Jacks move on to Youngstown

The South Dakota State University football team will attempt to notch its first Missouri Valley Football Conference victory of the season, traveling Saturday for a matchup against Youngstown State.
Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. Eastern Time (3 p.m. Central) at Stambaugh Stadium in Youngstown, Ohio.
The Jackrabbits enter Saturday's game in the midst of a four-game losing streak and stand 1-4 overall, 0-2 in league play. SDSU dropped a 38-28 decision to 23rd-ranked Indiana State in the 45th Annual Beef Bowl on Oct. 1 at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium. The Jackrabbits will be seeking to avoid their first five-game losing streak since 2000.
Youngstown State, meanwhile, was idle last week and brings a 2-2 overall record and 1-1 mark in the MVFC in Saturday's contest. The Penguins also had a comeback bid fall short against Indiana State in their last outing, dropping a 37-35 decision on the Sycamores' home field.

ONLINE COVERAGE: Audio coverage of Saturday's game is scheduled to be available via the Jackrabbit Extra 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 selecte contests are available for $11.95 per month or $99.95 for an entire year of coverage.
Video coverage will be available at YSUSports.com.
Local radio coverage Saturday begins on Jackrabbit Sports Network flagship station WNAX 570 AM at 1:30 p.m. Central Time, with an expanded pre-game show. Tyler Merriam will call the play-by-play, with former Jackrabbit player Mike Struck providing color commentary and Scotty Kwas providing sideline updates.
Coverage across the Jackrabbit Sports Network begins at 2:30 p.m. Central Time Network affiliates include:
* KJJQ 910 AM-Brookings
* KRKI 99.1 FM-Rapid City
* KGFX 1060 AM-Pierre
* KOLY 1300 AM-Mobridge
* KBFS 1450 AM-Belle Fourche
* KSDR 1480 AM-Watertown

THE SERIES: Saturday's matchup marks the 13th meeting on the gridiron between South Dakota State and Youngstown State, a series that dates back to the 1942 season. The Jackrabbits hold a 7-5 series advantage on the strength of winning all three matchups since joining the Missouri Valley Football Conference in 2008. YSU's last victory in the series was a 23-17 decision in 2007.
Following are the results from the 12 previous matchups:
1942: Youngstown State 14, South Dakota State 0 (at Brookings, S.D.)
1968: South Dakota State 23, Youngstown State 20 (at Youngstown, Ohio)
1969: Youngstown State 17, South Dakota State 16 (at Brookings, S.D.)
1972: South Dakota State 34, Youngstown State 22 (at Brookings, S.D.)
1973: South Dakota State 26, Youngstown State 6 (at Youngstown, Ohio)
1974: Youngstown State 35, South Dakota State 21 (at Brookings, S.D.)
1975: South Dakota State 38, Youngstown State 21 (at Youngstown, Ohio)
1979: Youngstown State 50, South Dakota State 7 (Division II playoff game at Youngstown, Ohio)
2007: Youngstown State 23, South Dakota State 17 (at Youngstown, Ohio)
2008: South Dakota State 40, Youngstown State 7 (at Brookings, S.D.)
2009: South Dakota State 17, Youngstown State 3 (at Youngstown, Ohio)
2010: South Dakota State 30, Youngstown State 20 (at Brookings, S.D.)

CAPTAINS: Leading the Jackrabbit football team on the field and in the locker room are four senior captains:
• Kyle Harris, kicker, Florissant, Mo.;
• Dirk Kool, linebacker, Fairfield, Iowa;
• Mike Lien, linebacker, Castaic, Calif.;
• Jake Steffen, defensive end, Mount Vernon, S.D.
Kool holds the distinction of being the third generation of his family to serve as a captain for the Jackrabbit football team. His late grandfather, Marv, was a team captain in 1951, while his father, Mark, served as a captain on the Jackrabbits' NCAA Division II playoff squad in 1979. Mark Kool later served as an assistant coach at SDSU from 1987-90.
Harris, meanwhile, suffered a season-ending injury in the Oct. 1 game versus Indiana State. He made 3-of-4 field goal attempts - with a long of 33 yards - and connected on 5-of-7 extra-point tries for a team-best 14 points prior to his injury.

