Jackrabbit Illustrated

The Jacks (6-2, 3-1)  make their last long road trip of the regular season and head to Springfield, Missouri to take on the Missouri State Bears (1-6, 1-3).  Springfield is a weird city to get to and Plaster Field, although unique, has zero atmospheres because of a lackluster home crowd.  The Jacks will need to generate their own energy which can sometimes be hard to do coming off an emotionally draining game against NDSU. Missouri State is led by Dave Steckel who is now in his fifth year.  It felt like the program was starting to turn the corner under his leadership but the last two years have been brutal.  In a sign of "we need to win NOW" the Bears have 24 transfers or jucos on their roster. It is hard to build a winning culture when your roster is built this way. Offense The MSU offense is virtually one dimensional.  On the season they have only rushed for 405 yards or 57.9 per game.  They have however passed the ball for 217.9 per game.  This one-dimensional off

This week has been one of the craziest weeks that I can remember in Jackrabbit history.  Looking back, I don't think there has ever been a bigger week for the school and Jackrabbit brand than what we just witnessed.  Although the Jacks did not win, it is now more clear than ever that this Jackrabbit team is damn good.  The final score of 23-16 feels like it could be so different overall.  u Rants & Raves Rave: Jackrabbit nation, way to show up and show out.  Truly an impressive week that was capped off by an excellent showing on GameDay and a sold-out stadium that was LOUD and impacted the game.  We can have this much fun every week, even without GameDay.  Please continue to show up and support the team! Not bad Jackrabbit nation. Not too bad at all. pic.twitter.com/V8hGXro87r — Jackrabbit_Illstrtd (@JackIllustrated) October 27, 2019 Rave/Rant: I think our offensive line did a great job in the run game and making holes for Pierre Strong et al.  The Jacks gained 22

(Photo courtesy of Ben Pierson) A lot of recent articles attempt to explain why College GameDay found its way to Brookings, South Dakota.  Quickly many of those articles point out Wisconsin losing last week as the deciding factor. Or it’s due to NDSU coming to town. Or there were no other games to go to.  The fact of the matter is there are several key games that are still being played this weekend at the FBS level including Wisconsin (13) vs Ohio State (5) game. The Auburn (9) vs LSU (2) game would arguably be a strong contender as well.  ESPN did not view SDSU or the Brookings community as a consolation prize, they actively chose to come to Brookings. Looking at the factors that might have led ESPN to this decision, there would be a large injustice if we did not recognize the efforts of leaders in the Brookings Community and at SDSU.   SDSU/NDSU Rivalry: The first point that I don’t want to overlook is the fact that NDSU is one of the most successful universities in FCS

This week has been fun but I'm ready for the game.  One more sleep and it will be GameDay. 1. I'm really counting on the Jacks to contain Trey Lance's running ability.  He's averaged 69 yards per game on the ground.  I think if the Jacks can keep him under that, they have a good shot of winning.  The key will be keeping him from scrambling for first downs on third and long.  That is a scenario that has hurt the Jacks in past matchups against the Bison.  Hopefully, the Jacks have identified an answer. 2. The SDSU tackle combination of Aron Johnson and Evan Greeneway has to hold up against the excellent edge rushers for NDSU.  They have both had moments of brilliance this season, and have been tested often, but they also have struggled at times.  NDSU can trot a number of talented defensive ends out there so they will have to stay ready no matter who is across from them. 3. The Jacks will need to limit turnovers on offense.  This NDSU offense is especially sting

Let’s look at the cold weather with a glass-half-full type attitude. This week is a “get-the-first-on third” kind of weekend to win the day. Let’s start with that attitude in tailgating. We are going to make three very easy dips to win on third down when our tailgate partners are counting on us.   The great part about tailgating in 40-degree weather is your dip will stay nice and cold, so you don’t need to be as worried about it getting too hot. Blue Cheese Makes about 4 cups 1- pound sour cream ½ - pound cream cheese 1 package ranch dip mix or dressing mix. (1oz) 2 tbs chives   Let sour cream soften at room temperature for about an hour. Still should be covered and rapped, but just leave it on the counter.   Mix sour cream, cream cheese together. Make sure that the cream cheese is well mixed in.  Then add the cheese crumble and chives. Goes great with: buffalo-sauced anything, vegetables like carrots or celery, and Dakota Style kettle potato chip. Chees

In case you have been living under a rock, the Jackrabbits (6-1, 3-0) are hosting the Bison (7-0, 3-0) in Brookings in the annual Dakota Marker game.  Also, in case you weren't aware, ESPN's College GameDay will be here.  The long term effects of hosting GameDay are unknown but the short term effects are a sold out stadium, free publicity for SDSU and Brookings, and more hype for a single game than I can remember.  Huge week, no other way around it! The Bison are who they usually are.  Good offense, great defense.  The faces change but the recipe is the same.  The Bison want to control the ball on offense and on defense they want to get you into 3rd and long and bring the heat.  When you boil it down, it is simple but it is hard to do.  Matt Entz is in his first year as the head coach after serving as the defensive coordinator for the Bison.  The Bison graduated 24 seniors from last years National Championship team but the replacements have stepped right in without missing

The Jacks (6-1, 3-0) came away with a 42-23 victory over Indiana State (3-4, 1-2) on Saturday in a game that felt like it was never really in doubt.  In what has now become the norm, the Jacks at times played like an unstoppable machine but also like a team who sometimes can't get out of its own way.  Maybe this is just who this team is in 2019, we are seven games in after all.  They can obviously be better and if they put it together for an entire game, watch out! Overall, I'm really proud of this team for just taking care of business this week.  They came off of a huge emotional win at YSU and have NDSU next week.  Indiana State is down so nobody would be shocked if they had stumbled through this one.  There were some plays that weren't pretty but overall they took care of business in a 19 point victory. Rants & Raves Rave: The #Chaingang (defensive line) had a huge game on Saturday.  They were credited for 6 of the 8 sacks that the Jackrabbit defense earned. 

