SDSU opened their 2025 football season with the annual Spring Game at the Sanford-Jackrabbit Athletic Complex.
The scrimmage was Dan Jackson’s first time at the helm of the team after being appointed to head coach back in December.
Former head coach Jimmy Rodgers left after the 2024 season to take the Washington State head coaching job, taking over a dozen Jackrabbit players with him. Additional losses to the transfer portal included Mark Gronowski (Iowa) and Griffin Wilde (Northwestern).
The scrimmage featured a sneak peek into who might fill the gaps.
Jack Henry started the opening drive under center, but the offense struggled early, resulting in a quick three-and-out, earning the defense three points for its stop.
On the second drive, senior Chase Mason connected with redshirt freshman Jack Smith for the offense’s first down. Running back Nate White gained ten yards on a handoff, but a trick play involving a reverse to Elijah Ervin ended in an incomplete pass.
The drive stalled, leading to a fourth-and-five situation. Mason executed a read option, scrambling for a first down to the seven-yard line. The offense eventually scored three points with a field goal by Anthony Erickson.
Jack Amer took over for the third drive but faced pressure from the Jackrabbit defense. Defensive end Dawson Ripperda broke free, forcing Amer to roll out, where he was hit by linebacker Joe Ollman, resulting in another three-and-out. The defense held a 6-3 lead.
The fourth and fifth drives yielded no points for the Jackrabbit offense, while the defense added three points each time. The sixth drive saw an 11-play effort capped off with a seven-yard rushing touchdown by Brenden Begeman, followed by a successful extra point, putting the offense ahead 10-9.
During the seventh drive, the offense faced a fourth-and-three. They opted to go for it, but Jack Henry’s pass was intercepted by junior Dontay Jackson, who took it 65 yards to the house.
Mason started drive eight with a five-yard run followed by a 12-yard completion to Sammy Dresie. Transfer Nate White finished it off with a two-yard touchdown run to bring the score to 16-15.
The next two drives simulated end-of-game scenarios, starting with 1:21 left on the clock and the score set at 17-21, with the offense trailing. Chase Mason launched a deep shot to Elijah Ervin, completing a pass to the 15-yard line, but an incomplete pass followed, leading to a diving interception by Jalen B Lee.
On the second attempt, Mason again faced challenges, including an incomplete pass. However, the offense managed to convert a fourth-and-ten with a catch by Jack Smith. Quick completions to Sammy Dresie and Jack Smith positioned the Jackrabbits at the 19-yard line with 33 seconds remaining. Mason threw toward the end zone where Dresie made a spectacular one-handed catch for a touchdown.
As the spring game resumed, Tak Tateoka took the reins. The offense gained just nine yards on three plays, leading to a crucial fourth-and-one. Aiming to convert, they ran it up the middle with Brenden Begeman, but he was stopped short by Brody Targgart and Mac Muller, making the score 18-16.
Abe Hoskins III finished the scrimmage with an interception on the first play of the final drive to propel the defense with a 24-16 victory.
SDSU’s first official game of the season is against Sacramento State on Saturday, August 30, at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium.