LAST MEETING: Walter Payton Award candidate Kyle Minett ran for a season-high 185 yards and a touchdown, and quarterback Thomas O'Brien threw for two scores to lift South Dakota State to a 30-20 victory over Youngstown State (Ohio) in the 97th Hobo Day game, Oct. 23, 2010, at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium.
The Jackrabbits, who extended their winning streak to three games, improved to 3-4 overall and 3-2 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. YSU dropped its fourth consecutive game, falling to 3-5 overall and 1-4 in the MVFC.
Each team scored on its opening drive. The Jackrabbits took the opening kickoff and marched 68 yards on seven plays, including a 33-yard screen pass from O'Brien to Minett, before Minett scored from a yard out. The touchdown marked the first time SDSU had scored in the first quarter all season.
Youngstown State answered with a 34-yard field goal by Stephen Blose with 10 minutes, 26 seconds remaining in the opening quarter. The Penguins took their only lead of the game near the end of the first quarter as Kurt Hess connected with Dominique Barnes on a 33-yard touchdown. The extra-point attempt, however, was blocked by Andy Mink, keeping the score at 9-7.
SDSU took advantage of the lone turnover of the game to regain the lead with just under five minutes to play in the first half on a career-best 43-yard field goal by Peter Reifenrath. O'Brien hooked up with Aaron Rollin for 39 yards on third-and-14 to extend the drive.
The Jackrabbits continued to make big plays offensively as they extended their lead to 17-9 in the closing minutes of the half. O'Brien hit Brandon Hubert across the middle for 53 yards, then found Colin Cochart for a 9-yard touchdown pass on the next play.
YSU kept within striking distance as Blose kicked a 19-yard field on the Penguins' opening possession of the second half, but Reifenrath booted a 42-yarder of his own as the Jackrabbits maintained an eight-point lead at 20-12.
Late in the third quarter, Minett broke off a season-long 62-yard run that set up Reifenrath's third field goal of the day, a 25-yarder, on the second play of the fourth quarter.
SDSU put the game out of reach on its next possession, putting together an eight-play, 87-yard drive. After dropping what would have been a touchdown on the previous possession, Aaron Rollin caught a pass from O'Brien on a slant and scored from 41 yards out for his second touchdown in as many games.
The Penguins countered with a nine-play, 84-yard scoring drive that was capped by a 15-yard touchdown pass from Hess to Ely Ducatel. Hess later ran in the two-point conversion, but SDSU recovered the ensuing onside kick to end YSU's hopes of a comeback.
The Jackrabbits racked up a season-high 492 yards of total offense, registering seven plays of 20 or more yards in the contest. Minett's 185 yards came on 26 carries, while adding three receptions for 51 yards.
O'Brien finished the game 14-of-25 passing for 283 yards. Rollin set career highs with five catches for 127 yards, while Tyrel Kool added four receptions for 43 yards.
Hess completed 26-of-46 passes for 263 yards for YSU. Barnes tallied 10 catches for 110 yards, with Jamaine Cook tallying 78 yards on 18 carries and another 31 yards on six receptions.
Corey Jeske led a swarming Jackrabbit defense with 11 tackles. Mike Lien added nine stops and recovered the second-quarter fumble.
John Sasson and Donald D'Alesio each were credited with 10 tackles to lead Youngstown State.

SCOUTING YOUNGSTOWN STATE: Youngstown State is in the midst of rebuilding its storied program under the guidance of second-year coach Eric Wolford.
The Penguins feature the Missouri Valley Football Conference's top rushing attack, averaging 247.8 yards per game. Junior tailback Jamaine Cook, a candidate for the Walter Payton Award as the top offensive player in the Football Championship Subdivision, ranks second in the league with an average of 125.2 yards per game. Cook has rushed for more than 100 yards in each of the last three games, including a season-high 177 yards in a loss to Indiana State. A workhorse back who has scored four touchdowns this season, Cook has tallied at least 30 carries in each of the last three contests and needs 112 yards to top the 2,000-yard mark for his career.
Sophomore quarterback Kurt Hess has been efficient, completing 63.6 percent (75-of-188) of his passes for 847 yards. Hess has thrown nine touchdown passes, compared to only two interceptions.
Hess' top target has been Christian Bryan, who has recorded 23 receptions for 262 yards and a touchdown. Jelani Berassa has added 12 catches for 115 yards and three touchdowns, while senior wide receiver Andre Barboza has three touchdowns among his seven receptions.
Sophomore strong safety Josh Garner leads the squad with 28 tackles, while senior linebacker John Sasson and xx Jeremy Edwards have each tallied 25 stops. Senior defensive end Obinna Ekweremuba leads the team with 3.5 tackles for loss, including a sack.
The Penguins have recorded only one interception this season, but have forced three fumbles.
The Penguins have shown some explosiveness on special teams as Josh Lee has a 96-yard punt return for a touchdown to his credit this season, while Andre Stubbs is averaging 27 yards per kickoff return.
YSU has attempted only one field goal this season. Kicker David Brown missed a 39-yard attempt in the season opener at Michigan State, but has connected on 20-of-22 extra-point tries.

