Rogers to WSU - next man up

[jakejc795]

Another great video from Tanner Castora, in which he takes responsibility not reaching out to Jimmy Rogers after he initially asked for interview with Rogers after he'd been hired at WSU and Jimmy said he didn't have time, which led to Castora thinking Rogers also wouldn't have time when he was writing article about Mason and Castora.

Also details anecdotes from Ernest Jones, a former NFL player, who trained Jimmy and Stig who noted Jimmy's unmatched tenacity and devotion to film study, etc.

Tanner said Rogers and staff treated him well, and Castora says he didn't treat them as he'd like to be treated. Not sure I'd go that far, but Tanner saying so on the record says alot about him.

He ended by saying he thinks teams and fans this upcoming season will have pride in Jacks that might be unlike any we've seen.

[jakejc795]

I’d keep an eye on Spencer Erickson for LB or DL coach.

I believe he started as a grad assistant at SDSU. Was DL coach for a year at Winona State under Bergy and then LBs/DC last season.

Eventually moved up to Asst. DL/Director of Player Personnel. Would definitely seem logical he'd be candidate to return

[jakejc795]

If you do have issues loading, I've found that using mobile data on a cell or a VPN works.

Nothing was working for me. I was worried I got banned for one too many SDSU ice cream references

[peavy]

Jimmy staff so far for those interested

[salemjack]

I’d keep an eye on Spencer Erickson for LB or DL coach.

I believe he started as a grad assistant at SDSU. Was DL coach for a year at Winona State under Bergy and then LBs/DC last season.

[peavy]

This site keeps having trouble loading for me, and wouldn't for a decent stretch from last night to this morning. I'm glad it's back! I was starting to get worried this got Jimmied too...

If you do have issues loading, I've found that using mobile data on a cell or a VPN works.

[RahRahRabbits]

It would be very easy to feel disenfranchised or abandoned through this whole debacle. I mean, how couldn't you as a fan?! To watch 23 guys go to WSU (16 of which are current players, 7+ starters) and 8+ others leave the program entirely... and I'm sure those numbers may still go up too.... it's nearly impossible to not feel like the program Stig built is gone. I know I asked myself the past couple weeks, "what's the point of all this? Why would I continue to support this state of college athletics?"

However... the true Jackrabbit spirit and culture is alive and well, and Chase and Quentin are proving that. Yes, the team is going to look DRASTICALLY different next year, but I believe Coach Jackson, the other coaches, and the actually committed student athletes will continue to make this a special place.

The guys that remain still deserve our ardent support, even more so than ever, and I for one will still be in the stands next year giving them the loudest cheer I possibly can.

In the words of Chase Mason, "I don't really care what anybody thinks about SDSU football on the outside. I just know what guys are coming back, and what we're going to have next year. It's going to be something special to watch."

Go Jacks!

[RahRahRabbits]

This site keeps having trouble loading for me, and wouldn't for a decent stretch from last night to this morning. I'm glad it's back! I was starting to get worried this got Jimmied too...

[Sodakbull]

We all should be excited about the kind of people Chase and Quentin are and the story that they are going to write!

[goon]

I just don't get the argument that his job is to put the best players on the field for his new team, and he can't worry about the feelings of his old university. I mean this as no disrespect to the players heading to WSU obviously, as I would love to have them back, but is filling a P4 roster will 25 percent FCS players really doing the best possible job you can? How many non-SDSU players has he brought in from the portal?

Is that what he said?

[Jackrabbit2012]

I just don't get the argument that his job is to put the best players on the field for his new team, and he can't worry about the feelings of his old university. I mean this as no disrespect to the players heading to WSU obviously, as I would love to have them back, but is filling a P4 roster will 25 percent FCS players really doing the best possible job you can? How many non-SDSU players has he brought in from the portal?

[discoDancinRabbit]

Still think everything was all kosher with how this went down?

As a fan? No I think Jimmy is a total douche.

But What are you going to do, sue him? I think you just pat him on the back and pray sdsu can kick his teams ass down the road.

[LetsGoRabbits]

Who cares what his stats are. Put him in the Jackrabbit hall of fame right now.

i am with you 100% him and Quinton both! wave the waiting period! wave the rule about needing to be finished playing! i can hear Tyler now, starting at QB and LT for your Jackrabbit FB team Hall of Famers Chase Mason and Quinten Christenson

[LetsGoRabbits]

"One thing is for sure.... Chase Mason is the man!"

a lot of what he says are the things SDSU has been to me for my whole life. feels great to know that our athletes feel that too

Chase is proving to be a special person, and there are others too!!

Justin Sell absolutely has to be getting LOTS of offers. people obviously can see the success we have with funding and building and obviously a TON of success on the fields, courts, mats, tracks, etc... instead of thinking oh well maybe time for me to start weighing my options OH NO he passes out his phone number and goes out and gets a great coach and a bunch of other coaches who are legit candidates to be head coaches to come in and be assistants!!!

Dan Jackson clearly had to leave money on the table to leave UNM and throw himself in the middle of a scenario where he might be losing the majority of experienced players and most of the incoming recruits

those guys are at the top of the list, but I feel pretty sure that all the assistants who are coming back in some way or other WANTED to come back because SDSU matters to them and they have no intention of letting this become a second tier program.

i can NOT understand why Jimmy made the choice to do it this way. but Jimmy time is over. we had people who could have been celebrated forever as legends but they dont want to be with us. we are blessed to have a bunch of INCREDIBLE people who DO want to be here. LETS GO RABBITS!!!!

p.s. there aint no such thing as a washington state jackrabbit... how appropriate that all of them get to wear red now

[jbjack]

Additions from Chase Mason and Gaskins interview --- cliff notes version this time (well.... some quotes still!).

