BROOKINGS — Coming up with notable storylines in spring practice wasn't easy when nearly everyone returned in 2023 from the 2022 South Dakota State National Championship.
Not so this year.
The Jackrabbits' spring season marks the unofficial start of Jimmie Rodgers' second year as head coach, as they bid farewell to talent worthy of a de facto All-Star team since winning their second straight FCS title. There will be a lot of interesting things in the practice season.
SDSU begins spring practice on Sunday and concludes with the spring game on April 13th.
Here are five areas worth keeping a close eye on as the Jacks begin their initial preparations for a potential three-peat.
1. Is Gronowski back?
Walter Payton Award winner Mark Gronowski is practicing with the team and is expected to return as the starting quarterback. All signs point to his intentions being to remain a Jackrabbit for at least another year.But he did it I am still a graduate student transfer student. He had two years of eligibility and many connected the dots between Gronowski and Northwestern. He's from the Chicago area, and Zach Lujan, who was the offensive coordinator for the past two seasons, now fills that role with the Wildcats. Northwestern's head coach is former NDSU defensive coordinator David Brown. NIL money would be attractive.
That being said, it's definitely encouraging to see Gronowski now in a Jacks uniform. It is hoped that the final status of the 2024 season will be revealed soon.
2. What about Chase Mason?
The former multi-sport star at Viborg Hurley stepped into the QB2 role last year and looked dangerous every time he was on the field, rushing for 187 yards and three touchdowns and completing 16-of-27 passes for 267 yards and one touchdown. achieved. He should get the majority of reps this spring and would be ready to fill in as the starter if Gronowski is unavailable.
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Assuming Gronowski returns, the Jacks are expected to devise some package for Mason, or perhaps an expanded role that could utilize his size and talent. He's too good to spend all his time with a clipboard.
3. New playcaller
With Lujan gone, the Jacks will have their third offensive coordinator in the last four years. Offensive line coach Ryan Olson has had a huge impact on the offense since joining the staff in 2021, and replacing Lujan as the primary play-caller seemed like an easy choice. However, with the addition of quarterbacks coach Danny Freund, who was the offensive coordinator at the University of North Dakota for the past several years, the Jacks now have another experienced offensive coach who will play a key role in game planning and play calling. Become the person who should fulfill the goals.
4. Line reconstruction
The Jackrabbits had arguably one of the best offensive lines in FCS history in 2023. Gus Miller won the Rimington Trophy as the nation's best center. Right guard Evan Behrendsen earned all-conference honorable mention. Right tackle John O'Brien was a commanding presence and the left side was phenomenal. Guard Mason McCormick and tackle Garrett Greenfield are both All-Americans who just won the NFL Draft Combine.
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Only Miller and Beirntzen will return in 2024. That's a good foundation to start with, and 6-foot-5, 290-pound junior Quinten Christensen showed up big last year and should be able to earn a starter's role inside.
Still, there are two open spots left that need to be filled. The competition begins now.
5. Who receives the ball?
Running back Isaiah Davis has left for the NFL, and wide receivers Jadon and Jackson Janke and tight end Zach Hynes hope to follow in his footsteps. That equates to about 4,000 yards of total offense that the Jacks will need to replace, in addition to underrated H-back Mike Morgan.
Amar Johnson is electric as a secondary running back and should be a capable replacement for Davis, but Angel Johnson could also fill that role.
Landon Dierks / Mitchell Republic
Receiver Griffin Wilde is the clear rising star, catching 20 passes for 399 yards and six touchdowns as a true freshman, but if the Jacks don't get another pass catcher to shore up the defense, the double It's going to be a team. As wild as possible.
Gram Gering has shown promise at wideout and Kevin Brenner should be able to fill Morgan's role, but the tight end and third and fourth wide receiver positions are both up for grabs. .
Matt Zimmer is a Sioux Falls native and longtime sportswriter. He graduated from Washington High School, where he played football, Legion baseball and developed his lifelong love for the Minnesota Twins and Vikings. After graduating from St. Cloud State University, he returned to Sioux Falls and began his long career in amateur baseball and sports reporting. Email Matt at mzimmer@siouxfallslive.com.