CAS TURNS 50: The 2011 campaign marks the 50th season of football at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium. Overall, SDSU has compiled a 163-100 record (.620 winning percentage) on its home field.
The Jackrabbits have enjoyed even more of 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 29-9 mark at CAS, including a 10-3 record in Missouri Valley Football Conference games.
Lights were installed at CAS prior to the 2001 season and SDSU has turned in a 22-7 record in home night games.
A celebration of the history of Coughlin-Alumni Stadium will be observed Oct. 22, when SDSU hosts North Dakota State in the annual Dakota Marker game. Festivities that day will include halftime recognition of the 50-player Coughlin-Alumni Stadium All-Time Team.

SLOW STARTS: The Jackrabbits have had a history of starting season slow, but
finishing strong during the Division I era.
2006: 0-3 start; finished season 7-4
2007: 0-3 start; finished season 7-4 (won Great West Football Conference title)
2010: 0-4 start; finished season 5-6

SUMNER STARTING: Redshirt freshman Austin Sumner made his first career start at quarterback in the Sept. 24 game at Illinois State, completing 18-of-32 passes for 194 yards. He also ran for the Jackrabbits' lone offensive touchdown in a 20-13 conference-opening loss.
Sumner made his first home start against Indiana State on Oct. 1, going 26-of-48 for 305 yards. He threw his first career touchdown pass, a 4-yarder to tight end Vince Benedetto, and also ran for another score in a Jackrabbit loss.

DUAL THREAT: South Dakota State's Tyrel Kool made the most of his first career start at running back, racking up 107 yards on the ground and another 79 through the air in the Jackrabbits' season opener against Southern Utah on Sept. 3.
A junior from Yankton, Kool began his collegiate career as a running back, but switched to wide receiver during the 2010 season, when he led the team with 64 receptions for 808 yards. His receptions total was fifth-most in a season by a Jackrabbit player, while his receiving yards mark stands 10th in a single season.
Kool's rushing total against Southern Utah marked the 10th time in 11 games a Jackrabbit running back eclipsed the century mark. Kyle Minett ran for 100 yards in eight straight games and Tyler Duffy added a 100-yard outing to close out the 2010 season.

IMPRESSIVE START: Backup running back Zach Zenner has put together a series of impressive all-around performances to start the 2011 season.
A redshirt freshman from Eagan, Minn., Zenner compiled 139 all-purpose yards in the Jackrabbit victory Sept. 3 against Southern Utah. He returned four kickoffs for 74 yards, caught three passes for 24 yards and carried the ball five times for 41 yards. He scored the first touchdown of his career, scampering 27 yards around left end on the final play of the third quarter.
Zenner currently ranks fifth in the Missouri Valley Football Conference with an average of 130.2 all-purpose yards per game.

MOSS CATCHING ON: South Dakota State wide receiver Dale Moss has become a primary target in the Jackrabbit passing game in recent weeks.
After going without a catch the first two weeks, Moss has hauled in 23 receptions for 286 yards over the last three games. The Brandon native recorded eight catches for 106 yards, including a career-long 37-yarder, in the Sept. 17 matchup at Cal Poly to earn Missouri Valley Football Conference Newcomer of the Week honors, followed by a nine-reception, 98-yard outing Sept. 24 at Illinois State. Last week, Moss gathered in six receptions for 82 yards in a losing effort against Indiana State.
Moss, who averaged 7.6 points and 4.5 rebounds from his guard position during his senior season on the basketball court, possesses tremendous leaping ability as he led the team in blocked shots two seasons and paced the Jackrabbits in offensive rebounds as a senior.
During his senior season at Brandon Valley High School, Moss was an all-state selection after tallying 45 receptions for 573 yards and eight touchdowns.

100-YARD TANDEM: South Dakota State wide receivers Aaron Rollin and Dale Moss became the first Jackrabbit receiving duo to record 100 receiving yards in the same game since 2008, when they combined for 17 catches and 215 yards against Cal Poly. Rollin set a career high with nine catches for 109 yards, with Moss adding career highs of eight receptions and 106 yards.
The last 100-yard receiving tandem for the Jackrabbits were JaRon Harris (9-120) and Glen Fox (6-102) in a losing effort at Northern Iowa on Sept. 20, 2008.

KOOL HONORED: South Dakota State University linebacker Dirk Kool was selected as the first Missouri Valley Football Conference Defensive Player of the Week of the season, league officials announced on Sept. 5.
A senior from Fairfield, Iowa, Kool registered a team-high 10 sacks and broke up a pass on the decisive play of the game in helping the Jackrabbits to a 29-28 victory over Southern Utah in the season opener Sept. 3 at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium. His 10 tackles were a career high.

THE WRIGHT BROTHERS: The Jackrabbit football team has received valuable contributions from brothers Winston and Dom Wright during the 2011 season.
Natives of Lee's Summit, Mo., and Blue Springs South High School, both joined the SDSU football program in the fall of 2010. A sophomore, Winston Wright has started all five games this season at cornerback and leads the team with two interceptions to go along with 21 tackles. He began his colllegiate career at Missouri, redshirting during the 2009 season.
Dom Wright is a redshirt freshman wide receiver who has seen most of his action as a kick returner. In four games, he has averaged 16.4 yards on eight kickoff returns to rank second on the squad.

