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South Dakota State University Athletics
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BERGSTROM RETURNS TO DIRECT DEFENSE
1/9/2025 3:00:00 PM | Football
Another coach with previous ties to South Dakota State football will return under new head coach Dan Jackson with the hiring of Brian Bergstrom as the Jackrabbits' defensive coordinator and safeties coach.
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"The things that I love about Bergy are that he is a high-level teacher, he is highly organized, and the defense is going to play extremely hard and be structured," Jackson said " I also think he does a great job of coaching the coaches. As a coordinator, that's really important and I think Brian is the perfect man for the job."
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Bergstrom first joined the SDSU coaching staff in 2017 as safeties coach and was promoted to co-defensive coordinator in 2019, positions he held through the 2021 season under John Stiegelmeier. SDSU qualified for the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs each of his five seasons in Brookings, including a national championship game appearance during the 2020-21 spring season and semifinal berths in 2017, 2018 and the 2021 fall campaign.
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The 2021 Jackrabbit defense led the FCS ranks with 21 interceptions.
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For the past three seasons, Bergstrom served as head coach at Winona State. He led the Warriors to an 18-16 overall record, highlighted by an appearance in the NCAA Division II playoffs his first season in 2022.
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A native of Burnsville, Minnesota, Bergstrom has coached in the Upper Midwest throughout his career, including stops as defensive coordinator at his alma mater, Gustavus Adolphus, from 2006-10, followed by Augustana from 2013-16. He also coached at Crown College in 2005 and mentored defensive backs at Minnetonka High School in the Twin Cities metro area in 2011 and 2012.
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ABOUT SDSU
South Dakota State finished the 2024 season with a 12-3 overall record and earned a share of the Missouri Valley Football Conference title. The Jackrabbits won back-to-back Football Championship Subdivision national titles in 2022 and 2023 and bring a streak of 13 consecutive postseason appearances into the 2025 campaign.
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"The things that I love about Bergy are that he is a high-level teacher, he is highly organized, and the defense is going to play extremely hard and be structured," Jackson said " I also think he does a great job of coaching the coaches. As a coordinator, that's really important and I think Brian is the perfect man for the job."
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Bergstrom first joined the SDSU coaching staff in 2017 as safeties coach and was promoted to co-defensive coordinator in 2019, positions he held through the 2021 season under John Stiegelmeier. SDSU qualified for the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs each of his five seasons in Brookings, including a national championship game appearance during the 2020-21 spring season and semifinal berths in 2017, 2018 and the 2021 fall campaign.
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The 2021 Jackrabbit defense led the FCS ranks with 21 interceptions.
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For the past three seasons, Bergstrom served as head coach at Winona State. He led the Warriors to an 18-16 overall record, highlighted by an appearance in the NCAA Division II playoffs his first season in 2022.
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A native of Burnsville, Minnesota, Bergstrom has coached in the Upper Midwest throughout his career, including stops as defensive coordinator at his alma mater, Gustavus Adolphus, from 2006-10, followed by Augustana from 2013-16. He also coached at Crown College in 2005 and mentored defensive backs at Minnetonka High School in the Twin Cities metro area in 2011 and 2012.
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ABOUT SDSU
South Dakota State finished the 2024 season with a 12-3 overall record and earned a share of the Missouri Valley Football Conference title. The Jackrabbits won back-to-back Football Championship Subdivision national titles in 2022 and 2023 and bring a streak of 13 consecutive postseason appearances into the 2025 campaign.
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-GoJacks.com-
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