He was contacted by both Kraft and McCormick too. Kraft was pretty upset about this whole situation... SDSU meant a whole lot to him, and didn't want to see it go like that. McCormick called Chase several times; McCormick was fully on board with calling a bunch of guys too --- and was pushing to get the collective going more, including reaching out to NFL former-Jacks too for money.

Didn't know Dan Jackson prior, but has heard great things. Players had also heard right away Jackson and Christian Smith were front runners. Chase and Jackson clicked immediately.

Chase was committed to returning regardless of who the coach was. He had faith in Justin Sell to hire the right person, and someone that has been here before. Jackson told Chase he appreciated keeping the guys together and giving him a chance.

Comments on Eidsness molding and designing the offense around the guys they have.

Chase tried talking to Angel every day, to convince him to come back... run it back and be like high school again. Angel felt following the coaches to WSU would help him get to the next level. "I don't fault him for anything for making that decision. I mean, it's his life, he can do what he wants. It's his decision." Still excited for young guys coming up, and potential transfers coming in. Trusting Jackson to find the right guys.

Good returning OL, talented young freshman. Lofton O'Groske is going to be a huge playmaker... did a great job stepping into his role this year... body control is crazy.... Chase talked to him a lot. Excited for Goering to return too.

Running back position is interesting. Begeman getting an opportunity will be great. Renfro getting an opportunity will be good too. Excited for young TE's, some that never saw action due to injury. "Delahoyde, who is an athletic freak, all I saw was him making plays on scout team all last year, I can't wait to throw to him. We have plenty of talent. We'll be fine."

Gaskins - comments on coyote and bison fans licking their chops... but how motivated is Chase after facing all this?

Chase - "I've been super motivated ever since this whole thing started. Because ever since I didn't think it was the right thing for Coach Rogers to do, is go there and try to take the whole team with him, something didn't really sit right with me. I've been ultra motivated trying to keep guys here. I don't really care what anybody thinks about SDSU football on the outside. I just know what guys are coming back, and what we're going to have next year. It's going to be something special to watch. Just how motivated guys are going to be, and how close we're going to be just from this whole thing is going to be super exciting to watch. It's just a feel thing, guys just playing together for each other. It's something different you can't just coach."

Discussion on what he's learned from Mark Gronowski. Of course he's extremely complimentary of him as both a person and football player.

Gaskins flat out asks, "By the way, are you mad at Jimmy? How do you feel about Jimmy?"

Chase: "*pause* Ummm, *pause*... I wouldn't say, ahh I dunno... I wouldn't say mad... definitely not the happiest person about the whole situation though. Even about the whole coaching staff that left. I just felt like it's not the right thing to do for somewhere you've been 19 years or something like that. I understand people leaving, but I just don't feel it was the right thing to do. I use the term, if they weren't with us, then they're going to be against us... so that's what turned around... them trying to recruit guys to go there, and us, me, Q [Quentin Christensen], and a couple other guys trying to keep them back..... ....it just didn't sit right with me. I've always been a loyal person, I just didn't feel it was the right thing to do - especially since they've always been the guys to tell us not to leave for money, then they go turn around and do that, and leave for the money and better position. SDSU just meant way too much to me, more than anything I could ever put to numbers as far as money."

Gaskins brings up Jimmy's NIL offer, and if the Jacks are giving him some now too.

Chase: "I mean, I'm not the type of guy that's going to ask for a boatload of money to stay. I just wanted to have a little bit to be comfortable, ya know? It's nothing close to the number the Power-5 schools are going to offer and throw out to guys. I know Quentin got offered a bunch of money, a bunch of guys got offered a bunch of money throughout the playoffs - which is technically illegal for other schools to do that. I don't know... it's just the landscape of college football right now. It takes a special group of guys to just say no to stuff like that. At the end of the day, the grass isn't always greener on the other side."

Gaskins - asking about his recruitment to Fresno State by Kalen DeBoer. "Why did you say no to him?"

Chase - got recruited by him out of high school. It was weird with Covid at that time, everything was virtual... weird time to get recruited in general. At that time, decided to play baseball, and couldn't go that far from home. Even Lincoln felt far at times. When he went into the portal to go to SDSU, DeBoer recruited him again briefly before committing to SDSU - a week later he got the Washington job. Didn't mention or hint any possibility of that to Chase.

Gaskins -"Can you put into words exactly the Jackrabbit experience, and why that upholds for you? Why you think it's going to continue to make South Dakota State successful, what makes it special?"

Chase: "At the end of the day, it's the people that make it special, whether that's from the community of Brookings, to the Administration, to the guys that play football there, to the JFPA. I feel like SDSU football has one of the biggest followings of the community around, how much people genuinely care about the guys that are there. There's something special about that. You're not going to get that anywhere else in the country I feel like. Any coach is going to try to tell you certain things to get you recruited there, but what I was telling Q... players are what makes the place special. It's not the coaches... You can have great coaches and everything, but the players and the community around SDSU football is what makes the place special. That's what I felt was the turning point for me - for I want to stay and try to keep everyone together."

Who cares what his stats are. Put him in the Jackrabbit hall of fame right now.