Jackrabbit Illustrated

The Jacks are one game into the 2023 season and came out victorious with a score of 45-7. Overall, the game went as expected and as we hoped for. The Jacks won, they stayed healthy, and the depth got plenty of in-game reps. There is also plenty to learn from!

Rants & Raves

Rave: We have to start by giving it up to the students for showing up! They filled the wedge in the southeast corner after filling their tradition areas. It sounds like it is a huge freshmen class this year on campus and I think they turned out. Now keep showing up! Overall, a crowd of 16,000+ on a Thursday night is absolutely tremendous for the fanbase. Great job Jackrabbit Nation!

Rave: Physically, this team looks improved. Bigger, stronger, faster, etc. and it seems to be across the board. I first noticed it on the kick coverage unit after the first touchdown. The transformation of some of these guys is just insane! Kudos to Coach Jacobs and staff

Rant: I thought the #605Hogs struggled with the size of the defensive line of Western Oregon. Credit to the wolves though, they used their size and leverage to really clog up the middle of the line of scrimmage and protect their linebackers. It sounds weird to say but the Jacks won’t see many teams that can match the size of the defensive line of the D2 wolves.

Rave: It was great to see Caleb Francl and Jalen Lee (OL) return from knee injuries. Francl looked like he is ready to make an impact this year and recorded 4 tackles and a TFL. 2 of the tackles occurred on special teams where he is really able to use his speed and agility. Lee looked good when he got in the game with the second offensive line. Lee is a mauler and showed some movement skills as a pulling guard.

Rave: Mark Gronowski looked like he was in complete command. He was 8/10 for 121 yards and 1 TD while adding a rushing TD that caused Jackrabbit nation to collectively hold their breath until he jumped up and celebrated. I really enjoyed seeing him work through his progressions on two different attempts. That is the next step and he showed it in week 1.

Rant: Once again, there were a few too many penalties but I didn’t think it was an egregious amount. The late hit on Williamson was such a close call. I think the RB was still in bounds but I can see why/how the referee would call it.

Rave: The secondary is going to be really good this year. Western Oregon is a team that wants to throw the ball around the field and they finished just 14 of 25 for 107 yards. The depth at both safety and cornerback appears really really good. Everyone close to the program has raved about Tucker Large and I’m glad he was able to show why, with an awesome pick-6. His teammate Colby Huerter had one of his own and looked more explosive than maybe he did in 2022!

Rave: The true freshmen that played certainly looked the part. On Thursday, I was on the Scoop on Sports Show (910 am) with JD Berreth and I mentioned 3 freshmen to watch. Griffin Wilde, Davin Stoffel, and Bryce Hawthorne. If I had mentioned a fourth, it would have been Kolton Tilford. Wilde led the team with 4 receptions for 79 yards and a TD and Hawthorne had 2 tackles but was in the backfield many many times. Tilford had an INT and a tackle and was also around the ball frequently. Stoffel played but didn’t have any catches. This is going to be a fun group!

Rant: I really wish we had seen a bit more out of Chase Mason and Jon Bell as passers. They combined to go 6 of 13 passing for 73 yards but one of those completions was a 31 yard strike from Mason to Wilde. Mason’s athleticism and ability on the ground is evident and I do hope we see a package with him like we saw with Rudy. Bell also had a 20+ yard pass that was dropped in the 4th quarter that should have been an easy TD. However, neither QB truly looked comfortable.

Rave: I liked the renaming of the Dykhouse Student Athlete Center to the Stiegelmeier Family Student Athletic Center. This makes sense because of the emphasis Stig put on both FAMILY and on the STUDENT part of the student athlete title during his time in Brookings. I liked the signage recognizing the 2022 National Championship. It looks nice and hopefully leaves room for future additions!

Rave: Some of the other changes I liked too. I loved the new team entrance. It looks like it gets the team on the field a little faster. I liked the addition of the video board on the north end. I hope they have a more permanent solution in future years but it definitely works for now.

Rave: Grahm Goering lived up to off season hype. He’s going to be a fun piece to this offense. I really loved the motion that aligned him in the backfield as a lead blocker. Certainly an interesting wrinkle to the offense!

Rave: I thought the team showed tremendous effort throughout the game. This was good to see given that the outcome of this game was never in doubt.

Rant: I don’t love how many players missed the game due to injuries. Jadon Janke, Adam Bock, Bo Donald, Marcus Preston, and Derrick Johnson all will have a role on this team (big or small). Let’s hope they heal up quickly and can make an impact!

Rave: I’m sooooo pumped for September 9th and the Montana State game. That game will provide a more accurate picture about where the 2023 version of the Jackrabbits is at. It’s going to be a fun day, the long term weather forecast looks good, and it will be two great teams on the field.

Game Balls

Offense: Griffin Wilde- I really wanted him to redshirt this season but that is not going to happen. He’s a stud and going to be really really really good.

Defense: Savion Williamson- 8 tackles and 1.5 TFL. If Bock is out for an extended period of time, Williamson will have to be the man again. I like what I saw last night!

Go Jacks!

Matt