Augie's Coming to Town

[RunninRabbit]

Enter the Augustana Vikings... possibly the most hated team on the Jack's schedule. They limp in with a 3-6 record after beating Minnesota State and have played nearly everyone else close as usual. This game is always scary. It's Augustana's Superbowl, year in and year out. Coach Jim Heinitz will have them ready to play, no question about it.

Yes, Chris Coauette did have a dislocated knee cap and not a high ankle sprain. I need to check my sources a little better.

I will be interesting to see how Anthony Watson responds this week in practice after his FOUR fumbles. He did have some rather impressive runs but I think Stiegelmeier was a little too positive on the radio about it after the game. I'm sure he felt horrible but four fumble shouldn't happen. Period. That game could have been a blow out.

On the upside Anthony Robinson, a JuCo running back out of California responded very well towards the end of the game.

[SDSUFAN]

Re: Augie's Coming to Town

Running Rabbit

If I could have had less than four fumbles, I would have been out on the field. Give Anthony a break.  This is his first year and he is learning I am sure. Its easy to pick on the mistakes, but the guy probably can't buy beer legally so he deserves a break.  I think he will do better in hanging on to the ball in future games. Now its on video and I would look for Augie to try and pop the ball every chance they get..  With the different kinds of blitzes that have been thrown at the Jacks with each game its hard to get yards.  

I noticed on some plays, No 76 Kasey Deaver, red shirt freshman pulls to right and prior to the ball he is left of center. His pull to the right times in with the blitz and he can some times throw a huge block. Most of Robinson and Watson's yards have happen when this scheme is run.  It does not work all the time and Deaver for some reason is quick enough to make it work. Ben Studer No 72 and co-captain and a animal apparently does not have enough speed to make that play.  Studer is usually on the sidelines when these type of plays are run.

What I am saying is SDSU has a good bunch of red shirt freshman, who are going to be very good football players. They need the time to develop.

Yes Augie sees this game as the super bowl and maybe we need to make them regret being on the field with the Jacks.

[SDSUFAN]

Re: Augie's Coming to Town

Running Rabbit:
One more thing, I dont think the St Cloud game would have been a rout even without the fumbles. They are not that bad of team. Their coach said before the game that they dont have WR with the skill of Nelson this year. Nelson was in the NFL for a while, but he was one great receiver for Heckendorf. St Cloud seem to have some very deceptive running plays. Some that may be in our play book at SDSU. Its about execution and at times they executed very well, and they were not about to let the game get away from them. Fumbles or no fumbles, the game would have had a close finish.

[RunninRabbit]

Re: Augie's Coming to Town

First, I feel the need to clarify. What I said was more a shot at Stig's comments, not Watson. He obviously felt awful and yes, he is young. He's a good young player and a TOUGH competitor. He'll bounce back just fine. As for a rout...maybe not, but it wouldn't have ended on the goal line with 30 seconds left.

Little more of an injury update -

Coauette is very doubtful. He's at about 70% and has not run yet. Jesse Rounds had a seperated shoulder he's been battling all year. Grant Larson has been out with torn nerves in his shoulder, not really new news. Mary Kranz has a sprained knee.... The linebacking crew is getting patchy, Dan Dykhouse was moved over from fullback last week. Good thing Augie is only averaging 120 yards/game rushing.

Augie Stats-
http://www.augie.edu/athletics/footb...3/teamcume.htm

[89rabbit]

Re: Augie's Coming to Town

Let me start by saying welcome to RunninRabbit and DanceswithRabbits, it is good to have more people on the board.  

Next I will say that Runnin is right the game wouldn't have been as close had we not turned the ball over so much.  I will say I thought the last fumble was caused by the Ref. not blowing the whistle once the play was over.  Anthony does need to do a better job of hanging on to the ball though.

The good news is we won, not many teams can do that with 4 turnovers, and I lived to tell about it.  It was cold.  That being said we need to focus on Augie and beat them into the ground.  

Go State!  

P.S. The Pride sounded and looked great. SDSU_Tuba you must be proud! ;D

[Guest]

Re: Augie's Coming to Town

Augustana's quarterback showed good running ability for such a tall person; they also have several fine receivers. With the instate rivalry such as it is, it should be an interesting game in Brookings this week!

[Texas_Jacks_Fan]

Re: Augie's Coming to Town

Augie slinks to Brookings on Saturday, it will be cold.
SDSU 36
Augie 22
Dogs go home with tails between their legs.

GO SDSU

[89rabbit]

Re: Augie's Coming to Town

Here is the Argus stroy on today's game:

http://www.argusleader.com/sports/Sa...article1.shtml

SDSU hosts Augie today
Chris Solari
csolari@argusleader.com

published: 11/8/2003

Rivalry may not be what it once was

At the core, Jim Heinitz is a South Dakota State guy.

The Augustana football coach played linebacker at SDSU and graduated from there in 1972. He's seen the rivalry between the two schools peak around the time he started at Brookings in the late '60s.

Now, after 35 years around both sides of the in-state matchup, he feels it's lost much of its luster.

