In my four-and-a-half years at this school, and my year as the sports editor at The Collegian, I have seen some unforgettable things, both good and bad – like when the football team lost to Division III Wisconsin-La Crosse. In my last column as the sports editor (it just feels weird writing that) I’m not going to focus on the negatives, just the good times. So I present to you my four favorite memories at SDSU – both as a student and a reporter – countdown style.

4. The WNIT runs by the women’s basketball team.

The first year the Jacks made it was simply incredible. Since I was never at a USD game, I have never seen Frost Arena that loud and that full; it was what college athletic events are all about. The women left it all out there on the court those two home games. It was my first major foray into SDSU athletics – outside of football – and I was officially hooked on the magic of SDSU athletics.

3. The men’s basketball team beats Oral Roberts in the Summit League tournament

It was special day for Jackrabbit fans in Sioux Falls. Hours after the top seeded women took care of No. 8 Oral Roberts, it was the men’s turn to do the same as the No. 2 vs. No. 7, with the Jacks being the No. 7 seed and the underdogs. The way Garret Callahan willed the team to victory and put the Jacks on his shoulders was amazing to watch. Callahan scored 30 points for SDSU, the first player to do it in the Division I era. Callahan couldn’t have picked a better night to do it.

2. The women’s basketball team wins the Summit League title and blows out TCU in the first round of the NCAA tournament

Watching the women play Oakland in the Summit League Championship was one of the most exciting games I have ever witnessed. Both teams played with so much heart, it was incredible. Oakland could not have played better in the first half, building a 14-point half time lead but the Jacks answered back, they always do. SDSU stormed back and downed Oakland by 10 for the Summit League title.

Things continued to get better for the Jacks in the NCAA tournament. The Jacks took on TCU in the first round and after a quick start, the only question in doubt was how much the Jacks would win by. TCU was never in the ball game after the early minutes and the Jacks cruised to an easy 90-55 victory.

1. Football team knocks off undefeated and top ranked NDSU for Dakota Marker

This was college football at its finest; there is no other way to describe it. The Jacks played out of their minds that Saturday in November. Coughlin-Alumni Stadium was packed, the students came out in full force and the place was constantly loud. There was a time in the second half that I thought NDSU was going to come back and down the Jacks because of NDSU quarterback Steve Walker, but the Jacks were not having it.

Every crucial play that needed to be made was made by the Jackrabbits. The punt return for a touchdown by Paul Aanonson, the blocked punt, the go ahead touchdown by Cory Koenig and the interception by Brock Gentile to seal the win.

SDSU was not afraid of the mighty Bison and it showed on the field. Easily the best sporting event I have ever been to.

When I am finally done with my time at SDSU in May, I am going to remember so many great things about this school. My time at The Collegian has been absolutely priceless. The people I have met and the experiences I have gained have meant so much to me, not only as a writer but as a person. I was close to not taking this job, but my sister convinced me to do so and I am happy I did.

For two-and-a-half quarters, the Jackrabbit football team was dominating unbeaten – and top-seeded – Montana, cruising to a 48-21 lead.

But just like that, the lead had vanished. Completely disappeared.

Montana scored 40 unanswered points for a miraculous comeback against the Jacks, toppling them 61-48 in the first round of the NCAA Division I-AA football playoffs Nov. 28 in Missoula, Mont.

“That was a tough locker room,” SDSU head coach John Stiegelmeier said. “That is not something I thought I’d have to do today. To be where we were and have that slip away, that marked those young men.”

The game changer came on Marc Mariani’s kickoff return for a touchdown after the Jacks had taken the 27-point lead. Just like that, all of the Jacks’ momentum had swung to the Montana sideline.

“We kind of drew something up in the dirt that we haven’t done for a couple of years,” Montana head coach Bobby Hauck said. “And they executed it perfectly. It makes you wonder why we practice.”

It was all downhill from there for the Jacks, as Montana would keep piling it on, scoring five touchdowns in the fourth quarter.

