Jackrabbit Illustrated

For some reason, I haven't created a dedicated post about where the 2021 class is in terms of recruiting.  We are less than a week away from signing day and the Jackrabbit class is nearly complete!  Below is a running list of commits.  As the class wraps up, we will continue to update.  #Jack21nvasion  Offense QB- Cade Rice , 6'3, 205,  Engelwood, Ohio (Northmont) Offers: Rhode Island, Fordham, Bryant, Elon, Bucknell, Illinois State COMMITTED to South Dakota State University! #jack21nvasion #GoJacks pic.twitter.com/7plusYBq5F — CADE RICE (@cader1ce) December 2, 2020 RB- Amar Johnson , 5'11, 180, St. Louis, Missouri (Chaminade College Prep) Offers: Miami OH (FBS), University of Tennessee Martin, Missouri State, Murray State, Indiana State AGTG! Committed #UNO pic.twitter.com/uF7F4hsGzN — Amar Johnson (@Amar_Johnson1) September 19, 2020   RB- Josh Buri , 5'11, 210, Brookings, South Dakota Offers: USD, UND, most of the NSIC  I am blessed to anno...

The new December signing day makes the February signing day feel different, but still super exciting for those of us who follow recruitment carefully.  For all of you wet blankets out there, yes, we don't truly know how good a class is until a few years down the road.  Yes, high school dominance doesn't always translate to college success.  However, getting new talent into your program is exciting and is something that should be celebrated.  These young student athletes are making a big decision and choosing to be a part of a culture, a program, and a tradition of success.  Lets celebrate that instead of raining on the parade. With that being said, here are the additions from today's signing day. RB: Jefferson Lee V , 5'9 190, Marshall, MN FB: Mike Morgan , 6'3 210, New Lenox, IL (Lincoln-Way) WR: Jadon Janke , 6'3 190, Madison, SD WR: Jaxon Janke ,6'3 195, Madison, SD OL: Zach Collins , 6'3 297, Fridley, MN (Totino-Grace) DE: Alex Parrella...

It has been awhile since I've had the chance to share much news on football.  With only a handful of scholarships left, the late signing period doesn't have a ton of buzz around it.  However, the quality sure is there even if the quantity is not.   I know the coaches are really excited about the players who recently verballed and also about the ones who currently hold offers.  Let's kick it off with the two most recent verbals. DL- Matt Borowicz , 6'4 255, Lakeville, MN (Lakeville South) Participated in the Minnesota Prep All-Star game Another big-framed kid that will be able to add weight and make an impact on the interior Sheds blocks well and locates the ball carrier FB- Mike Morgan , 6'3 210, New Lenox, IL (Lincoln-Way) First team All-State in the 7a Division 1140 rushing yards to go with 20 TDs Runs hard, not afraid of contact, catches the ball well out of the backfield The Jackrabbits still have offers out to two linebacker prospects ...

Now that we are just one day away, it is time to put a bow on this week.  There are tons of rumors swirling online that JMU could be without their starting tight end, Jonathan Kloosterman, who is primarily a blocker and also starting corner Curtis Oliver may not play.  JMU is banged up but still incredibly talented.  Most of the prognosticators are favoring JMU by a touchdown or less.  I still think the Jacks win this game but I am expecting a battle. 3 Matchups to Watch 1. Jackrabbit pass rush vs. JMU QB Bryan Schor The Jackrabbits pass rush has picked up the second half of the season.  I would hope the Jacks would follow the formula they used to stymie NDSU.  Stop the run on 1st & 2nd down and then apply pressure and force the QB to leave the pocket and throw on the run.  Against Weber State it appeared that Schor really struggled throwing on the move.  I hope the Jacks attack with the same game plan.  Ryan Earith, Kellen Soulek,...

See you next week Jackrabbits! #GoJacks pic.twitter.com/D7DEmRiqDG — Jackrabbit_Illstrtd (@JackIllustrated) December 3, 2017 What a beautiful day!  As many fans have noted, it was just a fun atmosphere on Saturday.  Most fans that I visited with were confident in the win and that the Jacks were going to redeem themselves and get revenge on a good UNI team.  The fans that were in attendance were active and engaged. 3 Matchups to Watch Revisited 1. Jordan Brown vs. #10 Daurice Fountain This matchup was a battle. All. Day. Long.  Fountain finished with 3 receptions for 28 yards and 1 TD.  The touchdown catch was a terrific play by Fountain as him and Brown were both battling fiercely for the ball.  However, Fountain was held without a reception for the entire second half. This was a big win for Jordan and a big win for the Jacks defense. 2. Charlie Harmon and Tyler Weir vs. #99 Adam Reth and #7 Rickey Neal This matchup was much more even than...

After a bye week, the Jackrabbit football team returns to action to face MVFC rival, UNI.  Jackrabbit fans may want to forget the ugly Hobo Day defeat but there are many lessons to be learned.  Here are the Rants & Raves from that game which was more of a pep-talk then anything.  Since winning in Brookings, UNI finished with wins against Youngstown, USD, Missouri State, and Indiana State with their only loss coming in Fargo to the Bison.  They also notched a dominate first round victory over Monmouth, of the Big South Conferene, by a score of 46-7.   UNI is certainly playing much better than they were before the first matchup with SDSU; which most UNI fans would associate as the turning point of their season. Offense As much as UNI has changed since the first meeting they still do many things the same way.  They come in scoring 30 points per game.  While performing really well in the red-zone scoring on 44 of 47 attempts.  They...

