UPDATED: Drama last year was at NDSU; at least 24 SDSU players in portal this year – InForum

FARGO — Last year, it was North Dakota State that faced the uncertainty of player personnel amidst a head coaching change. This year it’s South Dakota State. It’s the new world of two of the top teams in Division I FCS football.

At least 24 Jackrabbits players have entered the transfer portal this winter, most of them since head coach Jimmy Rogers announced he was taking the same position at Washington State. That included star receiver Griffin Wilde and later quarterback Mark Gronowski, who appears to be on the fence of making a decision between the NFL and returning to college for his final year of eligibility.

Other notable players in the portal include running back Maxwell Woods, linebacker Caleb Francl, safeties Tucker Large and Matthew Durrance, offensive lineman Evan Beerntsen, cornerback Colby Humphrey, running back Kirby Vorhees, running back Angel Johnson, defensive end Kobe Clayborne, defensive tackle Max Baloun and safety Cale Reeder. Many of the players carry a “do not contact” tag, meaning schools cannot try to recruit them.

NDSU had similar drama last year when several players lobbied for assistant Tyler Roehl to take over for Matt Entz, who left for an assistant position at USC.

But when Tim Polasek was hired, matters eventually cooled and the Bison retained all of their main stage players until receiver Eli Green left in the spring portal window.

SiouxFallsLive.com is reporting SDSU is expected to hire a replacement soon with New Mexico defensive coordinator Dan Jackson appearing to be the front runner. He is a former Jackrabbits assistant who followed former SDSU assistant Jason Eck to the University of Idaho.

Players in the portal can still return to their school. SiouxFallsLive sportswriter Matt Zimmer in a social media post said former players are contacting current players and recruits encouraging them to stay and to give the new coach a chance.

Jeff would like to dispel the notion he was around when Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press, but he is on his third decade of reporting with Forum Communications. The son of a reporter and an English teacher, and the brother of a reporter, Jeff has worked at the Jamestown Sun, Bismarck Tribune and since 1990 The Forum, where he’s covered North Dakota State athletics since 1995.
Jeff has covered all nine of NDSU’s Division I FCS national football titles and has written three books: “Horns Up,” “North Dakota Tough” and “Covid Kids.” He is the radio host of “The Golf Show with Jeff Kolpack” April through August.