4th & Goal: UNI Week

1. Taryn in the record books
There has been some debate among the Jackrabbit faithful about where Taryn Christion ranks on the list of all-time great quarterbacks of Jackrabbit football.  Here are the top 3 in my opinion.

• Taryn Christion (2015-2018)
• 40 games played (team has a record of 32-12 while he has been on the roster) 
• 61% completion rate, 9,675 passing yards, 88 TD
• 1,311 yards, 23 TD
• Austin Sumner (2011-2014)
• 44 games played (team had a record of 32-20 while he was on the roster)
• 58% completion rate, 9,458 passing yards, 65 TD
• -174 career rushing yards, 5 TD
• Ryan Berry (2005-2008)
• 34 games played (team had a record of 27-18 while he was on the roster)
• 61% completion rate, 6,023 passing yards, 56 TD
• -52 career rushing yards, 4 TD

I think if you look at these three from a statistical standpoint, Taryn rises to the top fairly easily.  He is one of the most dominant players in SDSU history and will leave the school as the leader in every major passing category as well as leading the MVFC in nearly every career passing record.  He has also lead the Jackrabbits to the playoffs for three consecutive seasons and will likely make it four this year.  Taryn did have the benefit of playing with two of the most dominant pass catching threats in SDSU history in Dallas Goedert and Jake Wieneke but Taryn also made them better by throwing them open at times.

Sumner would certainly have greater statistics had he not lost most of his senior year due to injury.  Sumner also played with the greatest Jackrabbit running back of all time, Zach Zenner, which limited his opportunities to throw the ball.  However, Sumner was not a threat to run the ball and his completion percentage is 3% lower than Chistion's. He did lead the Jackrabbits to the playoffs for three consecutive seasons and outside of Zenner, was surrounded by average talent compared to the rosters that Christion has enjoyed.

Berry is one of my personal favorites as he played while I was in college.  He lead the Jacks to the 2007 Great West Football Conference title and quarterbacked the team that defeated the #1 ranked Bison.  His senior season was one of the best in Jackrabbit history as he passed for 3,106 yards and 30 touchdowns.  For some odd reason, he is often blamed by Jackrabbit fans as being the quarterback for the "Meltdown in Montana" in the 2009 FCS Playoffs.  This was Thomas O'Brien, not Berry.  Berry never lead the Jacks to the FCS playoffs as they were only playoff eligible for a couple seasons.

Regardless who you choose as "your quarterback," these three are all great options.  The best part about each of the three is that they moved the program forward and left the program better than how they found it.  Give me Taryn but you really can't go wrong with this decision.         


2. FCS Talent Disparity
One thing that many FCS fans across the country are talking about is how top-heavy the division currently is.  There are many reasons for this and some can be attributed to geography/proximity to other D1 institutions, facilities, and even tradition.  However, the main reason the FCS is so top-heavy is because of the migration of FCS powers to the FBS since 2000.  Here is a list of schools that have moved up to the FBS in that time or created a football program that went directly FBS.  In parenthesis I've included how many bowl games they have played in since they have moved up to the FBS.     

• Coastal Carolina (not bowl eligible yet)
• Liberty (not bowl eligible yet)
• Appalachian State (3 games)
• Charlotte (0 games)
• Georgia Southern (1 game)
• Georgia State (2 games)
• UMASS (0 games)
• Old Dominion (1 game)
• South Alabama (2 games)
• Texas St. (0 games)
• Troy (7 games)
• UTSA (1 game)
• UCON ( 7 games)
• FIU (3 games)
• FAU (3 games)
• USF (9 games)

These schools have had mixed success at the FBS level far.  They may be up for a season or two but none have become perennial powers.  Imagine if these 16 schools still competed at the FCS level.  I think that would certainly help spread the power out and it least make the first few rounds of the playoffs a little more competitive.  Most of these schools are chasing bowl games and the revenue that can be made off of the publicity but only reaping the benefit every few years while playing for a no-name bowl in front of a few thousand fans. 


3. 3rd Quarter Dominance
At Hobo Day, the Jackrabbit defense took the field in the second half and played entirely different then they had (especially the first quarter).  This isn't the first time the Jacks have done that this year.  The Jackrabbit defense has been GREAT, yes great, in the 3rd quarter.  Halftime adjustments are working and they are stifling their opponents.  Through five games the Jacks have allowed just 15 total points in the 3rd quarter (8 vs. Montana St. and 7 vs. Ind. St).  In addition, opponents only convert on 33% of their 3rd down attempts and hold the ball for almost a minute less in the quarter than the Jacks do.  This is dominance by the defense.  The offense has also been good scoring 75 points in the quarter and converting on 61.5% of their 3rd down attempts.  To me, this shows great coaching adjustments and adaptability by the players.   


4. Student Prize Giveaway Controversy
There is apparently some controversy surrounding the give away's that the administration had for the students at the Hobo Day game.  The admin had put up three different prizes (Spring 2019 Meal Plan, Housing Waiver, or Tuition).  These should be HUGE prizes, enough to draw in even the least of football fans.  However, when the drawings took place in the 4th quarter, only 1 student was present to claim her prize.  Afterwards, there was an odd complaint that SDSU didn't continue to draw until winners were found for the other two prizes.  The poster clearly says "All you have to do for a chance to win is be present."  It also says that "winners will be announced in third and fourth quarters."  At no point does it say that they will continue to draw until a winner is found.

I applaud the administration for trying to get the students to stay for the end of the game.  This was a creative giveaway and I hope they keep trying different methods to get the students to stay until the end of the game.

Go Jacks!
Matt