The South Dakota State football team ended their spring camp last Saturday with the annual spring game inside the Sanford Jackrabbit Athletic Complex (SJAC).
The spring game not only gives the fans an early glimpse of what to expect this fall, but also a chance to see and learn about some new faces who could play a huge role next season.
Coming off their second straight national championship, the Jacks lost 15 starters from last year’s squad, including eight starters on offense.
The replacements don’t just stop with the players, but also coaching staff as well.
After losing Zach Lujan to Northwestern, the Jacks promoted offensive line coach Ryan Olson and brought in former North Dakota Offensive Coordinator Danny Fruend to be the new Offensive Coordinator and Co-Offensive Coordinator, respectively.
Barring a change of plans, the biggest piece expected to return to Brookings for one more season is the quarterback that’s led the team to Frisco three out of the last four years, Mark Gronowski.
Gronowski, the reigning Walter Payton Award winner played only one series of the spring game, but drove the newly formed offense right down the field on the opening possession for one of the three touchdown drives on the day.
The 12 play, 65-yard drive included Gronowski completing all five pass attempts for 38 yards and handing off to running back Angel Johnson for the two-yard touchdown.
From that point on the revamped defense got a chance to shine allowing just one first down in the next four possessions. Players like linebacker Cullen McShane, Aaron Kusler, and defensive end Dawson Ripperda really showed out in their increased roles.
McShane recorded a sack and two tackles-for-loss, Ripperda recorded four tackles and three sacks alone, and Kusler flew to the football on back-to-back plays forcing a pass break-up and a tackle for a short gain.
Toward the end of the first half, second string quarterback Chase Mason began to show flashes of his excellent arm strength and accuracy.
Mason, a former college baseball player turned quarterback, connected on a few downfield, tight window passes to receivers Griffin Wilde and Kentrell Prejean that got quite the reactions from fans in attendance.
Prejean was Mason’s favorite target on the field, completing three passes for 60 yards and a touchdown on the last drive of the half.
Mason would finish the day completing seven of his eight passes for 110 yards and a touchdown. Prejean would rack up six catches for 95 yards and a score as well.
The second half was, for the most part, stagnant with even newer and younger guys getting a chance to play but was highlighted by a 70-yard touchdown run from redshirt freshman running back Brendan Begeman.
The Selby, S.D. native, who finished his high school career as South Dakota’s all-time leading rusher at 6,807 yards, ran the ball six times for a game-high 80 yards in the contest.
The offense had taken a 21-17 lead with a little over two minutes to go, so for dramatic effect, the defense was spotted another seven points to simulate a game-like two-minute drill.
In the final possession of the game, quarterback Jon Bell drove the offense down to the 28-yard line before quarterback Jeff Becker would come in to finish out the possession. Becker would then be intercepted by true freshman safety Trey Ridley on his second pass attempt.
Ridley is part of the 2024 recruiting class but graduated in December to be here for spring camp.
South Dakota State football opens the 2024 season in Stillwater, Okla. Saturday, Aug. 31 against Oklahoma State. Start time is still to be determined.