Christion, Vinatieri named to MVFC preseason first team

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ST. LOUIS – South Dakota State University quarterback Taryn Christion and kicker Chase Vinatieri were named Tuesday to the 2018 All-Missouri Valley Football Conference Preseason First Team.

A senior from Sioux Falls, Christion posted his second consecutive season with 4,000 yards of total offense in 2017, passing for 3,515 yards and gaining another 500 yards on the ground as SDSU reached the Football Championship Subdivision semifinals for the first time in program history.

Christion accounted for 44 touchdowns by passing for a school-record 35 touchdowns and scoring nine more times on the ground.

Christion was named MVFC Offensive Player of the Year in 2016 and was a second-team all-MVFC honoree last season.

He already ranks seventh all-time in the league record book with 8,515 career passing yards, and is tied for fourth all-time with 72 touchdown passes.

In addition, Christion ranks third all-time in MVFC history with 9,697 career yards of total offense.

A junior from Sioux Falls and a fellow Roosevelt High School graduate, Vinatieri connected on 13-of-14 field-goal attempts and 58-of-62 point-after tries during the 2017 campaign.

He added a rushing touchdown on a fake field goal to finish with 103 points to rank second on the team.

Vinatieri was a member of the all-MVFC Second Team a year ago.

Sophomore Cade Johnson led the Jackrabbit contingent on the second team by being honored as both a wide receiver and return specialist.

A native of Papillion, Neb., Johnson ranked third on the squad last season with 23 receptions, tallying 318 yards and three touchdowns.

He also set an Jackrabbit single-season record for kickoff return yardage with 839 yards, averaging 28 yards on 30 attempts, and became the first SDSU player in more than 50 years to return two kickoffs for touchdowns in the same season.

Also honored on the preseason second team were junior fullback Luke Sellers and sophomore long snapper Bradey Sorenson.

SDSU finished the 2017 season with an 11-3 overall record, setting a single-season school record for wins.

The Jackrabbits, who are ranked in the top five of several preseason polls, begin fall practices Friday (Aug. 3) and kick off the 2018 campaign Sept. 1 at Iowa State.

The MVFC preseason defensive teams will be announced Wednesday.

Photo from www.gojacks.com.