BROOKINGS — Moments after defeating Montana 23-3 in the 2023 national championship game, South Dakota State coach Jimmy Rogers declared his defense the best in FCS history.
It was hard to find fault with the statement.
The Jackrabbits had just completed a four-game playoff run in which they'd allowed 15 total points — a second round shutout of Mercer, 12 points in the quarterfinals against Villanova, a shutout of Albany in the semifinals, and then the title tilt in Frisco, where the Grizzlies band never got the chance to play the fight song after a touchdown.
Across 15 games, SDSU held its opponents to 9.3 points per game, the lowest ever by a national champion.
But with the graduation of linebackers Jason Freeman, Isaiah Stalbird and Saiveon Willimason, cornerback DyShawn Gales and linemen Cade Terveer, Quinton Hicks, Brian Williams, Ryan Van Marel and Caden Johnson, Rogers was willing to lower expectations at least a little bit for 2024. The goal was certainly to be a national championship caliber defense once again, but Rogers knew it would be unfair to compare them to the 2023 team, and said more than once heading into the year that he didn't expect them to once again hold their opponents to fewer than 10 points per game.
Then came the season opener at Oklahoma State, and the Jacks gave up 44 points in a loss to the Big 12 foe. The Cowboys had a loaded offense expected to be one of the best at the FBS level, so nobody really panicked at the result. But three-plus months later, as the Jacks prepare to host Montana in the second round of the FCS playoffs, it would appear that season opener perhaps skewed the potential of this defense.
Last year's unit never had to play an FBS team, and allowed 9.3 points per game. This year, if you throw out the loss to Oklahoma State, the Jacks defense has allowed... wait for it... 9.5 points per game.
They shut out Southeast Louisiana, would have shut out Augustana were it not for a special teams gaffe, and held Northern Iowa, Murray State, North Dakota and Missouri State all in single digits. They held North Dakota State to 13 points (in a loss) and USD to 14 in regulation of a 20-17 overtime win. No. 6 Incarnate Word was the only FCS team to reach 20 points against the Jacks in a 45-24 loss back in September.
So while the names and faces are different in a lot of places, the Jacks are pretty close to right where they were a year ago when their coach was boldly proclaiming them the best ever.
"I feel like we're right up there with some of the greatest teams we've had here," said senior linebacker Adam Bock. "There was a lot of talk in preseason about who we lost and what the defense accomplished last year. We took it as we're our own team and we're gonna write our own story. We knew we had the guys to do it. It wasn't like we needed to play at (last year's) pace. Let's just play our best football and see how it shakes out."
It's shaken out quite well. Bock has stayed healthy for the first time since 2021 and once again been a rock in the middle. Meanwhile Caleb Francl emerged as one of the best in the conference alongside Bock, earning first team all-conference honors and getting SDSU's nomination for defensive player of the year. Graham Spalding has also been solid at the other outside spot.
Dalys Beanum has continued to be one of the most consistent cover men in the country at corner, while Colby Humphrey, a transfer from Northern Arizona, has held down the spot across from Beanum.
Safety was supposed to be the deepest group on this team, and that depth has been tested with long-term injuries to Cale Reeder, Colby Huerter and Tucker Large. They've survived thanks to Matthew Durrance, Kolten Tilford and Noah Thompson stepping up, and now Large is back healthy.
Defensive line had questions as well, but the Jacks have thrived up front by continuing their tradition of prioritizing depth and sharing of reps over relying on singular stars. Jarod DePriest, Kobe Clayborne, Dawson Ripperda, Max Baloun, Aaron Wolfcale-Holsten, Levi Vanden Bos, Randy Keumogne and Logan Green have all been strong contributors.
The Jacks have been effective at stopping the run (90.5 yards per game, 3.0 yards per carry, six rushing touchdowns) and slowing the pass (182 yards per game, eight touchdown passes, 11 interceptions) while notching 26 sacks, holding offenses to a 28 percent success rate on third downs and stiffening up in the red zone as well. Opponents have invaded the SDSU red zone 23 times and scored just eight touchdowns while coming away with zero points seven times.
"I feel really good about how far we've come," Rogers said. "If you take out the Oklahoma State game we'd be right where we were last year, so not much has changed. I'm proud of the effort and how we've been able to continue to improve."
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