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 89-70 record (.560 winning percentage). SDSU has posted eight winning seasons in the last nine years, including six of the school's first seven campaigns at the FCS (formerly Division I-AA) level. The Jackrabbits have had a winning record in 11 of Stiegelmeier's 14 full years as head coach, including six with seven or more victories.

HOME-GROWN TALENT: SDSU has effectively used the services of home-grown talent the past few seasons.
In 2011, three Jackrabbit players hail from Brookings: junior wide receiver Dan Schmidt, sophomore offensive lineman Alex Parker and sophomore running back Mason Winterboer. In all, 28 players on the roster hail from the state of South Dakota.

IVERSON A CAMPBELL SEMIFINALIST: South Dakota State University tight end Brad Iverson has been selected as a candidate for the 2011 National Football Foundation National Scholar-Athlete Awards, and as such, is one of 127 semifinalists for the William V. Campbell Trophy.
"This year's candidates truly embody the National Football Foundation's mission of building leaders through football," said NFF Chairman Archie Manning whose sons Peyton (1997 Campbell Trophy winner) and Eli were named NFF National Scholar-Athletes in 1997 and 2003, respectively. "They are standouts in the classroom and on the field and have become leaders in their respective communities. Each school should take great pride in being represented by such well-rounded young men who will undoubtedly go on to do great things in life."
Nominated by their schools, which are limited to one nominee each, candidates for the awards 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, be a significant contributor on his team, and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship.
A Sioux Falls native and two-year letterwinner, Iverson is one of six semifinalists who has maintained a perfect 4.0 grade-point average, while majoring in biochemistry. Active in numerous campus and community activities and organizations, Iverson plans to enroll in medical school following graduation.
The NFF Awards Committee will select up to 16 recipients, who will be announced on Oct. 26. Each recipient will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship, and they will vie as finalists for the 2011 William V. Campbell Trophy. Each member of the 2011 National Scholar-Athlete Class will also travel to New York City and be honored Dec. 6 during the 54th NFF Annual Awards Dinner at the historic Waldorf=Astoria.

JACKRABBIT INSIDER: Throughout the 2011 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.

A LOOK AHEAD: The Jackrabbits return to Coughlin-Alumni Stadium to play a pair of nationally ranked teams.
SDSU will square off against Northern Iowa on Saturday, Oct. 15, in a game that will air on ESPN3.com. Kickoff is slated for 6 p.m. Please note that due to contractual obligations with ESPN, the Oct. 15 game will not be carried as part of the Jackrabbit Extra subscription package.
The Jackrabbits close out their homestand with an Oct. 22 matchup against North Dakota State. Kickoff is slated for 2 p.m., with the game televised on Midco Sports Network. The Coughlin-Stadium All-Time Team will be honored at halftime of the game.

Calendar

Upcoming Events

Recent Results

Players Mentioned

Vince Benedetto

Colin Cochart

Tyler Duffy

Glen Fox

Kyle Harris

Brandon Hubert

Brad Iverson

Corey Jeske

Dirk Kool

Tyrel Kool

Mike Lien

Kyle Minett

Andy Mink

Thomas O'Brien

Alex Parker

Peter Reifenrath

Aaron Rollin

Dan Schmidt

Jake Steffen

Austin Sumner

Mason Winterboer

Dom Wright

Winston Wright

Zach Zenner

Upcoming Event: Football versus Mercyhurst on September 27, 2025 at 2 p.m.

Upcoming Event: Football at Youngstown State on October 4, 2025 at 6 p.m. ET/5 p.m. CT

Upcoming Event: Football versus Northern Iowa on October 11, 2025 at 2 p.m.

Upcoming Event: Football at Murray State on October 18, 2025 at 6 p.m.

Upcoming Event: Football versus North Dakota State on October 25, 2025 at TBA

Upcoming Event: Football versus Indiana State on November 1, 2025 at 2 p.m.

Completed Event: Football versus Drake on September 13, 2025 , Win , 37, to, 21

Completed Event: Football at Montana State on September 6, 2025 , Win , 30, to, 24 , 2 OT

Completed Event: Football versus Sacramento State on August 30, 2025 , Win , 20, to, 3

Completed Event: Football at North Dakota State on December 21, 2024 , Loss , 21, to, 28

Completed Event: Football versus Incarnate Word on December 14, 2024 , Win , 55, to, 14

Completed Event: Football versus Montana on December 7, 2024 , Win , 35, to, 18

South Dakota State University Athletics