The South Dakota State Jackrabbits football team is a Football Championship Subdivision (formerly known as Division I-AA) program that competes in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The Jackrabbits were NCAA Division II program in the North Central Conference until moving to the Football Championship Subdivision in 2004. The current head coach is John Stiegelmeier. In March 2007, SDSU initially began their Division I FCS era by being a charter member of the now defunct Great West Football Conference (along with; North Dakota State, Southern Utah, Cal Poly, UC Davis, Northern Colorado) and stayed there until 2007 when they were accepted into the Missouri Valley Football Conference and began league play in the 2008 season. South Dakota State University has invested in their football program's facilities recently as they have some of the finest amenities and facilities at the FCS level including the largest video/scoreboard in the FCS (2015) a new 19,340 seat stadium (2016), and a large state-of-the-art student athlete center in the north end zone (2010). Connected to the student athlete center is one of the largest indoor practice facilities in NCAA Division I (completed in 2014).
Maps, Directions, and Place Reviews
History
Classifications
- 1952-1972: NCAA College Division
- 1973-2007: NCAA Division II
- 2008-present: NCAA Division I-AA/FCS
Conference memberships
- 1889-1921: Independent
- 1922-2003: North Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
- 2004-2007: Great West Conference
- 2008-present: Missouri Valley Football Conference
South Dakota State Football Video
Players in the National Football League
A total of 33 Jackrabbits have played for NFL teams, including three currently:
- Adam Vinatieri - Indianapolis Colts
- Bryan Witzmann - Kansas City Chiefs
- Zach Zenner - Detroit Lions
28 Jackrabbits have been drafted in the NFL Draft. Jim Langer is the only Jackrabbit, and the only North Central Conference football player, to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Record versus Missouri Valley Football Conference
- Records current as of November 2015
FCS Playoffs results
The Jackrabbits have appeared in the FCS playoffs six times with an overall record of 4-6.
Division II Playoffs results
The Jackrabbits have appeared in the Division II playoffs one time with an overall record of 0-1.
Head coaches
Facilities
- State Field
- Coughlin-Alumni Stadium 1962-2016
- Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium 2016-present
- Sanford Jackrabbit Athletic Complex (SJAC)
- Dykhouse Student-Athlete Center (Connected to SJAC in north end zone)
In 2014, South Dakota State University started construction of a new stadium on the location of the current Coughlin-Alumni Stadium. The new stadium will have seating for 19,340 with easy expansion to 22,500.
The Sanford Jackrabbit Athletic Complex is the Jackrabbits new State-of-the-art indoor practice facility. The facility was opened on October 11, 2014. The SJAC has bleacher seating for up to 1,000 spectators and can be used for football practice, track practice, softball and baseball practice, track competitions, and other events within the SDSU athletic department. The 149,284-square foot facility is the largest indoor practice facility in Division I athletics and features an eight-lane, 300-meter track which is only one of five collegiate indoor tracks of that size in the nation. Inside the track is an 80-yard football field plus end zones at each end and is composed of a soy-based Astroturf. Within the facility it has areas for sports medicine and strength and conditioning. Sports medicine features include rehab space, a training room, weight room expansion, hydrotherapy, a football team room, offices and academic advising facilities.
All-Time statistical leaders
Single-game leaders
- Passing Yards: Dan Fjeldheim (460, 9-28-2002)
- Rushing Yards: Zach Zenner (295 2x, 11-24-2012, 9-7-2013)
- Receiving Yards: Jeff Tiefenthaler (256, 9-27-1986)
Single-Season leaders
- Passing Yards: Taryn Christion (3,369 2016^)
- Rushing Yards: Josh Ranek - (2,055 1999)
- Receiving Yards: Jeff Tiefenthaler (1,534 1986)
^ Season still ongoing.
Career leaders
- Passing Yards: Austin Sumner - (9,458 2011-2014)
- Rushing Yards: Josh Ranek - (6,744 1997-2001)
- Receiving Yards: Jake Wieneke (4,080 2014-Present)
Media coverage
All home and road games are covered on the Jackrabbit Sports Network. The broadcast range of the Jackrabbit Sports Network covers eight states (South Dakota, Minnesota, North Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, Kansas, and Wyoming), and consists of the following stations:
- WNAX 570AM (Flagship Station)
- KJJQ 910AM
- KRKI 99.1FM
- KOLY 1300AM
- KBFS 1450AM
- KGFX 1060AM
- KSDR 1480AM
The team does not have an official television partner, but Jackrabbit games have been televised on Midco Sports Net, Fox College Sports, the Big Ten Network, Fox Sports North, and local television networks.
Record against FBS competition
Overall (1-8)
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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