������Ƶ

In this episode of “The Yello & Blue Podcast,” student host Rylin Yerdon sits down with three of ������Ƶ's most spirited students: Jarrett Wildman, Grant Madsen and Joseph Weber. These three Jackrabbits are known for leading the charge in the SDState student section, sporting their signature yellow and blue striped bibs and igniting school spirit at every football game. 

They share what it's like to be at the heart of the action, rallying the crowd and spreading excitement throughout the stadium. From their personal experiences as ������Ƶ students to the adrenaline-packed game days, Wildman, Madsen and Weber give listeners an insider's look into the power and impact of the SDState student section. They dive into what it takes to keep the energy high, connect with fellow fans and how to immerse yourself in an unforgettable game day experience. 

If you're wondering what it’s like to be a part of the legendary Jackrabbits student section, this episode is a must-listen. Tune in for all the details, tips for first-timers, and a behind-the-scenes look at how they bring the hype every game day. 

Transcript:

[Joe] 

When we all first got here, we'd all get up pretty early and go to the games pretty early, when we were younger freshmen here. It was just we didn't put in the same effort that we do now to get here. That kind of springboarded our sophomore year when we really started coming in early to make sure we get where we want.

[Rylin] 

How early? 

[Jarrett] 

That's top-secret information. 

[Grant] 

We can't tell you or else somebody's going to try to beat us. 

[Rylin] 

OK. All right. 

[Jarrett] 

Nobody else brings the hype like we do. 

[Rylin] 

Hello, Jackrabbits Nation! I'm Rylin Yerdon, a student host on “The Yellow & Blue Podcast,” today. There's no denying that game days are a big deal for Jackrabbits. Our fans flock to our campus to watch the Jackrabbits compete, and the ������Ƶ student section is a catalyst for game day hype. From yellow-and-blue striped bibs to carrot costumes, thousands of students attend athletic events as part of their experience here at SDState. 

[Rylin] 

If you've attended any ������Ƶ football games recently, you may recognize today's guests. Here to talk about their game day experience here at ������Ƶ. Our students, Jarrett, Grant and Joseph. Thank you, guys, for being here.

[Joe] 

Of course. 

[Jarrett] 

Thanks for having us. 

[Joe] 

Thank you. 

[Grant] 

It's a pleasure. 

[Rylin] 

Of course. So, I guess we'll get right into it. Why did you guys decide to come to ������Ƶ? 

[Joe] 

Jarrett, you can go ahead and start. 

[Jarrett] 

Come the fall of ’21. I just wanted schools that were open and good agriculture. And I really like to pheasant hunt and duck hunt. Bippity, boppity, boo, I ended up in Brookings, South Dakota, in August of 2021 without ever touring the university or anything. I just kind of yolo’ed it and told my dad I was like, “Well, if you don't, if I don't like it, you'll see me back in six months.” 

[Jarrett] 

Well, my dad hasn't seen me back in three years, so. 

[Joe] 

So, I'm from Rapid City, South Dakota. Me coming here was, it was kind of a weird decision. This was always a school I wanted to go to. When I was in high school, I played a lot of sports, had some different scholarship offers to play somewhere. But I had a situation where I'd fallen in love, out of love with the game I was playing. 

[Joe] 

It was between here and UNL at the end, and here was cheaper. I could get better VA benefits, and my dad graduated from here. So that's kind of my story of how I ended up here. 

[Grant] 

I grew up near Rapid City in a town called New Underwood. So, kind of with me coming here, I've 

[Grant] 

As I grew to understand more and what I wanted to do when I grew up, I was always looking for something more with, like, with my exercise science. And I just was looking at places across South Dakota because I knew I wanted to be kind of closer to home, because even from here, it's only a five-hour drive back home. 

[Grant] 

So mainly it was just kind of for the distance. I also really looked up for, like I said, with the majors, it was really just a great program to get into. Along with that, my mom went to school here. My brother went here for a few years. So, it was just a place I always had in my mind to be here. 

