South Dakota State football names Dan Jackson new head coach

Posted by author January 1, 2025 Football

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In a New Year’s Eve announcement, South Dakota State University has named a new head football coach for the Jackrabbits.

And it’s a familiar name.

Dan Jackson, who previously played and coached for the team Jackrabbits, accepted the position, Director of Athletics Justin Sell announced in a press release Tuesday. He will be the 22nd head coach for the team.

The news comes days after Washington State hired second-year South Dakota State football head coach Jimmy Rogers.

Jackson, originally from Omaha, Neb., played SDSU football from 2003 to 2005, according to the release. He landed staffside as a graduate assistant in 2012, “when SDSU began its current streak of 13 consecutive appearances in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs,” the release states.

He then became cornerbacks coach in 2014 and served as a recruiting coordinator, special teams coordinator and assistant head coach under former head coach John Stiegelmeier.

He then moved to Northern Illinois after 2019, where he coached for two seasons, then was hired at Vanderbilt, coaching defensive backs in 2022 and 2023.

Following this, Jackson became a defensive coach in Idaho with former Jackrabbit colleague Jason Eck.

Most recently, Jackson was named defensive coordinator at New Mexico under Eck.

A press conference to introduce Jackson as head coach is expected the week of Jan. 6, the release states.