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South Dakota State University Athletics
2021 Football Roster
Gardner, Don
Jersey Number 21
Don Gardner
- Height:
- 6-1
- Weight:
- 180
- Position:
- Cornerback
- Class:
- Senior
- Hometown:
- Chicago, Ill.
- High School:
- Wendell Phillips H.S.
- Major:
- Sport, Recreation and Park Management
Bio
PRONUNCIATION
HONORS AND AWARDS
2020-21: Earned All-America recognition on four different squads ... led team with seven pass breakups and was fifth on team with 44 tackles while starting all 10 games ... opened season with five tackles in road win at Northern Iowa ... set season highs with six total tackles and two tackles for loss at North Dakota, a game in which he also broke up a pair of passes ... matched season high with six tackles, including one for loss, in home win over Youngstown State ... was recognized as team's defensive player of the week in both regular season and playoff matchup against Southern Illinois ... recorded lone interception of the season and notched four tackles in regular season win at SIU, then was credited with six tackles and a pass breakup in home rematch ... established new career high with three pass breakups and contributed five tackles in Football Championship Subdivision national title game against Sam Houston
2019: Put together a breakthrough season for the Jackrabbits, earning all-conference accolades ... started all 13 games at cornerback ... led team with six pass breakups and ranked fifth on the squad with 45 tackles ... recorded five tackles, including one tackle for loss, in season opener at Minnesota ... tallied a career-high seven tackles and broke up a pass in Beef Bowl win over Southern Utah ... credited with a sack and pass breakup in Hobo Day victory against Southern Illinois ... named team's Defensive Player of the Week after sparking comeback win at Youngstown State with a 42-yard interception return for touchdown and adding five tackles ... matched career high with seven tackles, including a sack, at Indiana State ... registered six tackles versus North Dakota State ... scored his second defensive touchdown of the season, returning a fumble 24 yards to the end zone in regular season matchup against Northern Iowa, a game in which he added a pair of tackles ... notched three tackles and a pass breakup in playoff rematch with UNI
2018: Emerged as a special teams ace for the Jackrabbits as 10 of his 13 tackles on the season came on either kickoff or punt coverage units ... posted career-high four tackles (three solo) in season opener against Montana State to earn squad's Scout Special Teams Player of the Week award... credited with pair of tackles in overtime win over Indiana State ... shared squad's weekly special teams award in losing effort at Northern Iowa ... blocked punt that was recovered in the end zone for a touchdown in road victory at Southern Illinois en route to receiving weekly special teams award for the third time ... closed regular season with two solo tackles versus South Dakota ... played in all 13 games
2017: Battled injuries throughout the season, but appeared in two games ... registered two tackles in season-opening win over Duquesne
2016: Redshirted ... recognized as squad’s Special Teams Player of the Week for efforts leading up to games against Cal Poly and Illinois State
BEFORE SDSU: Played on both sides of the ball for the Wendell Phillips High School team that claimed the 2015 Class 4A state championship ... was a starting cornerback for a defensive unit that held opponents to a total of 87 points over an undefeated 14-game schedule ... as a receiver, he tallied 14 catches for 260 yards and two touchdowns
HONORS AND AWARDS
- HERO Sports FCS All-America Team (2020-21)
- Associated Press FCS All-America Second Team (2020-21)
- Stats Perform FCS All-America Second Team (2020-21)
- Phil Steele FCS All-America Third Team (2020-21)
- All-Missouri Valley Football Conference First Team (2020-21)
- All-MVFC Second Team (2019, 2021)
- MVFC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award (2019)
- MVFC Honor Roll (2019, 2020-21, 2021)
2020-21: Earned All-America recognition on four different squads ... led team with seven pass breakups and was fifth on team with 44 tackles while starting all 10 games ... opened season with five tackles in road win at Northern Iowa ... set season highs with six total tackles and two tackles for loss at North Dakota, a game in which he also broke up a pair of passes ... matched season high with six tackles, including one for loss, in home win over Youngstown State ... was recognized as team's defensive player of the week in both regular season and playoff matchup against Southern Illinois ... recorded lone interception of the season and notched four tackles in regular season win at SIU, then was credited with six tackles and a pass breakup in home rematch ... established new career high with three pass breakups and contributed five tackles in Football Championship Subdivision national title game against Sam Houston
2019: Put together a breakthrough season for the Jackrabbits, earning all-conference accolades ... started all 13 games at cornerback ... led team with six pass breakups and ranked fifth on the squad with 45 tackles ... recorded five tackles, including one tackle for loss, in season opener at Minnesota ... tallied a career-high seven tackles and broke up a pass in Beef Bowl win over Southern Utah ... credited with a sack and pass breakup in Hobo Day victory against Southern Illinois ... named team's Defensive Player of the Week after sparking comeback win at Youngstown State with a 42-yard interception return for touchdown and adding five tackles ... matched career high with seven tackles, including a sack, at Indiana State ... registered six tackles versus North Dakota State ... scored his second defensive touchdown of the season, returning a fumble 24 yards to the end zone in regular season matchup against Northern Iowa, a game in which he added a pair of tackles ... notched three tackles and a pass breakup in playoff rematch with UNI
2018: Emerged as a special teams ace for the Jackrabbits as 10 of his 13 tackles on the season came on either kickoff or punt coverage units ... posted career-high four tackles (three solo) in season opener against Montana State to earn squad's Scout Special Teams Player of the Week award... credited with pair of tackles in overtime win over Indiana State ... shared squad's weekly special teams award in losing effort at Northern Iowa ... blocked punt that was recovered in the end zone for a touchdown in road victory at Southern Illinois en route to receiving weekly special teams award for the third time ... closed regular season with two solo tackles versus South Dakota ... played in all 13 games
2017: Battled injuries throughout the season, but appeared in two games ... registered two tackles in season-opening win over Duquesne
2016: Redshirted ... recognized as squad’s Special Teams Player of the Week for efforts leading up to games against Cal Poly and Illinois State
BEFORE SDSU: Played on both sides of the ball for the Wendell Phillips High School team that claimed the 2015 Class 4A state championship ... was a starting cornerback for a defensive unit that held opponents to a total of 87 points over an undefeated 14-game schedule ... as a receiver, he tallied 14 catches for 260 yards and two touchdowns
Dan Jackson Weekly Press Conference (09.09.2025)
Tuesday, September 09
Football Postgame Comments at Montana State (09.06.2025)
Sunday, September 07
Football Highlights at Montana State (09.06.2025)
Sunday, September 07
Gameday Eve - Montana State (09.05.2025)
Thursday, September 04