[Joe] 

I also feel Grant on the distance thing. I love my parents, but they know that they that I needed some separation. 

[Rylin] 

Gotta have that healthy distance, right? 

[Joe] 

Healthy. 

[Jarrett] 

I have an extremely healthy distance away from home. A solid 15-hour drive. 

[Rylin] 

All right. So, Jarrett, you kind of mentioned, what you're studying. But yeah. 

[Rylin] 

What are your guys' majors that you're studying here? 

[Jarrett] 

Yes. I'm an agricultural systems technology student. I have minors in ag business and precision agriculture. I grew up on a family farm. I still actively farm with my dad these days. But, yeah, I just always had a love of agriculture and a love of computers, and just being able to combine the two together and being able to work in precision ag and grow more food for our growing population and being able to help producers and consumers at the same time, it just makes it, just fulfills my dreams, too. 

[Joe] 

So, I've bounced around majors for a little while, but I finally found where I want to be. I'm now a history education major. I want to be able to teach. I've always liked working with kids and inspiring them about things. And I love history. I love inspiring kids about history, and I just want to give people a better educational experience than I had when I was growing up. 

[Grant] 

And I'm an exercise science pre-chiropractic major. I'm currently a senior here. So, kind of with that, after I graduate from here, I plan on going to chiropractic school and then getting my doctorate. But yeah, kind of the reason why I fell in love with it is kind of for, in high school just was sports. I'd get roughed up quite a bit, and I would always go to the chiropractor, and they would always seem to make me better. 

[Grant] 

So, I kind of wanted to instill that onto other athletes that were like me. 

[Rylin] 

So, how did you guys become friends? 

[Grant] 

There's multiple perspectives, I would say, but from my perspective, so I moved in to Abbott second floor and my freshman year. The first day when I was unpacking some boxes and everything, I ended up cutting my finger, and I got a pretty cool scar from it, and I had to get eight stitches, and I had this big old wrap around my finger. 

[Grant] 

And then when I came back to the dorm room, I just saw this whole group of guys all just hovered around in the common room. I'm walking back with the big old wrap around my finger, and these guys talk to me and say, “What happened to you?” And I just simply replied, “I played too much whack-a-mole. ” 

[Joe] 

Yeah, like Grant said, there's a lot of different stories of how, but if you want the really, really sweet and short version is we all lived on the same floor. We had a few friends who lived the floor above us, but they, the gap between that group and us kind of bridged between me and my high school best friend, Gavin, who we were planning on living together when we got assigned rooms. 

[Joe] 

We didn't have the same room, but we were just a floor apart. So that kind of bridged our gap. He'd come down, hang out with us every once while. We go up, hang out with them. And that's just kind of how this whole thing kind of clumped together. Every, every individual person in our friend group, you could say, met in different ways. 

[Joe] 

I feel like we all kind of met each other differently. But then we wouldn't have met if we weren't in this on the same floor or just one floor apart. 

[Jarrett] 

Yeah, for me, I live …. So, we all lived on second floor in Abbott Hall freshman year, and I lived at the very end of the hall. 

[Jarrett] 

I had a single room, so I didn't have a roommate. And, so for me, I was just kind of, like I said, I moved in everything by myself and all that. And my parents never came with me, so I was just out wandering the halls on the move-in day and trying to meet new people on my floor. 

[Jarrett] 

And. Yeah, then I met Joe and Grant and our other buddy Jordan and Carson and all that, and we just kind of hit it off after that. 

[Rylin] 

So now we're going to get into the fun nitty gritty. Have you guys always been enthusiastic about Jackrabbits Athletics? 

[Joe] 

I would say so. We when we all first got here, we'd all get up pretty early and go to the games pretty early. 

[Joe] 

We were younger freshmen here. It was just we didn't put in the same effort the way that we do now to get here. That kind of springboarded our sophomore year when we really started coming in early to make sure we get where we want. 

