Jackrabbit Illustrated

Rants & Raves came out on Tuesday but I felt like I had a bit more to say about this season in general.

A. The coaching staff that Jimmy Rogers assembled turned out to be incredible. Much was made about how young the group was but I believe there are a number of future head coaches on this team. Watching how they interact with the players and teach makes me feel that they will continue to excel even with all of the graduations. Obviously, Zach Lujan is off to Northwestern but it does sound like a majority of staff will be back. It will take a few more days/weeks to know for sure though. Yes, this group of coaches inherited the best roster in the FCS but they kept them motivated and focused throughout the season and they also elevated the play of a number of the returning starters.

B. The work that Charlie Miller and his training staff did to keep guys healthy throughout the season is unbelievable. The Jacks played with virtually the same offensive line for much of the past two season something that is simply unheard of. The players rave about his training team’s ability to get them right and back on the field after injury.

C. In a similar vein, Matt Jacobs work on strength and conditioning cannot go unmentioned. We all commented on our how our guys appeared different physically a year ago in his first full season as S&C coach. I know he loves SDSU but he should certainly be a priority to retain for the Jackrabbits.

D. Again, Kris Kracht’s impact on the program is also unbelievable. I’ll never forget when Kyle Sheehan and I first started the podcast and we were recapping a season. We asked each other if we could wave a magic want and make an addition to the program what would it be. My answer was to add a mental strength coach because I had seen first hand how effective it had been at Mankato while I was there for grad school. The players frequently reference the messages Kris delivers and you can tell that they have been trained to handle adversity, manager their thoughts, and move forward.

E. The work of JFPA off the field is truly making a difference for the program. 350+ donors for the Championship Drive, the numerous improvement to the training table, the helmets, and the fun money for the program to use to get what they need have been game changers. The pictures and videos from their gathering inside The Shark Bar are pretty cool and show how much reinvestment has occurred with the former players.

F. I’m so incredibly grateful to my team for how hard they worked on our Frisco events. Brendan for his work on the live show. Ben for his work on the tailgate. Chad, Dallas, and Alex for filling in where needed on random tasks. These guys volunteer 100% of their time because they love SDSU athletics and the school itself.

G. I know many of us don’t love this whole world of collectives and what NIL has ACTULLY become vs. what it was intended to be but I am relieved that a group has started The Statement 605 Collective. Give if you are able as this will continue to help keep SDSU competitive. NIL and collectives will eventually have SOME regulation on them but for now, this is the game we have to play.

H. Doing all of this work for JI takes more time than people know. We certainly don’t do it for the money as we donate our earnings back to the JFPA and Jackrabbit athletics. I’m certainly not complaining but am being honest. Doing all of this comes at a cost to other things so with that being said, I owe, and really all of us owe, a debt of gratitude to our wives and family for their patience with us. They put up with our investment and numerous hours spent on the show, writing articles, and preparing for the show. Not to mention the ridiculous number of text messages we send each other every day. Thank you, wives and family!

I. As I wrote in Rants & Raves, I’m really going to miss this graduating group. Man, they have been fun to cover and watch.

J. I think there were some folks who thought I was writing off this upcoming 2024 season. I am not. This team graduates a lot BUT this team is loaded with talent, intriguing skill guys who have oodles of potential, and returning playmakers all over the defense. The cupboard is far from bare. I am so excited to see how some of these top recruits develop and what they can add to the team next fall. I can’t wait to introduce you to some of these guys!

K. Jackrabbit Nation continues to grow in numbers and in engagement. This year was an absolute blast and I am excited to do it again next year!

L. I am so incredibly humbled by the support for Jackrabbit Illustrated. I never ever ever dreamed it would get this big when I started it out. Sponsors! What? A newspaper interview from The Mitchell Daily Republic? Never. An interview during the pregame show on Midco with Tom Nieman? No way! People showing up to our tailgate party ? Nope. People coming to a bar to see us do a live show? Nah. It is just wild… so THANK YOU to all who choose to support us. It’s why we do what we do.

Go Jacks!

Matt