Favorite Jack

[jackrabbit1979]

Just something to talk about until the weekend and Cal Poly, with the amount of contributors to the board i thought it would be interesting (and a little bit of a history lesson for us younger guys) to hear who everybody remembered as their favorite jacks football player of all time. One that popped into my head the other night when listening to the Southern game and Coaette being everywhere was Sterne Akin, man that guy seemed to carry the defense by himself most of the time, and he was a joy to watch with his intensity. I believe he was from Aberdeen and must have graduated in 98 or 99. Anyone else care to partake, if not i guess i was just rambling. ;D ;D

[JackJD]

Re: Favorite Jack

Okay, I'll put in two cents' worth: Lynn Boden from the real early 70s...he was an excellent college player but the real story was when he was drafted and then played a few years in the pro's. I remember watching him on TV and the announcers getting a kick out of the holding penalties assessed against him. One announcer said something like "he'll have to learn to hide it better than that!"

[SDSUFAN]

Re: Favorite Jack

Josh Ranek without a question of players since 1986 which was the first year I was close enough to Brookings to watch the home games.  Josh seemed to be the guy who never gave up on running plays. When our guys controlled the line, Josh had a great day in racking up yards.

Dan Sonek was another good back and Ranek broke most of his Sonek's records.

There have been a ton of lineman that just have not gotten the credit they deserve.  Right now Tom Higbee is a very good center, but in a matter of a few years, we will be trying to remember his name.

From the Ginn era, there were a number of great running fullbacks starting with Pete Retzlaff, Bob Betz, Al Breske, Mike Breske's father, and finally Joe Thorne who lost his life very early in the Viet Nam war. I am sure I left out some one here, but we seem to have  a legacy of individual good players and above average teams.   It should be an equal balance.

[SDSUFAN]

Re: Favorite Jack

BTW, Lynn Boden is the only D2 player to be selected in the first round of the NFL draft. I sure if you study the media guide in detail, you will know this.

[OK_Jackrabbit]

Re: Favorite Jack

This is a great idea for a thread. Thanks jackrabbit1979. I'm going to mention a couple, and they go back a few years:

When I was four or five, my dad took my picture with Clyde Hagen. Clyde let me put his helmet on. Those teams, 1968, 1969 are the first Jackrabbit teams that I remember watching and it was a big thrill to meet Clyde. So I'll put Clyde Hagen at the top of my list.

Then there was a stretch of years from 1979 to 1987 or '88 when there were a bunch of great quarterbacks that I remember fondly, including Gary Maffett, Mike Law, Mike Busch, and Ted Wahl.

Maffett was a student teacher and coach at BHS when I was in high school (of course he's the longtime head football coach there). He is a great guy, and I remember him throwing passes to us that hurt our hands when we caught them. He was my event coach in track and field, too, and really had his hands full motivating me, but he did it.

I'll rank Gary Maffett as my second all time favorite Jackrabbit.

[89rabbit]

Re: Favorite Jack

It is strange how similar your's and my story are OK_Jackrabbit.  My favorite Jackrabbit is one that I met at the spring game after we moved back to Brookings (Dad was in the Army).  He was very cool and talked to a pre-teen kid for awhile and posed for a picture.  So for me it is Loinel Macklin.

Loinel was a WR that my other favorite Jackrabbit Gary Maffett threw to a lot, or at least I remember it that way.  Maffett for many of the same reasons that OK_Jackrabbit listed and he is a great guy.  The 1979 team that those two played on was great, really fun to watch.

Lastly I have always had a special place in my heart for Jim Langer.  Although to young to remember Jim as a Jack, I do remember him playing in the Pros and since I played center in middle school (moved to guard and LB in HS, although I did play some center on the second team)  I looked up to Jim.  

So for me it is:

Loinel Macklin
Gary Maffett
Jim Langer

There have been many other that I have enjoyed watching over the years but these are my top three.

