SFA Football Travels to South Dakota State
9/27/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 27, 2007
NACOGDOCHES - The Stephen F. Austin Lumberjack football team hits the road this week heading to Brookings, S.D., to take on South Dakota State. The Lumberjacks are 0-3 after dropping a 34-13 decision to No. 19 Western Illinois last Saturday. The Jackrabbits are 1-3 (.250) on the season, but are coming off an impressive 38-3 decision over Texas State. The game against South Dakota State is slated to kickoff at 2 p.m. from Coughlin-Alumni Stadium.
Saturday's game against South Dakota State will mark the first meeting between these two programs on the gridiron.
The Lumberjacks' game against South Dakota State will be a match-up of two teams trying to turn things around and put a slow start in the past. The Lumberjacks were picked as high as second in the Southland Conference preseason polls, and received some first-place consideration, but have struggled out of the gate in 2007. It is the second consecutive 0-3 start for SFA. The Jackrabbits had high hopes coming into the 2007 campaign, ranked as high as 20th in the preseason poll, before dropping their first three games of the season. SDSU is coming off a 38-3 win over SLC foe Texas State.
The Lumberjacks utilized their off week to shore up the team in terms of penalties. SFA was penalized 17 times for 160 yards in the first two games of the season, but corrected that against Western Illinois. The 'Jacks were flagged only twice for 15 yards against WIU.
Saturday's game will pit a South Dakota State starting offensive line that averages 6-5, 283 pounds, against a young Lumberjack starting defensive line that averages 6-2, 256 pounds. The Lumberjacks' offensive line enters the game averaging 6-4, 298 pounds. The Jackrabbits defensive line averages 6-4, 261 pounds.
J.C. Harper became the 18th head coach of the SFA Lumberjack football team in December, 2006. Harper spent the past two seasons as the 'Jacks' defensive coordinator, turning the SFA defense into one of the top units in the conference. He is currently 0-3 in his first season as head coach. John Stiegelmeier is 62-50 in his 11th season at South Dakota State. Stiegelmeier has guided the Jackrabbits' program through a successful transition from the NCAA Division II level to Division I FCS (formerly I-AA). During his time in Brookings, S.D., Stiegelmeier has guided South Dakota State to eight winning seasons, including an 8-3 record in 1999, which earned him North Central Conference Coach of the Year honors. SDSU is coming off one of its more successful seasons, going 7-4 in 2006 and finishing the season with a top 25 national ranking. Coach Stiegelmeier is 1-3 (.250) so far this season.