[Rylin] 

How early? 

[Jarrett] 

That's top-secret information. 

[Grant] 

We can't tell you or else somebody's going to try to beat us. OK. All right. Nobody else brings a hype like we do. 

[Rylin] 

I guess it's true. So, what are your favorite Jackrabbit events to watch? 

[Grant] 

I enjoy football. I enjoy basketball, volleyball. They're all really fun to watch in general. I have a good time. I mean, even soccer games are really fun for me. 

[Grant] 

I, I they're all great to me. 

[Joe] 

Yeah, I love the football games there. It's my favorite sport. Always has been. It's the most fun for us out of any sports because that's when, in general, the most students come together. However, the other really great one is any NDSU or USD game. Everyone comes out for that. 

[Joe] 

So those are the games where the energy really comes in, especially for basketball against NDSU. It's those are always really electric games. And those are always some of the most fun basketball games to go to. 

[Jarrett] 

Yeah. So, for me, I've really only ever ventured out to football and basketball, both men's and women's basketball. 

[Jarrett] 

But yeah, just the energy at the football games is untouchable. It's amazing. And then basketball games, too, you know. It's middle of February and you're pushing for top seed in the Summit League for basketball games, and you're playing in NDSU on a Sunday afternoon. It's 20 below out. That really brings the energy. 

[Rylin] 

Yeah. And the student section at ������Ƶ, particularly at football games, we have a lot of traditions that we like. For example, the shoe at kickoff, or the first down jig that we do with The Pride of the Dakotas. So, what would you say is your favorite student section tradition? 

[Joe] 

I think I have a feeling Jarrett's favorite, at least, is whenever the Jacks run out of the tunnel and Mark does the Tom Brady. 

[Joe] 

“Let's go.” We all do it back with him. And I know Jarrett specifically gets really hyped up about that one. 

[Jarrett] 

Just a little bit. So, yeah, that's definitely my favorite. And, bit of a shameless plug. After the USD game, everyone singing “Yellow and Blue.” Mark actually turned around. I started to run to the tunnel, back to the locker room and did it one last time towards our whole group and pointed specifically. 

[Jarrett] 

I'm gonna say, shameless plug at me, but it might have been to the whole group, but it definitely looked like the finger was pointing towards me. 

[Grant] 

I'd have to say Mark’s “Let's Go” is probably one of my favorites, too. It gets me. It's the start of the game. It gets me going every time, and then I'm ready to start screaming, “Let's play some football.” 

[Joe] 

I think my, just put in a different flavor. Just my personal favorite is when we got a first down, the little first down dance, cause I started doing that when I was a freshman. It just felt right. And now I got all my friends doing it. And now when I look back, it seems like a lot of people are doing it behind me. 

[Joe] 

So, I just kind of feel, it just kind of feels cool that people are doing something that I just kind of started doing. 

[Rylin] 

Do you want to demonstrate? 

[Joe] 

I can't without the music. I'm sorry. 

[Rylin] 

[Starts humming the tune] 

[Joe] 

It's just, it always starts two right, two left, two right, two left. 

[Joe] 

[Cheers] 

[Rylin] 

Love that. So, what would you guys say is kind of your self-determined role at the student section. 

[Rylin] 

Because you're always kind of at the front standing up there hyping everyone up. What would you kind of say is the reason you do that? 

[Jarrett] 

I would say for me, a lot of it's comic relief. You know, you go to class on Monday and everyone's laughing at you for some of the stuff you do because, you know, you're just feeling the energy of the game and you tend to do things you typically wouldn't do in a normal setting, but everyone finds it funny and you're always having a good time enjoying the environment. 

[Rylin] 

That's great. 

[Joe] 

I would say doing that started with our friend Mike. He got us the approval to go down, to go even a level lower than what was originally there. He got us some approval to do that, and he used to, he played for a year. So, we really wanted to bring the energy for his teammates, but he didn't want to do it alone. 

