South Dakota State finished 9-5 last year, exiting the FCS playoffs in the second round. It was the first time in the 2020s that SDSU didn’t advance to at least the semifinals.
As the page turns to the 2026 season, here’s a look at the SDSU football squad. Dan Jackson enters his second year as head coach.
Returning 2025 FCS All-Conference Players (5)
1st Team
TE Greyton Gannon
OL Quinten Christensen
P Max Pelham
2nd Team
LB Cullen McShane
Honorable Mention
LB Joe Ollman
D1 Transfer Portal Movement
Transfers Coming In From The FCS (2)
Amaje Parker (CB), VMI
Justin Lutz (LS), Weber State
Transfers Coming In From The FBS (6)
Tristan Alvano (K), Nebraska
Josh Holst (QB), Northern Illinois
Anthony Rezac (QB), Notre Dame
Cooper Starks (OL), Vanderbilt
Landon Tate (WR), Northern Illinois
Dominic Rezac (RB), Vanderbilt
Transfers Lost To The FCS (5)
Preston Otter (QB) to Cornell
Luke Womack (WR) to Northern Colorado
Andrew Price (LB) to Northern Iowa
Ernest Blackshire Jr. (LB) to Wagner
Luke Marble (QB) to West Georgia
Transfers Lost To The FBS (2)
Jalen Lee (S) to Coastal Carolina
David Alpers III (TE) to Jacksonville State
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Offensive Outlook
South Dakota State’s offense returns its starting quarterback, No. 2, 3, and 4 wide receivers, All-MVFC tight end, and four of its top six offensive linemen. The Jackrabbits lose their 1,000-yard running back and leading receiver.
SDSU’s offensive potential was derailed for the second half of last season after two of its best players suffered injuries. The Jacks were 7-0 in Chase Mason‘s debut season as the starting quarterback. And he found a favorite target in Lofton O’Groske, who showed flashes of being among the best wide receivers in the FCS as a sophomore. The two were sidelined with injuries midseason, coinciding with a four-game losing streak as the Jacks went from No. 2 nationally to on the playoff bubble.
In nine games, Mason went 146/225 (64.9%) for 2,005 yards, 15 touchdowns, and four interceptions while rushing for 174 yards and six TDs. In six games, O’Groske caught 27 passes for 355 yards and four scores. They both return in 2026 and eye All-American seasons.
The wide receiver position also returns Grahm Goering, who has 1,187 career receiving yards, including 656 last year on 43 catches to finish No. 2 on the team. Jack Smith added 33 catches for 396 yards and four touchdowns as a redshirt freshman, while current redshirt freshman Landon Dulaney is another young prospect with a high ceiling. As the Jacks go at least four-deep at wide receiver, they also bring back First Team All-MVFC tight end Greyton Gannon, who had 33 receptions for 372 yards and three touchdowns. Coleman Kuntz is another returning tight end. He was limited to six games due to injury last fall after transferring from Sac State, where he had a productive couple of seasons. Kuntz is one of the better blocking tight ends for the run game.
Speaking of the run game, SDSU lacked explosiveness in the backfield and a consistent, dominant push on the offensive line in 2025.
Plenty of experience returns up front, including their top three leaders in snaps: All-MVFC First Team and All-American Quinten Christensen (6’5” 300 lbs), Freshman All-American Shane Willenbring (6’4” 305 lbs), and William Paepke (6’5” 315 lbs). Kenyon BigBow (6’5” 310 lbs) also returns after logging more than 540 snaps.
The Jacks lose 1,000-yard rusher Julius Loughridge, but return three backs who made some splashes as freshmen: Josiah Johnson (320 rush yards, 6 TDs), James Basinger (308 rush yards, 5 TDs), and Corey Blair Jr. (96 rush yards, 1 TD). SDSU also brought in D2 All-American Ramon McKinney Jr., who rushed for 1,093 yards and 15 touchdowns last year at Northeastern State. McKinney looks to add more explosiveness to the backfield.
If the o-line can take a step forward, Mason can stay healthy as the NFL hype builds, and the wide receivers can deliver on their potential, SDSU’s offense could take off this fall after a clunky 2025 season.
Defensive Outlook
SDSU brings back eight of its top 15 leaders in snaps and seven of its top 11 tacklers. The Jacks also boosted their depth, an issue last season, by bringing in multiple sub-D1 transfers with All-Conference accolades.
Linebacker will be a position of strength.
SDSU’s two leading tacklers return in All-MVFC Second Team selection Cullen McShane (88 tackles, 7.5 TFLs) and Honorable Mention Joe Ollman (94 tackles, 8.5 TFLs, 3 sacks). Kytan Fyfe and Bryce Johnson (39 tackles apiece) bring back between 235 and 340 snaps of experience as well. But perhaps the most impactful returner is Chase Van Tol, who was limited to eight games due to injury. He totaled 38 tackles, four sacks, and an interception in those contests, and a full season this year likely results in All-MVFC honors.
Logan Green (6’4” 290 lbs) anchors the d-line as the Jacks return two of their top three interior linemen. Green totaled 23 stops, 10 TFLs, and 5.5 sacks in 2025. Jace Sifore (6’4” 290 lbs) added 20 tackles, four TFLs, and three sacks. SDSU looks to have a strong defensive end duo with Dawson Ripperda (6’4” 255 lbs) and Reis Kirschenman (6’4” 265 lbs). Ripperda recorded 43 tackles, 8.5 TFLs, five sacks, and six QB hurries in 2025. Kirschenman was expected to have a big year before a season-ending injury occurred in Week 2. Blake Leiferman (6’5” 265 lbs) adds DE depth after playing more than 200 snaps last fall.
SDSU’s secondary got picked on down the stretch last season, including allowing 361 passing yards in a 50-29 second-round exit at Montana. The Jacks lose their top two safeties and top three cornerbacks from that unit (in snaps). CB Noah St-Juste (27 tackles) and S Dontay Johnson (37 tackles) return after both logged more than 325 snaps.
SDSU has found success bringing in sub-D1 transfers, with Kobe Clayborne and Jason Freeman being two recent examples. The Jacks went that route again this offseason, landing five non-D1 defensive transfers with postseason accolades.
Cornerbacks Ife Current was a 2025 All-American at Nebraska-Kearney, and Paul Kim was a two-time All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference performer for Wisconsin-Whitewater. Safety Jack Johnson earned 2025 Second Team All-Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference honors at Minnesota State, Moorhead. Linebacker Jes Krcil and defensive end Carter Sitzman arrive from Wayne State. Krcil was the 2025 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Defensive Player of the Year, while Sitzman earned back-to-back First Team All-Northern Sun accolades.
Safety Amaje Parker brings in valuable FCS experience. He logged more than 700 snaps last year at VMI, tallying 71 tackles, four TFLs, one interception, four pass breakups, and three forced fumbles.
SDSU allowed 21.9 points per game last year. It ranked a solid No. 24 in the FCS, but it was down from 13.9 PPG in 2024, a historic 9.3 in 2023, and 15.8 in 2022. The Jacks bring back most of their production from last season while adding impact transfers as they look to return to a national championship-level unit.
2026 Preseason Preview Central
South Dakota State Football Schedule
8/29 vs Stetson
9/5 at Northwestern
9/12 vs New Haven
9/19 vs Youngstown State
9/26 vs Eastern Illinois
10/3 at Illinois State
10/17 at North Dakota
10/24 vs Murray State
10/31 vs South Dakota
11/7 at Northern Iowa
11/14 at Southern Illinois
11/21 vs Indiana State
Bold indicates MVFC contests
