Editor's note: Throughout Spring Football, GoJacks.com will take an in-depth look at various position groups. The initial installment of 1st and Goal focuses on the Jackrabbit quarterbacks.
BROOKINGS – The South Dakota State football team returns its top tackler from a year ago, but will have to replace two starting linebackers as it prepares for the 2017 season during spring practices.
Sophomore Christian Rozeboom anchors a young linebacking corps. Rozeboom, who started all 13 games at middle linebacker in 2016, led the squad with 132 tackles en route to being named Missouri Valley Football Conference Freshman of the Year and earning first-team all-MVFC honors. The runner-up for the STATS FCS Jerry Rice Award as the top freshman in the Football Championship Subdivision, Rozeboom tallied 10 or more tackles in a game seven times, including a 20-tackle performance in a road win at Southern Illinois.
As to who will replace multi-year starters Jesse Bobbit (110 tackles in 2016) and Dallas Brown (47 tackles, 3 interceptions in 2016), will likely be decided among a group that includes junior Eric Kleinschmit, sophomore Jake Harms and redshirt freshman Logan Backhaus. Harms and Kleinschmit each recorded 14 tackles last season.
Also returning are junior Dalton Cox and sophomore Jessup Workman. Cox, who backed up Rozeboom at middle linebacker last season and has been a top special teams performer the last two years, registered 19 tackles and broke up two passes in 2016.
Workman appeared in five games and contributed mostly on special teams.
Next installment:
Kickers