"It was more of a rivalry when (SDSU) had more South Dakota kids. I'm not sure it's as big of one now," said Heinitz, the Vikings' all-time leader in coaching victories after last week's win at Minnesota State-Mankato.

"But it's a game our kids and team look forward to. ... If you look at our schedule and pick a team that you'd want to have one win over, most of the kids would pick South Dakota State."

The Jackrabbits host Augie at 1 p.m. today at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium in Brookings. It's the final meeting between the two schools in North Central Conference play.

The Vikings won last year's exhilarating contest in Sioux Falls, a 39-33 triple-overtime thriller decided by a Graham Van Horn-to-Dan Klumper TD pass. And though the Jacks have dominated this series and have four wins in the last six against Augie, the combined scores of those games (176-171) show the parity that an intense on-field rivalry can bring.

"Augustana is a decent football program. We are better than they are, but that's all equated," SDSU coach John Stiegelmeier said. "We were better than they were last year, and we should have won the game. But we didn't."

While the two teams are closing on an agreement to meet next season when SDSU jumps to Division I-AA, this final NCC clash features the Jacks' high-powered passing game against the Vikings' stingy secondary.

Jackrabbit quarterback Brad Nelson, a junior from Winona, Minn., has dominated the conference passing ranks for much of the year and is quickly closing on the school's single-season passing record. He's thrown for 2,533 yards so far and needs just 183 more in the final two games to pass Todd McDonald's mark, set in 1993.

And Nelson's done it efficiently, completing 163-of-249 throws for 18 touchdowns to just five interceptions. He hasn't been picked off in his last 83 attempts.

"I'm very impressed with their quarterback," Heinitz said. "He's having a great season for his first as a starter, and he's exhibited leadership and a lot of poise."

Nelson, who leads the circuit with a 281.4 yards-per-game average, will have to do so against the league's best secondary, led by senior safety Ben Nauman. The Vikings are permitting just 172.1 yards a game through the air, which is 30 yards better than SDSU's second-rated defensive backfield.

Augie's defense is ranked third in the NCC as a unit, yielding 334.9 yards a game. SDSU is fourth at 335.7.

"We're going to get ready for a battle," Stiegelmeier said. "This is (Augustana's) Super Bowl."

The Jackrabbits (5-4, 3-3) have won their last three games and are peaking down the stretch. The Vikings (3-6, 1-5) have struggled all season to produce consistently, but might have turned a corner in getting their first NCC victory last week in Mankato.

Four of the Vikings' losses have been by 10 points or less.

"We just haven't been able to get over the hump and win close games," Heinitz said.

Averaging 22.6 points a game, third-lowest in the NCC, Augie quarterback Ryan DeGraff is coming off a two TD, 196-yard performance against the Mavericks. He'll need to at least duplicate that and get the same kind of day out of sophomore running back Ryan Corcoran, who rushed for 110 yards and a score in his first collegiate start. The Vikings are third-worst in the NCC with a 120.3-yard average on the ground.

"When we play well on defense, it's because we control the time of possession," Heinitz said. "For us to play well defensively, we can't put the defense in unfortunate situations."

SDSU's running game has had its share of struggles as well, sitting one spot below Augustana at just 103.9 yards per outing. The Jacks have lost a league-worst 16 fumbles, including four last week by redshirt freshman Anthony Watson in a 27-24 win over St. Cloud State.

"The four fumbles by one player, that may be a record," Stiegelmeier said. "But he battled back and made some plays after that."

Both teams have key players who are considered extremely doubtful. Augustana senior receiver Eric Haugland was injured last week in Mankato. SDSU likely will again be minus junior linebacker Chris Coauette, who dislocated his knee cap against Mankato on Oct. 18.

Yet when it comes to an Augie-State matchup, it could be hard to keep them off the field if they are breathing.

"Whether you're a player or coach," Heinitz said, "this is a game you look forward to."


Didn't care much for Heinitz's comments about it being a better rivalry when we had more South Dakota kids. I guess you can see how Augie is going to recruit and sell itself to SD now that we are going D-I/I-AA. Good luck with that. :

Go State, beat Augie! ;D

[SDSUFAN]

Re: Augie's Coming to Town

I really question Jim Heimitz being SDSU at the core. ;D

[89rabbit]

Re: Augie's Coming to Town

The WNAX guys pointed out this IS our last NCC game ever.  It just hit me funny.  We need to start playing better so that we can go out on a win.

Go State, I-AA all the way!

[89rabbit]

Re: Augie's Coming to Town

At the half SDSU 14 Augie 10! ;D

[filbert]

Re: Augie's Coming to Town

Jacks 28, Doggies 16 . . .

[filbert]

Re: Augie's Coming to Town

Jacks 35, Doggies 16 . . .

[filbert]

Re: Augie's Coming to Town

Jacks 42, Doggies 22 . . .

[89rabbit]

Re: Augie's Coming to Town

Anthony Watson is bouncing back from his horrible Hobo Day. It is good to see! Look like we are going to leave the NCC a WINNER! Way to go Jacks!

Go South Dakota State! ;D