On their final six drives of the game, SDSU managed just 91 yards of offense. The Jacks punted four times and quarterback Thomas O’Brien threw two interceptions. In comparison, Montana put up 270 yards of offense on their final five drives, scoring on all five possessions. Mixed into those five drives was the Mariani kickoff return for a touchdown and a Severin Campbell interception return for a touchdown.

“You’re going to have to play almost perfect in every phase if you’re going to win a football game like that one,” Stiegelmeier said. “We had four turnovers. We average about three or four penalties a game, and we had 10 today. But we still had a chance to win the football game; we just came up short.”

Things couldn’t have started any better for the Jacks, who were making their first playoff appearance since 1979. The Jacks scored the first 17 points of the game on a pair of Colin Cochart touchdown receptions and a Kyle Harris field goal. Cochart would finish with three touchdowns.

The Grizzlies answered back, scoring the next 14 points on a Chase Reynolds 1-yard touchdown run – his first of three on the day – and a Tyler Palmer touchdown reception from Andrew Selle.

But, unlike later in the game, the Jacks had an answer for everything the Grizzlies did early, scoring the final 17 points of the half to take a 34-14 halftime lead.

Things continued to go the Jackrabbits’ way early in the third quarter, as Ross Shafrath blocked a Montana punt, which Corey Jeske recovered in the end zone to put SDSU up 41-14.

The Grizzlies quickly answered, as Thomas Brooks-Fletcher scored from two-yards out to get within 20 and slowly start to swing the momentum back to their side.

It didn’t take the Jacks long to answer the Montana score. On the first play from scrimmage after the kickoff, O’Brien found Glen Fox for a 61-yard completion down to the the 1-yard line. Kyle Minett found the end zone from a yard out two plays later.

With the Jacks up 27, the next round of the playoffs looked like a lock.

That is until the ensuing kickoff, which Mariani returned for the score. The Jacks never recovered.

Selle, who struggled in the first half, came out firing in the second half, completing 21-of-26 for 241 yards after the break.

“To say I played bad in the first half is a little bit of an understatement,” Selle said. “I knew that I had put my team in a bad situation.

“As a quarterback you have to have the shortest memory of anybody. As bad as the first half was, I knew I had to forget about it. I knew I had to come out and perform.”

But Mariani was the hero for the Grizzlies.

Mariani caught 12 passes for 171 yards and two scores for the Grizzlies, who will host Stephen F. Austin in the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs. Mariani was also a game-changer on the return team, averaging 44.5 yards per kickoff return.

Derek Domino led the Jacks on defense with 12 tackles, while Cole Brodie added an additional 12 and an interception.

On offense, Minett led SDSU, rushing for 131 yards – 108 coming in the first half – and two scores on 35 carries. O’Brien finished 14-of-27 for 198 yards and three scores in addition to three interceptions. The Jacks finished their season at 8-4.

“I’m not the official historian, but that’s the greatest comeback in one of the greatest games in school history,” Hauck said. “I’ve been a part of my share of them, and it’s the biggest thing I’ve ever been a part of. It’s just unbelievable.”

It is pretty simple for the SDSU football team: win and you are in.

The Jacks are currently sitting at 7-3 with losses coming to Southern Illinois, Minnesota and Cal Poly and a win over perennial contender Northern Iowa.

“Obviously for our program and to me and the university and hopefully fans and people around would have some pride in being in a national tournament,” SDSU Athletic Director Justin Sell said. “It’s 16 teams on a national level.”

The good news for the Jacks is that they face Western Illinois on Nov. 21, a team that has lost nine straight games, and if they are able to beat the Leathernecks, they would be at 7-1 in conference play and a second-place finish. A win against WIU would also move the Jacks to that eight-win cutoff, as no Missouri Valley Football Conference team has ever been left out of the playoffs with eight wins.

As far as the game against Western Illinois having any added emphasis due to playoff implications:

“The team’s approach has always been to focus on one game and do what we need to do to win,” Sell said. “We can’t make it bigger than it is. We just want to play the best football we can and take that momentum into the playoffs.”

If, for some reason, the Jacks are left out of the playoffs, the loss to Cal Poly may hurt the most. Since the win over SDSU, the Mustangs have gone downhill, going just 2-4 in their last six games and have gone winless in Great West Conference play.

