 to 33 points per game in 2010.
Running the football has been key for the Penguins, who are averaging 228.1 yards per game on the ground. Sophomore Jamaine Cook leads the rushing attack with 781 yards, averaging 5.9 yards per carry, and seven touchdowns. Adaris Bellamy has ground out 395 yards and scored eight times.
As a team, YSU has scored 22 of its 28 touchdowns on the ground. The Penguins feature a veteran offensive line anchored by three seniors, including left guard Eric Rodemoyer, a second-team all-Missouri Valley Football Conference a year ago.
The passing game has been directed by redshirt fresman Kurt Hess. The Dayton, Ohio, native has completed 63.2 percent (108-of-171) of his passes for 1,195 yards and six touchdowns.
The receiving corps has been led by senior Dominique Barnes. An honorable mention all-MVFC honoree a year ago, has twice as many catches as the next closest receiver on the team with 35 receptions for 467 yards and two touchdowns. Barnes has big-play ability, scoring on an 80-yard pass against Penn State and an 86-yard punt return a week later versus Butler (Ind.).
Overall, Barnes is averaging 13.3 yards per reception and 19.5 yards per punt return.
Other primary targets have been Ely Ducatell, who has tallied 17 receptions and a touchdown, and Cook, who has caught 11 passes out of the backfield.
Cook also has returned kicks on a limited basis this season.
The Penguins' defensive unit has been paced by junior linebacker John Sasson, who leads the team with 55 tackles. Fellow linebacker Deonta Tate is third on the squad with 47 tackles, including four for loss, while the third starter, David Rach, has collected team highs with five tackles for loss and two sacks among his 43 stops.
Hometown product Donald D'Alesio ranks second on the squad with 48 tackles from his free safety position as part of a strong secondary.
Cornerback Brandian Ross leads the team with two interceptions and five pass breakups, along with contributing 35 tackles.
At the opposite corner, Randy Louis has notched 30 tackles and an interception.
Up front, defensive tackle Torrance Nicholson has turned in a strong first half of the season, collecting 27 tackles, four tackles for loss and a sack.
Senior kicker Stephen Blose has been steady for the Penguins, connecting on 7-of-9 field goal attempts and converting all 28 point-after tries. Blose is 6-of-7 on field goals under 40 yards this season, but does have a 43-yarder to his credit.
Jake Smith has handled the bulk of the kickoff duties and redshirt freshman Nick Liste has handled the punting chores. Liste is averaging 41.7 yards per boot and has landed 10 of his 26 punts inside the opponents' 20-yard line.

LAST MEETING: 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 on Oct. 31, 2009, 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 on the season season.
Quarterback Ryan Crawford, who missed the previous 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.

LAST WEEK: The South Dakota State defense held 15th-ranked Southern Illinois without a touchdown through the first three quarters and Kyle Minett rushed for a season-high 144 yards and two touchdowns as the Jackrabbits posted a convincing 31-10 victory on Oct. 16 at Saluki Stadium in Carbondale, Ill..
In defeating a ranked opponent for the second consecutive week, the Jackrabbits improved to 2-4 overall and evened their Missouri Valley Football Conference record at 2-2. SIU dropped to 3-4 overall and 2-2 in league play.
Cole Brodie put SDSU out front as he picked off a Paul McIntosh pass in the right flat and returned his second interception of the season for an 87-yard touchdown with 6 minutes, 54 seconds remaining in the second quarter.
The Jackrabbit offense found the end zone five minutes later as Aaron Rollin made a diving catch on a 6-yard pass from Thomas O'Brien. Rollin's first career touchdown capped an 11-play, 62-yard drive.
SIU answered with a 38-yard field goal by Kyle Dougherty with 28 seconds remaining in the half as the Salukis moved 45 yards on nine plays.
The Jackrabbits put the game out of reach with a pair of touchdowns 57 seconds apart bridging the third and fourth quarters. Minett, who moved into second place on the SDSU career rushing charts, scored from a yard out with 49 seconds remaining in the third quarter to finish off a nine-play, 49-yard drive.
On the ensuing kickoff, Jackrabbit redshirt freshman R.C. Kilgore fell on a loose ball in the middle of the field, setting SDSU up at the SIU 28-yard line.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, Minett faked a handoff from the Flash formation and rambled 22 yards for the score.
SDSU scored again on its next possession as backup kicker Peter Reifenrath connected on a 35-yard field goal. Reifenrath handled the placekicking duties after Kyle Harris missed a 33-yard attempt on the Jackrabbits' opening drive of the game. Reifenrath made his only field goal attempt and all four extra-point tries.
SIU notched its lone touchdown with 4:08 to play in the game as reserve quarterback Chris Dieker led a 16-play, 80-yard drive that ended with a 10-yard touchdown pass to Joe Allaria.
The Salukis recovered the onside kick and moved to the SDSU 8-yard line before Brodie recorded his second interception of the game to ice the Jackrabbits' first victory over SIU.
Minett's 144 yards came on 30 carries as he upped his career rushing total to 3,757 yards, passing Anthony Watson (3,712 yards from 2003-06). A Walter Payton Award nominee, Minett racked up 100 yards for the fifth consecutive game and 19th time in his career.
O'Brien finished the game 12-of-20 passing for 103 yards, with Colin Cochart and Tyrel Kool each tallying four receptions for 42 and 36 yards, respectively.
Derek Domino paced the Jackrabbit defense with nine tackles, while Brodie was one of four SDSU players with seven tackles. Andy Mink was credited with 1.5 sacks among his seven tackles.
For SIU, Shariff Harris tallied 65 yards on 15 carries and McIntosh added 59 yards on 14 attempts. McIntosh was limited to 3-of-13 passing for 40 yards before being pulled at halftime, while Dieker finished 14-of-24 for 141 yards.

