Top 5 Favorite Jackrabbit Football Players

Remember the great scene from "The Sandlot" where Benny wakes up to the ghost of Babe Ruth coming out of his closet?  If you remember, the boys from the sandlot were in a pickle.  A signed Babe Ruth baseball had been hit over the fence and into a junkyard that was roamed by a giant dog named "The Beast" and an old grouchy man who instructed the dog to eat intruders (or so the legend said) lived alone.  Anyways, the best part of the dream scene is Babe Ruth's advice to Benny, "Hero's get remembered, but legends never die."

Who are the legends of Jackrabbit football?  What plays and contribution did they make that stand out?  I had this discussion on Twitter on my personal account a few months ago, but I decided I wanted to bring it to the blog.  We can debate all day who the BEST Jackrabbits are, but who are your FAVORITE Jackrabbits of all time?  Who are the legendary players to you?  I've been closely following the Jacks since the fall of 2006 and have tons of memories in those 10 seasons.  However, there are certainly favorite players that stand out in my mind.

So here they are...

1. Jake Wieneke

•  "The Wizard" as he was dubbed by voice of the Jackrabbits, Tyler Merriam, has been spectacular since his first game as a red-shirt freshman against Missouri.  I was traveling that day in Wisconsin for a wedding but I remember thinking, "Who is this guy?"  Little did I know I was listening to the begining of a Jackrabbit legend.  Since then Wieneke has recorded 223 receptions for 4192 yards and 43 touchdowns.  He holds, or will hold, every SDSU and MVFC record for a receiver by the time he is done.  Jake is also a great guy and you will see him joking with teammates at practice and with friends around campus.  Coach Arnheim has also raved about his work ethic and dedication to improvement.  Guys like Jake are easy to cheer for.

2. Zach Zenner

•  The Jackrabbits all-time leading rusher is a no brainer for this list.  Every time he touched the ball I remember holding my breath thinking that this could be the play that he took it to the house.  His vision, speed, and effort on every play are what stand out to me.  He finished his career with 6,548 yards rushing and 61 touchdowns.  The highlight of the Eastern Illinois game in the video below is a performance and game atmosphere that I won't forget.  As good as he has been on the field, it sounds like Zenner is an even better person off of the field.  Whenever his NFL career is over, he will start a career in the medical field.  

3. Adam Timmerman

•  I never saw Timmerman play while he was a Jackrabbit.  However, I was a huge fan of the Green Bay Packers.  When I found out a small-town farm kid, who happened to be a Jackrabbit, protected Brett Favre, I had found my favorite player.  Timmerman won two Super Bowls in his career, one with the Packers and one with the Rams.  He has since returned to his family farm in Cherokee, Iowa but will always be a favorite for this Jackrabbit fan.

4. Jimmy Rogers

• The linebacker from Arizona was best known for his play making abilities, passion, and wild hair.  He ended his Jackrabbit career with over 300 tackles and multiple game changing plays (see the video for selection #5).  He was the middle linebacker for the Jacks first ever FCS playoff team.  He now coaches the linebackers at SDSU and approaches practice with the same intensity that was on display in Coughlin Alumni Stadium for those four years.  If Twitter had been more popular from 2006-2009, I'm certain "Jimmy Roger's Hair" would have had an account.

5. Paul Aanonson

• Paul was a 5'10 receiver from Cambridge, Iowa.  As a receiver, he didn't have a ton of stats and maybe had a dozen or so receptions.  However, he was an exceptional punt returner and was fearless.  It felt like he never fair caught the ball.  His biggest punt return for a touchdown was against #1 ranked NDSU in 2007 as the Jacks claimed the Dakota Marker.  You can see the highlight below.  This is a play that I will never forget.  I may have been one of the students that stormed the field that day.  This punt return is the thing that legends are made of.   

Please comment below as I would love to read who your "Top 5" are.  Do you have a favorite memory of one of the 5 I have in my list?

Go Jacks!

Matt