“There is no lock. We would have to be selected as an at-large,” Sell said. “We have a really good chance. If we win on Saturday, that would give us eight Division-I wins.”

The Jackrabbits have not gone to the playoffs since 1979, and the win that may push them over the edge is the win over UNI on Hobo Day. With the win over the Panthers, the Jacks basically locked up at least a second-place finish in the MVFC and have the marquee win over a big-name opponent. Entering the season, the Panthers were the two-time defending conference champions and were ranked as high as number four at the end of last season. The Panthers have reached the FCS playoffs 14 times.

According to College Sporting News, the Jacks are a lock for a playoff spot with a win over Western Illinois.

It doesn’t get much easier to simplify than that.

“For us and this program to have our kids and athletes experience championships in whatever sport, this case being football, is a really neat experience,” Sell said. “It would be great for the seniors on this team who have helped the team transition from the Division-II to the Division-I level.”

The SDSU football team was in prime position to knock off the Minnesota Golden Gophers, but the opportunity slipped through their hands – literally.

The Jacks had the ball on their own 18-yard line in the fourth quarter of a tie game, but a Thomas O’Brien fumble set up the game-winning field goal, as the Gophers beat the Jacks 16-13 on Nov. 14 at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.

“I have mixed feelings. I’m always proud of our football team,” head coach John Stiegelmeier said. “I’m proud of how we compete. I’m proud of the young men in our program and the term student-athlete. On the other end, I’m tremendously disappointed for them. They had an opportunity to win a game in the Big Ten against a Big-Ten opponent. There were a number of opportunities, and we didn’t get it done. I think this one will hurt more than a lot. We need to bounce back because we have some things to play for.”

The Jacks had trouble holding on to the football all day, turning the ball over four times, with three coming in the first half. Even with all the turnovers, the Jacks’ defense kept them in the game. A Derek Domino interception in the second quarter gave the Jacks a 10-6 lead, a lead that was short-lived thanks to another disastrous turnover.

With the Jacks on their own 3-yard line, O’Brien was hit from behind by Minnesota’s Michael Carter. The ball fell into the waiting arms of D.L. Wilhite, who returned it for the score.

SDSU had opportunities early in the game to get up on the Gophers and possibly ride the defense to a win, but a common theme all season reared its ugly head again. The Jacks’ special teams put them inside the Gophers’ 20-yard-line twice in the first half, but the Jacks failed to finish the drive. Tyrel Kool returned a kickoff to the Minnesota 6-yard line, but O’Brien was intercepted.

Saunders Montague returned a punt to the Gophers’ 11-yard line, but the Jacks could not pick up a first down and had to settle for a field goal.

“When … we finish in the first quarter, it’s a different football game,” Stiegelmeier said. “I told the team there are a number of players on our football team who can take responsibility for this. ?We needed to get the ball in the end zone early and we didn’t.”

Even with all the misfortunes early in the game, the Jacks were there at the end of the game with a chance to win, but the Gophers’ defense stepped up. SDSU had two possessions after Minnesota took the three-point lead, but could not do much on offense, as was the case for most of the game.

“Our defense put us in position to win in the fourth quarter, and that’s what we wanted and what we were expecting,” said running back Kyle Minett, who gained 79 yards on the ground for the Jacks. “Offensively, we just didn’t get it done. You can look at one play, you can look at drives, you can look at a lot of different things, but overall we just didn’t execute.”

The Jacks now turn their attention to Western Illinois and earning a possible playoff spot. The Jacks sit at 7-3 and are currently in second place in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. A win against the Fighting Leathernecks would all but wrap up a playoff spot for SDSU.

Western Illinois has struggled for much of the season, going winless in conference play, and has not won since the first game of the season way back on Sept. 3. The nine straight losses for the Leathernecks include being on the other end of Indiana State’s first win in 34 games.

A lot is on the line for the Jacks in Macomb, Ill., on Nov. 21. A win would give the Jacks eight wins – no MVFC team has ever been left out of the playoffs with eight wins – and lock up a second-place finish for the Jacks in only their second year in the MVFC.