BRODIE, McKNIGHT HONORED: South Dakota State football players Cole Brodie and Ryan McKnight earned recognition for their performances in the Jackrabbits' 31-10 victory at Southern Illinois last week.
A senior from Sioux Falls, McKnight was honored as the Missouri Valley Football Conference Offensive Lineman of the Week. SDSU's starting center, McKnight helped pave the way for a Jackrabbit offense that racked up a season-high 194 rushing yards. The offensive line also did not allow a sack for the fourth consecutive week and has given up only three all season.
Brodie, a senior cornerback from Dacula, Ga., received National Defensive Back of the Week accolades from CollegeFootballPerformance.com. Brodie intercepted two passes against Southern Illinois, returning the first 87 yards for a touchdown that gave SDSU a 7-0 lead in the second quarter. His second interception came on SIU's final offensive play of the game. In all, Brodie collected seven tackles (1 TFL) and broke up a pass.
A week earlier Brodie and Corey Jeske were honored by the Missouri Valley Football Conference for their efforts in the Jackrabbits' 33-29 victory over 20th-ranked Western Illinois on Oct. 9. Brodie 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. 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.

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 3,757 career rushing yards - a total that also ranks second on the SDSU career charts. In addition, Minett stands second in career rushing touchdowns among active FCS players with 40, second in total touchdowns with 47 and fourth in total points with 286 (47TDs, 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 two weeks agao against Western Illinois, with redshirt Alex Parker earning his first career start at left guard. SDSU has increased its rushing output each week, tallying 194 yards last week at Southern Illinois.
In addition, SDSU has not allowed a sack in the last four games, covering a combined 113 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 65 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.).

REIFENRATH RETURNS: Senior kicker Peter Reifenrath made his season debut in the Oct. 16 game at Southern Illinois and responded by making all five kicks he attempted.
Reifenrath, a Decorah, Iowa native, entered the game in the second quarter in place of Kyle Harris, who missed a 33-yard field goal attempt on the Jackrabbits' opening possession of the game. Reifenrath made all four point-after attempts and added a 35-yard field goal midway through the fourth quarter.
In 2008, Reifenrath earned second-team all-Missouri Valley Football Conference honors after making 16-of-22 field goal attempts. He shared placekicking duties with Harris last season, going 9-of-12 with a long of 34. Reifenrath's 26 career field goals rank fourth in SDSU history, one behind longtime NFL standout Adam Vinatieri (27 field goals from 1991-94).

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 29 attempts this season, Priddy ranks 12th among FCS punters with an average of 42.3 yards per punt and has landed 12 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 38.72 yards — sixth in the FCS ranks — with the opponents tallying a mere 43 yards on 12 returns (3.6-yard average).

KOOL CATCHING ON: Sophomore Tyrel Kool has made a seamless transition to wide receiver during the 2010 season.
A converted running back, Kool caught a game-high nine passes for 107 yards in a losing effort in the season opener at Delaware, 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 35 receptions and 410 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 crossed the 2,500-yard mark for his career in last week's victory at Southern Illinois. In 12 career starts, O'Brien has compiled a 6-6 record. He is a perfect 5-0 in starts in which he has not thrown an interception.
O'Brien 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 85-64 record (.570 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 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 continue Missouri Valley Football Conference action Oct. 30 with a matchup at Indiana State.
Kickoff is slated for 3:05 p.m. Eastern Time (2:05 p.m. Central) at Memorial Stadium in Terre Haute, Ind.

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