ALL-AMERICANS Thirty-four football players have been honored with All-America honors during their playing days at South Dakota State. Following is a complete listing of these Jackrabbit All-Americans: • FRANK KELLEY, halfback, 1926 Kelley was the spark plug who ignited the Jackrabbits to an undefeated season in 1926. The team’s leading rusher, Kelley also gained nationwide attention for his drop kicks, particularly in games against St. Louis University and Hawaii, where his toe accounted for the winning points. He also posed a threat passing, and during the season either ran, passed or kicked for all of the Jackrabbits’ points in North Central Conference play. A Tyndall native, Kelley earned eight letters as a Jackrabbit, starting in both football and basketball, while also running on the track team. He broke two world records in 1925, running the 45-yard low hurdles in 5.8 seconds and the 50-yard high hurdles in 6.3 seconds. Following graduation, he played in 17 games for the champion New York Giants. • WEERT ENGLEMANN, halfback, 1929 Called the “Flying Dutchman of Miller”, Englemann broke up several tight games with explosive bolts through the line. An all-conference choice in both 1928 and 1929, he led the Jackrabbits in both rushing and scoring. Englemann also excelled in track and field, winning a record12 individual North Central Conference titles. He also became the first South Dakotan to win an event at the Drake Relays, capturing the top spot in the triple jump in 1929 before winning the discus in 1930. Englemann went on to star on the defensive side of the ball for the Green Packers from 1930-33. • AL ARNDT, guard, 1934 A two-way player, Arndt starred at offensive guard and defensive tackle for the Jackrabbits. A mainstay in the line for three seasons, he led the team in tackles as a senior and was twice named all-North Central Conference. Also a starter in basketball, Arndt went on to play professional football for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Boston Redskins. • PAUL “WHITEY” MILLER, halfback, 1935 One of SDSU’s most explosive runners, Miller led the Jacks to an upset victory over Wisconsin, when he scored on a 75-yard interception return. During his senior year, he ran or passed for 11 of SDSU’s 17 touchdowns, including two 70-yard runs. He played three seasons (1936-38) with the Green Bay Packers. • HERB BARTLING, quarterback, 1950 Bartling spearheaded one of the most talented backfields in SDSU history, leading the Jackrabbits to an undefeated season in 1950 as he earned North Central Conference Most Valuable Player honors. He also was a two-time all-NCC performer in basketball. • HERB BACKLUND, center, 1954 Backlund didn’t play center until his senior season, but proved to be a powerful downfield blocker and excellent pass blocker for quarterback Jerry Welch, who joined him on the All-America team that season. • JERRY WELCH, quarterback, 1954 Welch stepped in at quarterback after a season-opening loss to Iowa State and guided the Jackrabbits to a 7-1 record the rest of the way. A triple threat at running, passing and kicking, his nine touchdowns in 1954 included a 91-yard run from scrimmage and a 77-yard punt return. Many of his punt return records stood for more than 40 years. Welch went on to play in the Canadian Football League with the Calgary Stampeders. • LEN SPANJERS, guard, 1957 A three-time all-North Central Conference selection, Spanjers paced the 1957 Jackrabbit squad to the league crown.
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Playing both offense and defense, the MIlbank native was named the NCC’s Most Valuable Player. Co-captain as a senior, he was also was the team’s punter. In 1955, he was the only sophomore named to the all-conference squad. • JOE THORNE, fullback, 1961 Called “the best all-around player in the history of football at SDSU” by coach Ralph Ginn, Thorne paced the 1961 Jackrabbits to the North Central Conference title and an 8-2 season. He tallied 958 rushing yards (5.5 ypc) his senior year, despite carrying the ball only twice in the fourth quarter all season. A two-time all-NCC selection, he piled up more than 2,000 career rushing yards and also played defensive back. Thorne was drafted by the Green Bay Packers, but passed up the opportunity to play professionally. He died in 1965 while serving as a helicopter pilot in Vietnam. • MIKE STERNER, guard, 1961 Mike Sterner teamed with his twin brother, John, to give SDSU opponents a dose of double trouble during a conference championship season in 1961, earning first-team all-NCC honors. Sterner went on to a successful career as a wrestling coach at Southwest Minnesota State University and is a member of the NAIA Wrestling Hall of Fame. • ROGER EISCHENS, end, 1962 A two-sport star, Eischens was also an All-America wrestler for the Jacks. Named to the all-North Central Conference grid team twice, the Canby, Minn., native was the first SDSU player to gain more than 1,000 yards receiving for his career, tallying 1,094 yards on 65 receptions. Also a defensive standout, his 85-yard interception return against Toledo (Ohio) in 1962, stood as the longest in program history for 45 years. • JOHN STONE, linebacker/kicker, 1962 A native of Hendricks, Minn., Stone was named All-America after leading the nation in field goal kicking. Stone kicked nine field goals and 24 extra points for 51 points that season, his first as a kicker. Stone also led the team in interceptions in 1962 and was one of the team’s leading tacklers. • WAYNE RASMUSSEN, halfback, 1963 The 1963 College Athlete of the Year in South Dakota, Rasmussen was all-North Central Conference in three sports: football, basketball and baseball. The league’s Most Valuable Back, Rasmussen rushed for 874 yards and caught 29 passes for 463 yards in leading the Jackrabbits to an unbeaten record in NCC play and a 9-1 overall record. He also was the team’s leading kickoff and punt returner, and intercepted seven passes. Following his career at SDSU, Rasmussen plated 10 seasons with the Detroit Lions. • DARWIN GONNERMAN, fullback, 1967 and 1968 The Adrian, Minn., powerhouse became SDSU’s first two-time All-American when he put together back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and became the school’s career rushing leader. A classic all-purpose player, Gonnerman set 13 school records, including the longest punt return in school history, 95 yards against North Dakota State, a record that still stands today. Also a standout kicker, Gonnerman played two seasons with the Ottawa Roughriders in the Canadian Football League. In 1969, he was voted South Dakota College Football Player of the Decade. • LYNN BODEN, guard, 1974 Boden had the distinction of being the only North Central Conference player ever picked in the round of the National Football League Draft, when he was selected by the Detroit Lions in 1975.
2010 JACKRABBIT FOOTBALL MEDIA GUIDE