The Jacks and Leathernecks kick things off at 1:05 p.m. in Macomb.

After a successful trip to Youngstown, Ohio, the Jackrabbit football team now turns its attention to Southern Illinois and its chance at the Missouri Valley Football Conference title.

In the win over Youngstown State, the Jacks fell behind early but held the Penguins scoreless the rest of the way, posting a 17-3 victory on Oct. 31.

The Jacks methodically drove down the field on their first possession of the game but left points on the field when Peter Reifenrath missed a 26-yard field goal.

Youngstown State answered the Jackrabbit drive with one of their own. The Penguins had an 11-play drive that was capped off by a 48-yard field goal by Stephen Blose. That was all the Penguins would muster, though, as the Jacks ratcheted up their defense the rest of the game.

Reifenrath would redeem himself in the second quarter when he nailed a 25-yard field goal that capped a 15-play, 75-yard drive to knot the score at 3-3, where it would remain for the rest of the first half.

The second half was all about the Jackrabbits and Kyle Minett. Derek Domino picked off Brandon Summers on the first play from scrimmage in the second half. The Jacks took the lead for good when they capped off a seven-play, 32-yard drive with a Minett touchdown from five yards out.

Youngstown State was looking to answer on their next drive, but Blose missed a 41-yard field goal; it would be the last time the Penguins would threaten to score on the Jacks.

With 9:46 left in the game, the Jackrabbits started a drive that would put the game away. Starting on their own 34, the Jacks moved the ball down the field in chunks of yardage at a time, and Minett ended the drive with a 1-yard score to ice the game.

The game also marked the return of quarterback Ryan Crawford. Crawford, who was injured in the Cal Poly game on Oct. 3, was 19-of-28 for 178 yards.

The defense was stifling again for the Jacks, giving up 254 yards of offense as they held an opponent without a touchdown for the third time this season. Danny Batten led the charge for the Jacks on defense, recording eight tackles including a sack. Jimmy Rogers and Isaiah Jackson also pitched in eight tackles.

The Jacks now turn their attention to the Southern Illinois contest, a game that will decide the MVFC champion and the automatic qualifier for the playoffs. The Jacks and Salukis will square off at 1 p.m. on Nov. 7 at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium

The Salukis are currently sitting at 7-1, with the only loss coming to FBS Marshall during their first game.

The Salukis will be without quarterback Chris Dieker, who broke his clavicle in the win over Youngstown State. Paul McIntosh will be making his second career start against the Jacks. On Oct. 31, McIntosh went 15-of-22 for 159 yards and ran for 57 yards and two scores, as he was named the MVFC Offensive Player of the Week.

The Jacks will have to be stout against the run as they face the nation’s second best rusher. Deji Karim is averaging 139.1 yards per game as he has racked up 1,113 yards and 11 rushing touchdowns this season. Karim is also a threat on kickoffs, averaging 35.1 yards per return this season.

The game could come down to a defensive battle, as both teams are solid on that side of the ball. The Jacks are giving up just 11.4 points per game, which is top in the nation, while Southern Illinois is giving up 14.1 points per game.

Every week, the football team’s philosophy is going 1-0.

The Jacks succeeded and went 1-0 on Oct. 24, but the win was not an ordinary win. It may be the most important win in Jackrabbit football history.

The Jacks downed perennial power Northern Iowa 24-14 on Hobo Day in front of a crowd of 15,523, the fourth largest in Coughlin-Alumni Stadium’s history.

“I think historically, it may affect us outside the region,” head coach John Stiegelmeier said. “As people look at South Dakota State football from afar and they look at rankings, these things move you ahead. Inside our locker room, I don’t think it changed us. We felt we were a good football team, and we keep trying to prove that every week.”

The win over UNI put the Jacks at 6-1 and 5-0 in Missouri Valley Football Conference play. More importantly, the Jacks finally got the win that may put them on the national stage.

Coming into the game, UNI was ranked No. 6 in country, with its only losses coming against Southern Illinois and Iowa. The Hawkeyes squeaked out a one-point win by blocking two field goals at the end of the game.