As the week has gone along I am becoming more and more nervous for this game.  Maybe it is because our fans are already marking this down as a "W."  Maybe it is because I have watched too much Indiana State on ESPN+ and am over analyzing.  Maybe it is because we are coming off a super physical game against YSU.  Don't get me wrong, I think the Jacks will win but I also see plenty of reasons why they may not.  Even if this game is close, I'm nervous how our fans will react given the fact that USD beat ISU 38-0 just two weeks ago. What to Watch 1. This will be a big test for the Jackrabbit run defense.  They have been pretty good against the run for most of the year.  Indiana State's third string quarterback appears more mobile then their second stringer and he gave Western Illinois fits in the second half.  Indiana State also has a very big offensive line and a solid trio of running backs.  Last week against Western Illinois, their offensive line took over in

The Jackrabbits (5-1, 2-0) hit the road for the second consecutive week and travel to Terre Haute, Indiana to take on the Indiana State University Sycamores (3-3, 1-1).  Indiana State came to Brookings last year and nearly upset the Jackrabbits behind strong performances from Ja'Quan Keys and Ryan Boyle.  Unfortunately for the Sycamores, Keys graduated and Boyle is out for the season due to injury.  Indiana State has been up and down this season on both sides of the ball so this week really depends on who shows up for the Sycamores.  Indiana State should have beat Kansas in the opener but then they lost to non-scholarship Dayton in their second game.  They now have won 3 of their last 4 but got thumped by USD in their loss and didn't win convincingly in their other three contests. Kurt Mallory is in his third season as the head coach and he has seemingly brought some energy to the beleaguered Sycamores.  They have done better on the recruiting front and were a lot of peop

That was  a wild one!  The Jacks (5-1, 2-0) came back from a 14-3 halftime deficit to defeat Youngstown State (4-2, 0-2).  The first half was not pretty and it sure felt like this was going to be the annual "game where the Jacks don't show up" game.  But... it was not and it was pretty exciting. Rants & Raves Rave: The Jacks stuck with the run, even when they were down and it all added up in the 4th quarter.  The team finished with 213 yards on 40 attempts on the ground and constantly tested the interior of the YSU defense.  The runs in the first half didn't go for big gains but they were certainly body blows that added up.  As I shared in the YSU preview, they are playing two defensive ends out of position at defensive tackle.  Their quickness was evident but eventually the bulk of the #605Hogs got the best of them. Rant: Penalties.  What the heck was that first half?  A personal foul, two running into the returner, an unsportsmanlike conduct, two block

The Jacks hit the road to face Youngstown State University.  YSU comes in at 4-1 and fresh off their first loss of the season at UNI. 1. YSU Defensive Line vs. Jackrabbit Offensive Line As we detailed in the podcast and the blog, YSU's defensive line is weird this year.  Their entire defensive line rotation is actually all defensive ends.  They don't have the beef that they normally do at the defensive tackle position.  However, it appears that the four starters are creating havoc and have been pretty effective vs. the run.  It reminds me of LIU.  I rewatched YSU's matchups with UNI and Duquesne. For the most part, they are sound against the run.  However, if the offensive linemen can get into the defensive tackles they are movable and there has been some running lanes that you can drive a semi through.  As you can expect, the lateral and stretch plays on the perimeter were not as effective.  The Jackrabbit offensive line has been inconsistent in 2019.  They have be

Let’s see here. What tasty food will I want this weekend? The tailgate for this old cat will be taking place in my living room. That creates an added benefit because this recipe can be slow smoked or baked. I am going slow smoke this myself but will leave a little love note on the bottom for those without a smoker. Also, it is about to be clearance time at all major retailers so, if you have an interest in smoking or want to try smoking…… I would recommend low key comments on your facebook page. Maybe a passive aggressive comment at Thanksgiving. I think my Turkey is alright, but if someone got me a new smoker, it would be a whole lot better. (Looking at dad or mom 😊 ) Just kidding, I already have 5 smokers. That is enough, but who are we kidding. I could use another. Who can have too many smokers? Alright, I got off track back to the meatloaf…….. Ingredients: 2lbs ground beef ¼ Ground Sausage 1 Cup bread crumbs 1 cup milk 2 tbsp onion, chopped ½ tsp ground sage 1 tsp

The Jackrabbits head out to Youngstown, Ohio to face Youngstown State University, their longest road trip of the season, to take on the 4-1 Penguins who are coming off their first loss of the season.  YSU is always a phyiscal game on both sides of the ball.  The Jacks have won 8 of the last 10 games against YSU but lost in their last visit to the Ice Castle in 2017 (7-19).  As usual, YSU is fairly undisciplined with 39 penalties for 407 yards on the season. Bo Pelini is in his fifth season and the last two seasons have not lived up to the early success of his tenure at YSU. Offense The YSU offense is predicated on the run.  This has been true for as long as Bo Pelini has been the coach.   This year they are rushing for 248 yards per game but were held to just 55 yards on the ground this past week against UNI.  They are passing for 180.2 yards per game and went for 239 yards against UNI.  On the season they have been pretty good on 3rd down, converting on 46% of their opportunitie