As one of the top teams in preseason polling, the South Dakota State Jackrabbit football team comes into the 2025 season with high expectations.

Those expectations were voiced by many of the players and coaches throughout media day as they voiced their goal of playing for a national championship.

Part two of our Jackrabbit fall media day coverage includes Quarterback Chase Mason, who has big shoes to fill after Mark Gronowski moved onto Iowa.

Mason has been described as an athletic specimen who's already showcased his ability to run the ball; now he aims to display his ability to sling it as well.

Matt Goehring, a transfer from the University of Sioux Falls, hopes to play a large role on the defense. The NSIC 2nd team linebacker talked about being a part of turning around the USF football program and the excitement he has for taking the field wearing a blue jersey.

We heard from defensive lineman and captain Kobe Clayborne at MVFC media day, and he echoed his same sentiment Tuesday that SDSU wants to compete with the best of the best even after a difficult offseason. He also voiced his belief that Iowa wrestling is the best in the region.

Lastly, Julius Loughridge, a transfer from Fordham University, discussed where the running back room sits after the tragic loss of Nate White. Loughridge enters his final year of eligibility and looks to showcase what he can do on the ground.

We also heard from SDSU's other fall coaches for women's golf, soccer, and volleyball.

Tuesday's Happy Hour takes us up to Brookings, South Dakota, home of the South Dakota State University Jackrabbits.

The Jacks hosted their fall media day, allowing media personnel to get an inside look at a football practice before hearing from each of the coaches for the fall sports.

Today's portion of media day coverage will include Quinten Christensen, Alex Bullock, Coleman Kuntz, Dan Jackson, plus coaches from equestrian and cross country.

Offensive Lineman Christensen comes into the year as a vocal leader for the Jackrabbits after a chaotic offseason that ended with the loss of their head coach and several players.

The Wessington Springs graduate talked about his playing days in high school, growing up on a ranch, and what he plans to bring to the trenches this year.

Nebraska wide receiver transfer Bullock talked about what it meant to be a Cornhusker as a Nebraska native, and how the team has already come together during two weeks of fall camp.

Sacramento State tight end transfer Kuntz didn't have much to say about his time with the Hornets and appeared to have a chip on his shoulder heading into his last year of eligibility.

Coming up tomorrow on Happy Hour, we'll hear from Quarterback Chase Mason and members of the running back, defensive line, and linebacker rooms.

Up until Saturday, South Dakota State legend Mark Gronowski had said all the right things and made all the right moves as Iowa's new $2 million quarterback — including a seemingly breathtaking, tight-window sideline laser last week that made viral waves.

But until Saturday, the Hawkeyes' eigth August camp practice, Gronowski had not performed in front of the media nor Iowa fans.

So, how'd he do in a non-contact, 11-on-11 scrimmage? The numbers: 10-for-20, 134 yards and a pick-six. Not awesome. But there were highlights that should have Hawkeye fans excited.

Why? Veteran Iowa reporter Chad Leistikow of the Des Moines Register breaks down Gronowski's first public quarterback performance in black-and-gold, plus offers a litany of reasons why Gronowski should be the first Hawkeye QB in a decade to make the long-downtrodden offense move if not sparkle enough to make Iowa a Top 25 national team near the top of the Big Ten standings.

In other words, Gronowski has some tools to be not just a breath of fresh air that can cross a low QB bar at "Punt U," but a bona fide difference maker like he was with the Jackrabbits.

Before Leistikow, Happy Hour host John Gaskins delivers local highlights of the first NFL preseason games over the weekend. While these games are mostly non-reflective of what we'll see on real NFL Sundays, a couple of former South Dakota State running backs had their time to shine.

Amar Johnson is playing to make the Green Bay Packers' final 53-man roster, and he took a giant leap — and a Lambeau Leap! — in scoring the only Pack touchdown against the New York Jets. Hear legend Kevin Harlan's call, plus what Johnson said after the game. In the same game, Johnson's SDSU RB teammate Isaiah Davis, threw a block on a Justin Fields touchdown that you'll also hear and/or see.

Meanwhile, hear what did Minnesota Vikings radio analyst and former linebacker Ben Leber say about J.J. McCarthy's one and only series leading the Vikings against a mostly third/fourth string Houston Texans defense, plus who were other "winners" of Saturday's scrimmage in the Purple Palace.

A few blocks away, the Luke Keaschall Lovefest continued as the flourishing fresh face of the "call-up" group after the trade deadline fire sale hit a walk-off home run on Sunday to give the Minnesota Twins a dramatic series win over Kansas City. How excited and invested does this make us for the rest of the season for a squad that has won five of seven games and is "just" 5.5 games back of the last American League wild card spot?

Locally, the legend of Jabari Henry just keeps growing, as a week full of epic "Bari Bombs" at The Birdcage continued for the playoff-bound (for now) Sioux Falls Canaries.