“It’s probably the biggest win I have been a part of since I have been here,” senior defensive end Danny Batten said. “I say that because we really respect that team, because they are dominant every year. We never get respect as a football team – never have. That’s our main goal, get respect by beating teams, and we are doing it this year. We have got to keep it moving because there are more good teams ahead. It feels good to finally get a win against these guys.”

SDSU took the early lead, thanks in part to a pair of early turnovers by the Panthers. The Jacks took over both times in Panther territory but settled for a pair of field goals.

The Panthers would make the Jacks pay for missed opportunities. After the second field goal, the Panthers marched down the field, and quarterback Pat Grace scored on a quarterback keeper to put UNI ahead 7-6. The Jacks threatened late in the second, but running back Kyle Minett fumbled on the Panther’s two-yard line and the Jacks went into halftime trailing 7-6.

“(UNI) has a good defense,” Stiegelmeier said about leaving points on the field. “It’s always them against us. It’s not us running plays on air. We had some opportunities. The one that really hurt was the one at the end of the first half when we were on the two-yard line and ended up fumbling.

“There are some teams that can’t handle that. Do we want to do that? No. Do we want to respond like we did? Absolutely, and that’s the positive.”

The Jacks did not miss their opportunities in the second half.

On SDSU’s second possession of the second half, quarterback Thomas O’Brien found Glen Fox down the sideline for a 63-yard score, and then O’Brien found tight end Colin Cochart for the two-point conversion.

But the Panthers had an answer again, as they had another sustained drive and Grace found the end zone to knot the score at 14 apiece.

The Jacks took over after that, as Kyle Harris knocked home a 49-yard field goal and the Jacks would never trail again.

SDSU landed the knockout blow late in the fourth quarter. After a punt by UNI, the Jacks took over deep in their own territory. SDSU responded with a 10-play, 93-yard drive that put the game away when O’Brien and Cochart would hook up for a one-yard score.

“That’s all we talk about is finishing drives,” O’Brien said. “I don’t know how many third downs we had, but we kept it moving. The O-Line was great throughout the whole game, especially that drive. I am as clean as a whistle right now. I didn’t get hit one time.”

The Jacks now turn their attention to Youngstown State. The Penguins are coming off a 27-8 loss to Southern Illinois.

The Penguins are similar to the Jacks in that they have an attacking defense, giving up 289.3 yards per game, and have a balanced offensive attack, gaining 199.7 yards per game through the air and 139 yards on the ground.

“We need to handle their zone blitz package,” Stiegelmeier said. “They blitz three-out-of-four plays in a football game, so they really try to dictate you. If we can handle that, there are possibilities for big plays. Defensively, they are a Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. They can line up and run power, and then they are going to throw the ball. We need to take the run out of their arsenal so we can defend one phase of their offense.”

Some may consider the game against Youngstown State a trap game, as it comes in between the UNI game and a potential showdown for the conference title against Southern Illinois. But Stiegelmeier does not think the Jacks will look past the Penguins.

“We are going to focus on this week,” Stiegelmeier said. “If we look ahead to the excitement of Southern Illinois, the only way that will be exciting is if we win this football game. Our 1-0 philosophy, our play in the present, all those things lend themselves to focus on this game. But it’s not easy. It’s not easy at all. We put ourselves in position to look ahead and see goals a lot closer than they have been.”

The matchup in Youngstown may also see the return of quarterback Ryan Crawford. Stiegelmeier says that if Crawford is healthy and able to play, he will get the start under center for the Jacks.

“Ryan Crawford, or anybody in our program, if they were No. 1 and they were injured, when they come back when they are healthy, they get the nod,” Stiegelmeier said. “If he is healthy and if he is able to execute the offense, then he should be the starter. I don’t know if it will be this week or next week or what, but that is our philosophy.”

The kickoff for the Jacks and Penguins game is scheduled for 3 p.m. in Youngstown, Ohio.

