alumni – Zion Tech Group

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – 48 hours after Jimmy Rogers stepped down as head football coach at South Dakota State to accept the same position at Washington State it appears as though SDSU is moving quickly and possibly closing in on his successor.

Sources have indicated to Dakota News Now Sports that two names have emerged as front-runners, each with ties to the program. Former Jackrabbit linebacker Dan Jackson, who spent eight seasons in Brookings in a variety of assistant coaching roles and also served as recruiting coordinator, has interviewed.

A look at the timeline of Jackrabbit football coaching candidate Dan Jackson(Dakota News Now)

He left in 2020 to coach defensive backs and special teams at FBS Northern Illinois and then spent two more years at Vanderbilt in the SEC as defensive coordinator. Following the dismissal of that staff Jackson joined former SDSU offensive coordinator Jason Eck at Idaho as defensive coordinator and had followed him to the University of New Mexico where he was hired several weeks ago in his current role of defensive coordinator.

One of Jackson’s fellow former SDSU assistants, Christian Smith, is also in the mix.

After a four year career at Toledo and three years as a graduate assistant at his alma mater and Iowa State, Smith became the Jackrabbits defensive line coach in 2017 and stayed with the school for six years, helping State win their first FCS National Title in 2022 before leaving for his current role as defensive line coach at Northwestern.

As the wait for a head coach continues the question of how many players may depart lingers. Sources also tell Dakota News Now that alumni and several current players have been contacting teammates encouraging them to wait and make any decision to stay or transfer until a new coach is named and introduced.

Late this afternoon about 20 current players committed to returning next season including starting offensive lineman Quentin Christensen and the projected starting quarterback for next season Chase Mason.

As the search for a new head coach for San Diego State University’s football team continues, several potential candidates have started to emerge. Alumni and current players have been vocal in encouraging patience as the university looks to make the best hiring decision for the program’s future.

Among the names being mentioned as potential candidates are former NFL coach Herm Edwards, current Arizona State defensive coordinator Antonio Pierce, and former SDSU player and current Fresno State coach Kalen DeBoer. Each of these candidates brings a unique set of skills and experiences that could benefit the Aztecs football program.

While fans and supporters of the team are eager to see a new coach in place, many are echoing the sentiment of alumni and players in urging patience. It’s important for the university to take the time necessary to thoroughly vet each candidate and make a decision that will set the program up for success in the long run.

As the search continues, the SDSU community remains hopeful and excited for the future of Aztecs football. With a strong pool of candidates to choose from, there is confidence that the university will find the right person to lead the team to continued success on and off the field. Stay tuned for updates on the coaching search and Go Aztecs!

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Tag: alumni

Candidates emerge in SDSU football coaching search as alumni & players encourage patience