[Joe] 

And so a few of us went down there with him to help, to help him bring the energy. And now that he doesn't go to school here anymore, we got to keep it going for him because, I mean, it's just a way, you know. It's just a way to show him we miss him. 

[Grant] 

Yeah. It's mainly about bringing the energy that Mike always had. 

[Grant] 

Mike, I mean, the game, he did come here this year. I mean, he was bringing all the energy. It was him. It was his game. 

[Joe] 

There were quite a few, if anyone's wondering. Mike was the one squatting Jarrett every time we scored. Yeah. There's quite a few videos of it if you look so, that's, you know, that's a pretty good example of how Mike brings the energy. 

[Jarrett] 

Yeah. I was watching “SportsCenter” the day after that game happened. I can't exactly remember that game that happened, but it was like, “What happened yesterday in college football?” And there's just a shot of me on Mike's back getting squatted, after we scored a few touchdowns. 

[Rylin] 

So is there a particular reason you guys were bibs, or is that just … 

[Jarrett] 

Tradition. 

[Jarrett] 

������Ƶ tradition style? 

[Grant] 

I think so. I mean, I think a few of our friends are starting to wear bibs a little bit more, and then. So, it was just kind of like, all right, everyone get bibs on. Let's go and see what happens. You got it? 

[Joe] 

Yeah. Everyone, just you gotta go get bibs. You got to go get bibs. 

[Joe] 

You got to go get bibs. 

Rylin

So, what would you guys say is your favorite part about game days? Any game day. 

[Joe] 

Especially all of our friend group. Being upperclassmen, we rarely have time to get together and just hang out anymore. But game days it is. We are set. We're going to go. We're going to hang out at one of our friends’ houses before the game, walk over all together and just we spend pretty much the whole day together. 

[Joe] 

And I would say that's my absolute favorite part, is getting together with all my friends that I've had since freshman year. And it is a set time that we are for sure hanging out. 

[Grant] 

I completely agree with that, too. It's really about the bonding experience, and I feel like it's really helpful. Especially like nothing with the game days, or I should say with the game days, it really helps us get all together like. 

[Grant] 

But Joe said, I feel like now that we're all kind of growing up a little bit more, we don't really have as much time to spend with each other, and it's not like we can see each other down the hallways, like we did freshman year. So, it's kind of nice to kind of have a designated day where we're all just here to have some fun and enjoy each other. 

[Jarrett] 

Yeah, that's definitely the truth. You know, we're all scattered. We all live across town different ways together, too. So, you know, game day is, you know, it's a time to just see your buddies, know you're going to have a good time. It's all positive vibes only and nothing nothing's going to stop that. 

[Rylin] 

So that being said, do you guys have any like specific memories that have really stuck with you guys as because you're all seniors? 

[Rylin] 

It's culminating for you guys. 

[Joe] 

The two that come to mind, and even though they're probably the most miserable games to be at, the cold weather ones always seem to be the ones with the best stories. I think just one that I was thinking about the other day was when we were sophomores, were playing Holy Cross. The game was like an 11 a.m. kickoff or something. 

[Joe] 

We got in line at about 9 a.m. We get into the stadium. They're like, oh, it's a playoff game. We gotta get there early. So, we make sure we get some good spots. We get in the stadium. We're the only ones there till about 10 minutes before kickoff. And then the other one was last year during Villanova. In the playoffs. 

[Joe] 

It was incredibly, it was an incredibly miserable game weather wise, but just it was kind of fun because when game play stopped and it went to halftime, every single person just went and piled in the bathroom to just be warm. And so there was just kind of, there was kind of a party in the stadium bathroom. 

[Joe] 

There was a guy playing a trombone. At some point. It was just an interesting time. But those are just kind of the two that stuck out in my mind really recently. 

[Jarrett] 

And then also last year, when we played Montana State in week two, I believe, the night game, blackout game, the energy at that game was just something else I had. 

[Jarrett] 

I didn't have a voice for three days after that. 