#1.881297:3639062909.jpg:DSC_0023-2.1.jpg:Defensive backs Anthony Wise (22) and Cole Brodie (21) celebrate the Jacks’ 24-14 upset of UNI on Hobo Day.:Ryan Robinson
#1.881296:2390476948.jpg:Football.TheCatch.RG.CMYK.jpg:Colin Cochart (87) pulls in a pass for a touchdown despite interference from UNI’s Terrell McBride (27). The fourth-quarter touchdown gave SDSU a 10-point lead.:Robby Gallagher

Sports Editor Chris Mangan sits down with Athletic Director Justin Sell to talk about his time at SDSU, the Dakota Marker game and the Hobo Day football game against Sell’s former employer, Northern Iowa.

CM: What has been your favorite part about your time here?

JS: I think the opportunity to get to know what SDSU is about and then working with the people, like I said all those different groups. I love our student athletes. I think they are good people first. They do a great job in the classroom. We had a 3.15 overall GPA last year, which is high for athletics across the country … You know, the people I work with here on campus, we have great leadership. I think President (David) Chicoine has a great vision for what SDSU is and is going to be. I’m just happy to be part of that.

CM: You had an architect do a feasibility study on a new football stadium. What is the status on that?

JS: Actually, I’m trying to coach people to understand that we are doing a master plan for all of our athletic facilities first and within that master plan we are looking at the financial feasibility of a football stadium. It’s really gathering all the information, really putting a vision together of what it would look like and then, based on needs, what do we really need … You know, Coughlin, based on our crowds, there is certainly a demand there for more seats than what we can provide. That will really lay out what it would look like and then, hopefully, what the costs are. Then we need to define a funding plan of how we can go about doing that, then we need to go out and do that. Hopefully, people want to jump on board and support.

CM: You experienced your first Dakota Marker game last week. How was that for you?

JS: I’m still coming down off the high and here we are Tuesday morning. I had a blast. I had a blast leading up into it. I was ready to play the game Thursday night; I didn’t want to wait until Saturday. You hear all the stories, and certainly it’s a tradition and rivalry, and we have had great success against North Dakota State in the last couple years.

CM: Hobo Day is this weekend against your former employer. What are you looking forward to the most?

JS: Beating the Panthers. I would love to have an opportunity to beat the Panthers. I think, for me, to experience Hobo Day first and it’s a whole week, my schedule is packed this week, so I’m really excited to go through that the first time. Throw in UNI on the schedule, obviously, makes it a more special week … I have a lot of respect for what UNI has accomplished, obviously, that is one of the things we are trying to do with this program to gain some of the successes UNI has had but we want to do it in our own way. We know who we are and we are proud of who we are, the only thing missing right now is the opportunity to get to the postseason with all of our sports programs. We got a great taste for it last fall with soccer and then in the spring with women’s basketball. I would like all our student athletes, at least one time in their careers here, to be able to taste postseason play.

CM: What needs to be done to take SDSU to the next step?

JS: Truthfully, people have the belief we can do it, and we are not that far away. It also takes every person. Anyone that cares about what we are at SDSU, we need their support. … Whether it’s just going out and telling someone how great it is on campus, or that you can feel the momentum or that you are really excited about the building progress, buying a ticket to a game, joining the Jackrabbit Club, doing something to financially support us, helping out with the facility side. Those are the things over the next couple of years that are going to be critical for us to be able to maintain our success long term. I come into a place that has already had a great base of success so the beauty is that we don’t have to turn it all around or turn it over. We have to refine a few things; we have to redefine our thinking. Then lastly, when it happens, not if, but when it happens to be able to capitalize and take advantage of growth opportunities through success.

Sports Editor Chris Mangan sits down with Athletic Director Justin Sell to talk about his time at SDSU, the Dakota Marker game and the Hobo Day football game against Sell’s former employer, Northern Iowa.

Chris Mangan: You’ve been here about six months, what has it been like for you?