In the past week the Jackrabbits have added two outstanding players.  The class is rounding in to shape with less than a month to go until the early signing period.  Great work to the coaches for compiling such an outstanding class.  A dream come true🐰🐰 #JacksNat18n pic.twitter.com/DlW21Co76j — Mike Timm (@mikest18) November 20, 2017 LB: Mike Timm ,  6'0 220, Wales, WI (Kettle Moraine High School) Mike first visited SDSU last spring during his spring break.  He got a tour from former-QB and current offensive GA Zach Lujan.  On the visit he loved the genuine feel of the people, all the coaches said "hi" to him and his family regardless of position.  This culture really had an impact. Mike was a finalist for the "John Anderson Award" which is given to the top Senior linebacker in Wisconsin.  He was also named the Defensive MVP for his conference. Came to summer camp and took another campus visit for UNI and Hobo Day this fall Plans to...

Where did this regular season go?  It feels like I was just at the first practice back in July sweating in the sun.  This has been another great season for the Missouri Valley Football Conference, the top conference in the FCS.  As we move to the post-season I thought it would be fun to create a "Jackrabbit Illustrated All-Conference Team." I set out creating this list and thought it wouldn't be too hard.  However, certain positions really created some problems.  Quarterback, wide receiver, and linebacker especially.  Streveler was the most valuable player for his team and ultimately that is why I went with him.  At wide receiver, the MVFC has some amazing players.  I went with Wieneke over others who have greater stats because of the double coverage he faced nearly every week.  I left Deluca off of the list because he didn't seem to hit his stride until about halfway through the conference season.  Still a great player but Taylor...

What a game!  It certainly wasn't pretty at times but that is often how rivalry games play out.  The Jacks beat a good Coyote team in front of a packed Dakota Dome.  The Jacks made their share of mistakes and left points on the field but they found a way to win and that is what matters. 3 Matchups to Watch Revisited 1.  The 3 Amigos vs. the USD secondary Jake finished with 2 receptions for 80 yards and 2 TDs, including a vintage 69 yard catch and run after bouncing off two defenders.  However, Jake did have 4 drops, tough catches, but drops none the less.  Dallas had 11 receptions for 117 yards including an epic catch for a first down late in the game.  Taryn had a good day with his legs and arm, rushing for 38 and throwing for 299 and 3 TDs.  But he did miss on a few throws that I'm sure he'd like to have back.  This was a big win for SDSU.     2. The Jackrabbit offensive line vs. the USD defensive line This was a good matc...

This game week has drug along.  The anticipation for both fan bases is huge.  The trash talk between fan bases is getting to the point where it is no longer friendly.  Saturday, 2pm, needs to get here now.   Besides the off-field garbage, there is so much to play for.  SDSU with a win, could be a 4, 5, or 6 seed. They would also share the MVFC conference title for the 2nd year in a row if NDSU were to lose to Illinois State. USD with a win would basically assure itself a spot in the playoffs.  They would also clinch their first winning record in MVFC play.  USD would have an outside shot of getting a seed and having a first round bye if they were to win.  This is by far the biggest matchup since the rivalry renewed 5 years ago in terms of playoff implications for both teams. 3 Matchups to Watch 1.  The 3 Amigos vs. the USD secondary Taryn, Jake, and Dallas have picked up this nickname from opposing coaches on the MVFC conference call....

Did you know that the Jackrabbit came before the Coyote?  I'm not just talking the transition to Division 1, I'm talking creation.  The oldest rabbit fossil is 53 million years old .  The oldest coyote fossil is just a mere 38 thousand years old .  Again, Jackrabbits before Coyotes. In all seriousness, the Showdown Series that will be played in Vermillion this coming Saturday has huge implications for both squads.  If USD loses 4 out of their final 5 games and finishes 7-4, they may be in danger of missing the playoffs, especially with so many other schools on the bubble.  If they win, they are in, no doubt.  If SDSU loses, they likely lose their seed and would play a game on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.  If they win, they likely will be a 4-5 seed, have a bye, and could host multiple playoff games.  This rivalry didn't need any more fuel but knowing all this is on the line should only add to it. In only his second season, Bob Ni...

Illinois State is coming into this game absolutely believing that they can win and they are playing for the playoff lives.  Realistically they need 1 win in the next two weeks to get to seven wins and likely guarantee their spot.  The Jackrabbits will need to start fast, break their spirit, and put them away.  In their losses, Illinois State has been a terrible second half team.  It looks like beautiful weather now for Saturday and it shouldn't be a factor in the outcome. 3 Matchups to Watch 1. The Lawfirm (Brown, Johnson, Lewis, and Anderson) vs.  Willie Edwards and DraShane Glass It is likely that Illinois State's outstanding corner, Davontae Harris, will be matched up with Jake Wieneke for most of the game.  The other Illinois State corners, Willie Edwards and DraShane Glass, are quality corners; Glass has 1 INT in each of the past two games.  Last week against WIU, receivers and tight ends not named Jaelon Acklin totaled 14 receptions for ...