[Joe] 

That was probably the single most electric game we've ever been to. It was that was a different atmosphere. 

[Jarrett] 

I figured this question was going to come up. I was thinking about, man, I don't take all the credit here, the student section to take all the credit here, but … when they were on first and goal, like the three yard line or whatever it was, and we forced three false starts in a row and pushed them back to the 18 yard line to where they had to yeet it up into the end zone. 

[Jarrett] 

That's when you knew that we played a role in the in how the game played out. 

[Joe] 

That was the loudest I've ever heard that stadium. I've never, I couldn't hear anything around me besides just the echo of roar of just ������Ƶ, ������Ƶ alums and fans. 

[Rylin] 

In case some of the viewers don't know, Jackrabbits Athletics have really been ramping up. 

[Rylin] 

Especially with volleyball. They set a new attendance record at 2,853 this year. And I think that really helped with the renovation of First Bank & Trust Arena with the hefty student club. And Grant, I said that you or I think that you said you were at a couple volleyball games. What's that atmosphere like? 

[Grant] 

You know, it's definitely different than football, but I would say that those games are just as electric. 

[Grant] 

Our girls have been playing great ball. It's been really fun to watch them in general. Usually I grab a handful of my friends every time I go, but, yeah, I would say those games are electric. Everybody's going crazy for every play. And yeah, it's just a great atmosphere overall. I would definitely recommend coming to more of that if anybody can. 

[Rylin] 

Like we said, First Bank & Trust Arena, newly renovated. We got some teams that are excelling. What are you guys most excited for in the newly renovated arena? 

[Grant] 

I would say that I'm very excited to keep watching some volleyball games. And, for basketball, I went and, like I said, watched a few volleyball games, and it was just a really great atmosphere. 

[Grant] 

I really like the new renovation. It's a really beautiful stadium now, or arena and, yeah, I'm really excited for the basketball games that will come up. I think it'll bring some good energy to the whole crowd. 

[Rylin] 

Yeah, and not to spoil it for those who haven't been yet, but I think it pays a really beautiful tribute to ������Ƶ. 

[Rylin] 

They did a really nice job of preserving some of the old aspects of Frost. And they've displayed it throughout the arena, and it's really beautiful. A really great tribute to our history and our past, and where we're headed, which is really exciting. And then the Hefty Student Section, beautiful, beautiful student club area as well, really open. 

[Rylin] 

So, you can kind of mingle with the students as well. You're not just kind of cramped in bleachers and lines. It's really nice for getting up and moving around. So yeah, I would definitely recommend getting in there if you haven't already. How do you think school spirit has shaped your experience at ������Ƶ? 

[Jarrett] 

For me, a lot of my core memories of ������Ƶ are game day and having fun with my friends and just bringing the energy and a lot of that. 

[Jarrett] 

Like, I can't think of how many memories I have from the games. You know, you look back and you see some of the Snapchat memories you have from freshman year, three years ago of some of the, you do the dumbest things and it always it's always the funniest stories. And looking back on it, you're like, man, where is time gone? 

[Jarrett] 

You know, like it feels like just yesterday football season for this this fall started in here. We're coming up on what, three or four games left before playoffs and hopefully we make another run. And actually, the three of us actually made the trip to Frisco this past winter, down for the game, and even that game day was electric. 

[Jarrett] 

That was more like game day times four, because it was like four days long. It Frisco was just painted in yellow and blue, and it was just it was like we were walking around down there. And I remember I traveled with Grant, and I told Grant I was like, man, there must be no Montana people here at all. 

[Jarrett] 

And then we get in the stadium and half the stadium is maroon and silver, and half the, well over half the stadium was in yellow and blue. I'd say over half. The stadium was more than pleased with how that game ended. 

[Grant] 

I had a fun time with that game, too. I got to go down to halftime and catch the punts. 

[Grant] 

So that was super fun. Yeah, I had a blast doing that. It was so electric. Just even catching the punts and feeling that energy. So, I can only imagine what the players felt. 