Justin Sell: I absolutely love this place. It has been a whirlwind some days but at the same time it feels like I have been five years. I think a lot of that is because I felt so comfortable through the process to begin with. The things that I felt about the institution, about what we do academically, how successful we are as an athletic program and then for me personally with my family, bringing my family to town towards the end of July and getting the kids in school, there is a comfort level there for me that, has not only shown itself through the whole process, it has gotten stronger every day. I love the students on our campus, there is momentum around here, and there is excitement. We have a lot of positive things going. I spoke all over the state this summer to a variety of different groups and we have a lot of really good supporters, a lot of really good fans, a lot of really good student athletes and what makes it special or unique is they are behind this institution. Athletics is just one piece that, obviously, gives people some pride and something to cheer in.

CM: What has been your favorite part about your time here?

JS: I think the opportunity to get to know what SDSU is about and then working with the people, like I said all those different groups. I love our student athletes. I think they are good people first. They do a great job in the classroom. We had a 3.15 overall GPA last year, which is high for athletics across the country; it’s high for student population frankly. I’m really proud of that. It’s in majors like engineering and pharmacy and pre-med biology and all those things. It’s not your typical “I’m in a bunch of gym classes” type majors it’s real stuff. Move in weekend was a blast, I went and helped out with that. To see freshmen coming on campus and kind of got excited about that. You know, the people I work with here on campus, we have great leadership. I think President (David) Chicoine has a great vision for what SDSU is and is going to be. I’m just happy to be part of that.

CM: You had an architect do a feasibility study on a new football stadium, what is the status on that?

JS: Actually, I’m trying to coach people to understand that we are doing a master plan for all of our athletic facilities first and within that master plan we are looking at the financial feasibility of a football stadium. It’s really gathering all the information, really putting a vision together of what it would look like and then, based on needs, what do we really need. The beauty with our area is that we are not into cherry wood gold trim; we need nice, effective space. You know, Coughlin, based on our crowds there is certainly a demand there for more seats than what we can provide. That will really layout what it would look like and then, hopefully, what the costs are. Then we need to define a funding plan of how we can go about doing that then we need to go out and do that. Hopefully, people want to jump on board and support.

CM: You experienced your first Dakota Marker game last week, how was that for you?

JS: I’m still coming down off the high and here we are Tuesday morning. I had a blast. I had a blast leading up into it. I was ready to play the game Thursday night; I didn’t want to wait until Saturday. You hear all the stories, and certainly it’s a tradition and rivalry, and we have had great success against North Dakota State in the last couple years. I certainly didn’t want to lose the trophy on my watch, even though I didn’t anything to do with the outcome of the game per say. I’m really proud of Coach Stig (John Stiegelmeier), I’m really proud of our players. To have the student support the first three games, to come every game and kids are getting their early, that whole section is filling up, they are all around that south end. I’m trying to make it around games and introduce myself, shake some hands, say “Hey”, but I really do appreciate our students.

CM: Hobo Day this weekend against your former employer, what are you looking forward to the most?

JS: Beating the Panthers. I would love to have an opportunity to beat the Panthers. I think, for me, to experience Hobo Day first and it’s a whole week, my schedule is packed this week, so I’m really excited to go through that the first time. Throw in UNI on the schedule, obviously, makes it a more special week. I know I’ve got a lot of friends and people that I knew at UNI that are going to come up here. They travel well and they will for this one because, obviously, it’s a really big game. We are having some fun with it this week, at least for me with my former folks. I have a lot of respect for what UNI has accomplished, obviously, that is one of the things we are trying to do with this program to gain some of the successes UNI has had but we want to do it in our own way. We know who we are and we are proud of who we are, the only thing missing right now is the opportunity to get to the postseason with all of our sports programs. We got a great taste for it last fall with soccer and then in the spring with women’s basketball. I would like all our student athletes, at least one time in their career’s here, to be able to taste postseason play.

CM: What needs to be done to take SDSU to the next step?