Go State!  ;D

[Alumguy]

Re: Favorite Jack

My top ten:

1) Josh Ranek
2) Jim Langer (only NCC member in Hall of Fame)
3) Adam Timmerman
4) Pete Retzlaff
5) Wayne Rasmussen (10 years with Detroit Lions)
6) Jeff Tiefenthaler (has most receiving records)
7) Len Spanjers (3 time NCC selection, MVP of league)
8) Frank Kelly (Knute Rockne said he would have been
an All-American if he played at Notre Dame)
9) Dan Sonnek
10) Weert Englemann

[CatchEmAll_Guy]

Re: Favorite Jack

With a shorter history of following the team my selections are a little more recent. Josh Ranek was probably the most exciting player to watch even though I don't think I saw him play an entire season healthy. Doug Miller was a favorite because I played during his junior and senior seasons and got to see up close what he could do on the field. Every time the defense stepped out on the field you would watch Doug to see what kind of plays he would make.

1. Josh Ranek
2. Doug Miller
3. Adam Timmerman - greatly influenced the way we ran the ball

My sentimental favorite - Steve Heiden. Tight ends are always over looked because they're not quite linemen, not quite receivers. ;D

[1stRowFANatic]

Re: Favorite Jack

Many of mine have already been listed, but you have to add Adam Vinatieri to the list even though most people probably remember him for what he did in the pros, and not at SDSU.

[Dakota]

Re: Favorite Jack

Jeff Tiefenthaler and Mike Buch on my list

[jackmd]

Re: Favorite Jack

Josh Ranek without a doubt. Wonderful person and a great FB player. I worked with his mother (PA/FNP) at the Tyndall clinic during my med school days. Great family.

[Mike_H]

Re: Favorite Jack

Wayne Rassmussen was one of my favorite players on the Lions, and it was not until I moved up here that I found out he was from SDSU. I have had the pleasure of meeting him a few times, which has been a real highlight for me.

I have to say one of my recent favorites was Doug Miller. I saw him win the slam dunk title at the 3 Class Shoot Out in Mitchell after his senior year in high school, and was surprised at the time he was going to play football in college. He was a playmaker for the Jacks, and then carried that ability over to the pro's with San Diego. This past weekend I got to see the display Bob Laskowski put together on sports history in the Rapid City area at the Journey Museum. One of the many outstanding displays featured Doug. His parents have kept all of his clippings, pictures, jerseys, etc., and they were gracious enough to loan them to Bob for this exhibit. It was one of the displays that brought tears to my eyes.

[91rabbit]

Re: Favorite Jack

My era at State overlapped with many of the great players mentioned in previous posts (86-91). I knew and liked Doug Miller very well. He hung out at our house frequently. I can still remember when one of my housemates called with the bad news. The same friend was also the messenger when Adam Timmerman's dad died. So now whenever he calls I expect the worst.

Anyway, Doug was one of most gifted athletes one could ever meet and a heck of a good guy.

[SDSUFAN]

Re: Favorite Jack

Its hard to argue with Alumguy's top ten. Historically it captures it all. I think the few who have made the NFL have had excellent work ethics that can not be duplicated by D1A programs.

I recall someone, but the name entirely escapes me felt that many good NFL players come from D2 and NAIA Schools. Not only because of their exceptional work ethics, but also because they leave their college with still some undeveloped talent that the NFL can mold to fit their programs.  He went on cite that many UNL Huskers do not make it in the NFL because they are maxed out in the talent  area, and have given it all to a college program.

I dont think anyone disagree that all the NFL Jacks did become better players after experiencing the NFL. This would include Lynn Boden and his obvious holding miscues cited by JackJD.

[Rabbitlivinginverm]

Re: Favorite Jack

My list consist of more recent Jacks that may not have made a huge name for themselves...not in any particular order...

Brock Zierdan, tackle about 5 years ago-he was a man amongst boys in the short time he played.

Ranek, for the obvious reasons

Danny Nelson, RB around 1990-he was running the ball when I started going to SDSU games

Kyle Haroldson, LB 98-02-lived with this guy, crazy as hell as all LB's should be. Great on the field leader but injuries killed his career. Something to note on him and Couatte...Couatte got his chance his freshman year when Kyle's season was ended due to injury.

Josh Davis, great WR, fun to watch.

Heiden

Anybody remember Tom O'Brien. He was a punter in the late '90s. He wasn't afraid to put a lick on somebody, punted balls into the stands during 1/2 time, and would throw his helmet 25 yards if he schanked a punt...hilarious, he's got to be up there ;D

Brett Beran. The little WR from Omaha, same era as Heiden. Same type of WR as Davis is now.