Catching Up with Tyler Starr

Former USD Linebacker, Tyler Starr, trained very hard to get ready for Pro Day at the Fieldhouse, and he had a great performance! Coach Siegfried said, "Tyler stood out physically and athletically at the Pro Day! After running an improved 40 yard dash, Tyler made quick work of remaining tests of speed and agility. He topped off his great day with an impressive linebacker drill session that displayed his capacity to transfer it all to on-the-field movements."

We have enjoyed working with Tyler, and Coach Riggs asked him to share a few thoughts about his goals and the possibility of playing in the NFL. We are hoping for the best for him as he pursues his dreams!

Has it always been your goal to play football at a higher level?
Playing in the NFL has been a dream for me for as long as I can remember.

What have you been doing to get ready for your Pro Day?
I have been partaking in strength, speed, technique, and position work at the Sanford Fieldhouse.

What has been the most enjoyable part of this journey toward the NFL? What has been the most difficult?
It is always exciting to take the next step and see how I evolve as an athlete. On the difficult side though, I feel a lot of pressure being this close to my dream.

What do you think your strengths are as an athlete?
I think I have a high motor and the skills to play several positions.

What do you enjoy about playing linebacker?
I love the versatility of the position. You get to pass rush, stop the run, and cover in space!

What advice would you offer to young athletes who hope to someday be in your current position...hoping to be drafted by an NFL team?
No matter what you do, continue to move forward with your goals in your line of sight.

Tyler has been extremely focused on his goals, and we are excited to see how his journey continues. Coach Riggs added, "Congrats to Tyler on a great showing! His hard work with Coach Siegfried has really paid off!"

We will keep you posted on Tyler's story, and wish him the very best with all that is to come.

Rivalry Week

 The SDSU Jackrabbits will travel down to Vermillion this Saturday to play against their interstate rival the USD Coyotes. This game is a matchup of the 5-4 Jackrabbits vs. the 4-6 Coyotes. SDSU is still fighting for a playoff spot, and can not afford to slip up and lose another game this season. The Coyotes are looking to spoil the hopes of Jackrabbit fans by taking away any 2013 playoff hopes with a Coyote victory. So how do these teams stack up at this point in the season?

SDSU’s offense boasts the leading rusher in the conference (Zach Zenner at 137.2 yds/gm) and the second leading passer (Austin Sumner at 228.3 yds/game). SDSU is currently the #3 ranked scoring offense, and #4 in total offense at 378.6 yds/game. They only accumulate 38.8 yds/game in penalties, which is #1 in the conference, and they are also #1 in the conference in TO/Margin at +14. These numbers demonstrate the strengths of a solid football team, but they have been shaky in other areas this year. SDSU is 6th in the conference in scoring defense at 25.7 pts/game, and 8th in total defense at 394.8 yds/game. They have only sacked the QB 21 times this season, which is 6th in the conference.

While the Jackrabbits are showing strengths offensively, the Coyotes strengths are on the opposite side of the ball. USD is #1 in the conference in sacks at 31, they are 3rd in total defense at 328.7 yds/game, and 5th in scoring defense at 24 pts/game. USD’s offense has gone through a QB change, and it seems to be moving them in the right direction. Kevin Earl is now running the offense and will be the key to any success for the Coyotes. USD is currently 10th in scoring offense at 19.7 pts/game, but is 6th in rushing offense at 156 yds/game, and 3rd in the conference at TO/margin at +4.

If the statistics told the only story, it would appear that both teams have a solid shot if they play to their strengths. The intangible aspect of this game is that we will be watching an intense interstate rivalry game that is being played for bragging rights and also the chance to either continue a team’s playoff goals or to destroy a team’s playoff goals. We can safely throw out the stats on Saturday and focus on which team can ride the momentum and play with emotion, but still control their emotion enough to not hurt the team. SDSU has been very good this year in not hurting themselves with penalties or careless turnovers. The Jackrabbits will need these advantages playing in the Dakota Dome where the Coyotes have been playing very tough. USD has lost two games in the Dakota Dome this year, but the losses were to potential playoff teams, Youngstown and Montana. USD was leading in both games late in the 4th quarter, but they were simply not able to finish. The Coyotes will come into this rivalry game playing at high level, and they will need to be able to continue that high level of play through all four quarters.

The key to winning the game will be whether or not the Coyotes can continue to force turnovers against a team that does not turn the ball over very often. The Coyotes have 6 TO’s in the last two games and will need the same performance if they want to beat the Jackrabbits. It will be great to see how these teams match up in a packed and noisy Dakota Dome. Rivalry games bring intensity to the field and the overall atmosphere, and this game will certainly deliver! Here’s hoping for some great South Dakota football on Saturday!