JS: Truthfully, people have the belief we can do it and we are not that far away. It also takes every person. Anyone that cares about what we are at SDSU, we need their support. I think that goes from a university perspective but it is certainly from an athletics’ perspective. Whether it’s just going out and telling someone how great it is on campus, or that you can feel the momentum or that you are really excited about the building progress, buying a ticket to a game, joining the Jackrabbit Club, doing somethings to financially support us, helping out with the facility side. Those are the things over the next couple of years that are going to be critical for us to be able to maintain our success long term. I come into a place that has already had a great base of success so the beauty is that we don’t have to turn it all around or turn it over. We have to refine a few things, we have to redefine our thinking. Then lastly, when it happens, not if, but when it happens to be able to capitalize and take advantage of growth opportunities through success.

For the third straight year, the Dakota Marker will remain in Brookings.

The Jacks downed North Dakota State 28-13 on Oct. 17 to retain the Dakota Marker and improve to 5-1 on the season and remains unbeaten in the Missouri Valley Football Conference.

The Jacks fell behind 7-0 when NDSU scored on the opening drive of the game, but the lead would be short -lived for the Bison, as the Jacks scored 21 straight. Seven of those points came from an interception by Derek Domino, which he returned for a touchdown.

The pick six for Domino came after the Jacks were stuffed on a fourth-and-1 on the Bison 13.

“Huge,” head coach John Stiegelmeier said of Domino’s touchdown. “It came right after we went for it on fourth down, and we didn’t get it. It made me feel a lot better, because I was thinking that we should have kicked the field goal. He had an unbelievable night tonight.”

The defense turned in another solid effort at home after struggling at times on the road. The Bison were held scoreless in the second half and gained just 252 yards of total offense. The Jacks forced two Bison turnovers, both coming on interceptions by Domino of NDSU quarterback Nick Mertens.

Kyle Minett led the Jackrabbit attack, carrying the ball 34 times, a career-high, for 164 yards and two scores. Minett has found the end zone in 11 straight games. Tyler Duffy helped carry the workload on the ground, picking up 48 yards on just nine carries. Duffy’s second-quarter touchdown put the Jacks up 21-7.

“Our running backs fought for every yard tonight,” quarterback Thomas O’Brien said. “We got a lot of extra yards tonight, and that leads to wins. Our line played phenomenal. We sat behind those guys, and we rode them to a victory. The win is everything to the O-Line. I couldn’t be more proud of them.”

Even though this is the third straight win for the Jacks over the Bison, it is the only one that has been by a comfortable margin. In the previous two Dakota Marker games, the Jacks won by a combined six points.

With the Dakota Marker staying in Brookings for another year, the Jacks now turn their attention to Northern Iowa on Hobo Day.

The Panthers are looking to bounce back after a 27-20 setback to Southern Illinois, their second loss of the season.

The defense has been a strong point for UNI this season, as they are limiting opponents to 13.1 points per game and just 273.4 yards per game. The Hobo Day game may be a battle of defenses, as the Jacks are limiting opponents to just 12.3 points per game and 266.8 yards per game.

While the defenses may be the strong points of both teams, the offenses are nothing to be ashamed of. Each team is averaging over 30 points per game. The Panthers average 455 yards per game, while the Jacks put up 356 yards per game.

The Panthers attack will be led by quarterback Pat Grace. Grace is averaging 241 passing yards per game and has 17 touchdowns compared to just three interceptions.

While the game is on Hobo Day against a conference opponent that usually finishes in the top two of the MVFC, the Jacks are not going to treat the game any differently.

“I don’t think it is a must-win, but we are going to go into the game treating it that way,” Minett said after the NDSU game. “Tonight was the biggest game of the year for us, and next week is the biggest game of the year as well. We have to treat every game like that. UNI is going to be ready to go, and they have a great squad, but we are going to be ready, too.”

While the Jacks are sitting at 5-1 and tied for first in the MVFC, Minett doesn’t think the Jacks have played the way they are capable of yet this year.

“I don’t think we have played a perfect game this year,” the junior running back said after the win. “The first couple of home games we had were big wins, but the first half, we didn’t execute like we should have, and that happened today, too. One point of emphasis was to get first downs and win the field position battle even if we didn’t get touchdowns. It helps our confidence knowing that we can play better, and yet we handled a pretty good team pretty easily tonight.”

The Hobo Day game starts at 2 p.m. on Oct. 24 at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium.