So, here’s the scoop on what’s happening with the South Dakota State University football team. It’s kind of a big deal right now because several players are entering the transfer portal, and even some notable former players and head coaches are chiming in. Things can get pretty tense when a coaching change happens, and it seems that’s exactly what we’re witnessing here.
“Mark Gronowski, the quarterback, is the most talked-about transfer,” and as of Thursday, he hasn’t announced where he’s heading yet. This whole situation kicked off after Jimmy Rogers announced he was leaving SDSU for the head coaching job at Washington State on December 28, and it looks like that might be influencing other players to look for new opportunities too.
Let me break down how this transfer portal thing works. Basically, when a player decides to transfer, they have to let their school’s compliance officer know, and then their name goes into the NCAA transfer portal list. There are specific windows for transfers in fall sports: there’s a 30-day period at the end of the season and another one in the spring. The cool part? Players can actually withdraw their names if they change their minds.
It’s pretty common for athletes to switch schools when a head coach leaves, and the NCAA is aware of this.
However, the number of players leaving SDSU has raised eyebrows among some influential figures. For example, former head coach John Stiegelmeier mentioned on X (formerly Twitter) that he’s proud of past players encouraging current ones to stick around and build the SDSU football program.
Some of the confirmed transfers are also considering Washington State. Gronowski and wide receiver Griffin Wilde are among those whose moves are anticipated following Rogers to WSU. Both programs are making headlines for all the player movements right now.
Interestingly, there’s also a report that the Tennessee Volunteers have their eye on running back Angel Johnson, which adds another layer to this whole transfer saga.
Now, with all these players in the portal, there’s concern about what it means for the Jackrabbit program moving forward. For instance, SDSU graduate and current Green Bay Packer Tucker Kraft shared some thoughts, saying, “People are very proud of Coach Rogers, as am I, however, the program and all of those who had worked and been on that grind to set the standard in the building need the players to stay home.” He really emphasized the importance of commitment to the school and its culture.
The financial aspect can’t be ignored, either. Coaches can make a substantial amount more when they leap to a larger program. Rogers, for example, was earning 310,000 a year at SDSU, but at Washington State, he’ll reportedly be making a whopping 1.57 million.
Oh, and by the way, if you’re wondering about who’s stepping in for Rogers, Dan Jackson has been named the new head coach. He comes from a defensive coordinator position at Idaho. There’s always a mix of excitement and uncertainty that comes with such changes, right?
So, to sum it all up, there’s a lot of movement in and out of SDSU right now, and with the transfer portal buzzing, it’ll be interesting to see how everything shakes out for the Jackrabbit football team this upcoming season
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