[Joe] 

I think the school spirit aspect, it's kind of just opened an opportunity to make a lot more friends because for, you know, people who you're in class with, they go to the games and they see it down at, down in the front, kind of, you know, being it being goofy and everything. 

[Joe] 

And they come and talk to you even if they'd never talk to you before. They're like, I saw you do some funny stuff at the game. I was like, yeah. And then, you know, it was pretty fun. It was pretty fun. But, I mean, it ends up helping you make more friends. People recognize your face. And it's, I mean, for us, I feel like a lot of us have made new friends just because of going down and being rowdy, and I mean, I think that's been kind of one of the biggest shapers for what it's done for at least us. 

[Jarrett] 

Yeah. Then of course, you get the random guy that comes down that nobody knows who he is, but he comes down to start jumping around saying, “Let's go, let's go.” And you like, fall off your stool or something because he's trying to jump on you or something like that. And that's just that's how you know, everyone's feeling the energy and everyone's having a good time. 

[Jarrett] 

And just embracing Jackrabbit Nation. 

[Rylin] 

What would you tell someone who has never attended a Jackrabbits athletic event before? 

[Grant] 

For anybody who wants to come to any football games, basketball games, anything like that, I would say just get involved in the traditions with it, too. I feel like that makes it 10 times better. Taking off the shoes, doing this during the first down celebrations. 

[Grant] 

Even like stuff with volleyball and basketball just getting into it more, I feel like that really makes the game even more fun for you. Even you. You paid the or you made the time to come down here. You spent the money to come in, whatever it may be, really. Just take everything and enjoy it.

[Joe] 

I would tell them, be nice to the people around you. 

[Joe] 

You know, try and be their friend. Even if you're going, if you're going with a friend group or if you're going solo, you're going to be next to other people. Be kind, be courteous to them. But also, I would tell them to kind of same thing or instead get involved, get ready for some, kind of get ready for some strange stuff to happen. 

[Joe] 

Because there, regardless of if it's happening in the game or if it's just happening around you, there just there tends to be a little bit level of weird, and that's kind of what makes it fun. 

[Rylin] 

What would you guys tell prospective students who are looking to attend ������Ƶ? 

[Grant] 

I feel like something that I would tell a lot of these students is it's a great environment for everybody. 

[Grant] 

If you're looking for your niche of people, I feel that you can always find it. We're all welcoming campus in general, many great things. You can do pretty much any hobby you want. It's pretty much here. You can do it. If you're fine with a little bit colder weather, but great people, I'd say this is the place for you. 

[Jarrett] 

I worked as an admissions ambassador for two years, so I kind of just, I worked with prospective students every day, not every day, but every time I gave a tour met with them or something like that. Just, you know, I always said, like, my favorite environment is athletics. You know, I always grew up. I was a big sports person. 

[Jarrett] 

My high school didn't have football, actually. So, the first like in-person student section event I actually was at was for a football game. Was the ������Ƶ game, you know, basketball obviously in high school, but it's home. I mean, the community rallies around it so much, and it's just you fall in love real quick. 

[Joe] 

I would tell them, say hi to every person you can because you never know who you're going to meet. 

[Joe] 

And that's kind of how our whole friend group had formed is our move-in day. We stopped in or it was just a random bunch. It was just a random bunch of people. Some people lived in the building. Some people didn't. But we just we stopped. We were just started talking. And then we've been friends since. Since just this random conversation. 

[Joe] 

I've had a ton of people I'm still friends with where I just met. I just met him. One day I said hi to them out of the blue. 

[Rylin] 

Yeah, and I think that kind of ties back into how you all said that it feels like home, and anyone can be anyone here, and you can find a place to fit in. 

[Rylin] 

And I think that's the really beautiful thing about this school. Well, thank you so much for joining us today, Jared, Grant and Joseph, this has been “The Yellow & Blue Podcast.”