It has been a while but this was a humbling loss for the Jackrabbits.  We have known for awhile that this team has flaws and we kept saying that if they weren’t fixed they would get whipped at some point.  Saturday was that day as the Bison took care of the Jacks by a score of 38-7.  Let’s be clear though.  NDSU is a damn good team and after seeing them in person, I don’t know if they are beatable this season if they play at the level we saw on Saturday.  The Jacks had few answers.

Rants & Raves

Rave: Max Pelham was again outstanding.  He had a 49 yard average on 4 punts.

Rave: Tailgating was exceptional again!  Wow, there were a lot of people out in the Backyard!  Shoutout to Tanner Castora and Coach Stiegelmeier for holding a book signing at our spot and for everyone who stopped by.

Rant: The opening drive for the Jackrabbit defense was just inexcusable.  The crowd was absolutely amped and the team barely responded.  NDSU converted on a pair of 3rd downs moving the ball through the air and on the ground. Once into it’s own territory, NDSU used 10 straight runs to bludgeon the SDSU defense.  The #Chaingang was repeatedly moved off the LOS and it ended on a 4th and 1 with Cole Payton walking in for the touchdown.  The defensive line settled in and played better as the game went along but that opening drive really really hurt.

Rave: Lofton O’Groske made two sensational plays including his TD catch in the northwest corner.  I was right in that corner and it was an incredible throw and catch.

Rave: I really appreciate how SDSU has again adjusted it’s gameday operations for the better.  Driving around in a side-by-side and handing out wristbands, making the security process smoother, grab and go options for drinks, opening the gate in the northeast corner of the stadium to help people leave quicker.  Yesterday was a record crowd and in my experience, it went really really well.

Rant: The Jackrabbit run game continues to sputter.  The Jacks had just 43 total yards of rushing but it wasn’t for lack of trying as they had 28 attempts (1.5 ypc average).  From the field, it’s tough to tell but those who watched on TV it looks like it’s a combination of the running backs not seeing the hole or getting to the hole quick enough and at other times the offensive line just not creating the creases that are needed.  It has to get better.

Rave: I thought Jalen Lee played another good game.  Again, from the field level, it is hard to tell who is supposed to be where but he made a TD saving tackle on Bryce Lance early in the game and it looked like he had some really good plays in run support throughout.

Rave: It was great to catch up with former players Amar Johnson and Daeton Mcgaughy on the sideline during the game.  Amar is loving LA with the Chargers and Daeton is back home working.  I was able to share with Daeton so I can share with you all too but Daeton is the “model” for the JI Jerry West like logo.  Daeton had an interception return vs. UC Davis a few years ago and one of the pictures Hannah Owens, local photographer, ended up capturing was Daeton returning the ball.

Rant: It’s hard when the offense goes 3 and out on 4 straight drives to open the game but somehow and someway Coach E has to get in a rhythm more quickly. The team was down by 21 points before the offense had done anything positive.  As I have repeatedly stated on the A-Team podcast, Coach E has forgotten more than I will ever know about offensive play calling but there just has to be a way to get his young quarterback into situations he feels more comfortable.

Rave: I remember seeing Carson Wentz play in Brookings during a night game and walking away thinking, “So that’s what an NFL quarterback looks like.”  We would later see the same thing then with Dallas Goedert simply dominating at tight end, Christian Rozeboom at linebacker, and Cody Mauch and Mason McCormick along the offensive line.  There are players that just stand head and shoulders above their peers and its clear that the NFL is in their future.  Yesterday I think I saw that with Bryce Lance.  He’s incredible and I hope you appreciate what you saw (even if you don’t like it or want to cheer for it).

Rave: I thought the crowd was incredible in the first half and I think they really really tried to get going again in the 3rd quarter but it just didn’t happen on the field.

Rant: It didn’t decide the game (really) but the officiating was poor to awful in this one.  The glaring one is the hold that wasn’t called on Cole Payton’s long TD run.  That was so blatant and it came at a moment where it felt like the momentum was begging to shift towards the Jacks.  The questionable PI on Isaiah Johnson early in the game and the PI that followed on Bryce Johnson were both really really questionable with plenty of contact being initiated by the offensive player too.  And then it felt like the Jacks were not getting the same calls when they were on offense.  Again, this game was not lost because of the officials but it really stunk that it wasn’t a clean game from the stripes as well.

Rave: Shoutout to the JFPA, led by Ryan McKnight, and the monster they have created for the parent and JFPA tailgate.  There were so many people at their tailgate spot.  It reminded me of the Frisco tailgates.

Rave: I know it was a rough night but I saw enough good from Luke Marble to believe we are going to be just fine in future seasons without Chase.

Rants: On both sides of the ball, the Jackrabbits have to be better on 3rd down.  NDSU was 9 of 16 and SDSU was 3 of 11.  They just have to be better.  NDSU conversions weren’t all just on short yardage either.   The defense just has to find a way to get off the field.

Rave:  I still 100% believe in this coaching staff to keep building this program the right way.  Saturday night was humbling but certainly a growth opportunity for a team that is still fitting in all of the new pieces, learning what it means to be a Jackrabbit, and now hopefully knows that the Marker isn’t just another football game.  It’s special, it’s extra intense, and it’s usually the best opponent they will face each season.  Coach Jackson and staff are going to build this thing back up into a monster.  I fully believe that.

Game Balls

Offense: Lofton O’Groske

Defense: Cullen McShane

Special Teams: Max Pelham

Go Jacks!

Matt