South Dakota State’s Jimmy Rogers Leaving for Washington State

South Dakota State Jackrabbits (MVFC) head coach Jimmy Rogers has agreed to take the same position at Washington State (Pac-12). The Jackrabbits went 27-3 overall and 15-1 with one national championship and two MVFC titles under Rogers.

SDSU joined the FCS in 2004 when the subdivision was referred to as I-AA with John Stiegelmeier overseeing the program from 1997 through 2022. The Jackrabbits began a steady climb up the FCS ranks after it joined the MVFC in 2008. They reached their first National Championship game in the 2020-21 season and finally broke through two years later in 2022.

Rogers took over from Stigelmeier in 2023 and subsequently led SDSU to a perfect season, winning a second straight FCS title and the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year award. The 2024 season was a relative step back with the Jacks going 12-3 overall and losing to archrival North Dakota State twice. The latter loss came in the FCS Semifinals which not only ended SDSU’s three-peat bid but also put NDSU in position to win their 10th FCS title since 2011.

Rogers played linebacker at South Dakota State under Stiegelmeier from 2005 through 2009 and was a graduate assistant for two years upon graduation. In 2012 and part of 2013, Rogers was a GA at Florida Atlantic before returning to Brookings later in 2013 as the linebackers coach. He remained in that position through the 2018 season and was promoted to assistant head coach and co-defensive coordinator for the 2019 through 2021 seasons. In 2022, Rogers was named assistant head coach, defensive coordinator, and linebackers coach.

The next head coach of South Dakota State will open the 2025 season at home against Sacramento State (Big Sky) on Saturday, August 30 followed by Montana State (Big Sky) at home on Saturday, September 6. SDSU will end the non-conference portion with games at home against Drake (PFL) and Mercyhurst (NEC) before starting its MVFC slate at Youngstown State on October 4.

Photo Credit to South Dakota State University Athletics