FootballScoop is proud to announce that Zach Lujan (South Dakota State) is the 2023 FootballScoop FCS Coordinator of the Year, presented by AstroTurf as selected by prior winners.
Heading into Sunday's FCS National Championship, South Dakota State carries the longest winning streak in all of college football at 28 games.
For someone -- be it No. 2 seed Montana on Sunday or a future opponent -- to knock off the Jackrabbits, they'll have to slow done one of the most balanced offenses in college football.
South Dakota State is a top-5 unit on the ground and through the air.
Quarterback Mark Gronowski leads FCS in passing efficiency, hitting 196-of-286 passes (68.5 percent) for 2,883 yards (10.1 per attempt) with 28 touchdowns against only four interceptions. His 182.7 efficiency rating is 13 points ahead of the next-most efficient passer; the gap between Gronowski and the No. 2 FCS passer is equally great to the gap between No. 2 and No. 11.
After posting a rating in the 150s each of the past two seasons, Gronowski showcased fantastic growth in 2023. He surpassed a 200 efficiency rating in six of SDSU's 14 games to date, and bested 10 yards per attempt eight times. He was 16-of-23 for 323 yards and two touchdowns in a 35-17 win over Missouri State; nailed 21-of-26 throws for 291 yards and three scores in a 41-6 drubbing of UNI; and connected on 12-of-19 passes for 213 yards and a pair of touchdowns in a 33-16 defeat of rival North Dakota State.
Gronowski saved his best for his most recent. In a 59-0 FCS semifinal blowout of Albany, he was 15-of-19 for 265 yards and three touchdowns.
Of course, Gronowski did not do it by himself. SDSU enters the title game fifth nationally in rushing, averaging 230.5 yards per contest. Their 6.36 yards per carry are second in the nation.
Isaiah Davis leads the charge, carrying 220 times for 1,491 yards (6.78 per) and 19 touchdowns. He rushed 16 times for 132 yards and three scores against North Dakota; 20 times for 197 yards and two scores versus Illinois State; 16 times for 117 yards and three touchdowns in a shutout of Mercer; and 27 times for 192 yards and a score against Villanova.
Amar Johnson added 751 yards and four touchdowns, Angel Johnson rushed for 381 yards and crossed the goal line five times, and Gronowski contributed 349 yards and seven scores.
Twins Jadon and Jaxon Janke lead the Jackrabbits' receiving corps; Jadon has 891 receiving yards (17.1 per catch) and eight touchdowns, while Jaxon has 752 yards (16 per grab) and five scores.
As a group, South Dakota State is sixth nationally at 456.1 yards per game and third at 38.4 points per game. SDSU is first in FCS on third downs (54.8 percent) and first in the red zone (96.3 percent).
Gronowski is one of three finalists for the Walter Payton Award (the FCS version of the Heisman) and was named a Stats Perform FCS First Team All-American alongside Davis and offensive linemen Garrett Greenfield and Mason McCormick. Gronowski and Davis shared Missouri Valley Football Conference Offensive Player of the Year honors, reaching the All-MVFC First Team alongside Greenfield and McCormick. Fullback Mike Morgan, tight end Zach Heins, and offensive lineman Gus Miller were Second Team All-MVFC honorees, while Jaxon Janke and offensive lineman Evan Beersten garnered honorable mention.
An Anchorage, Alaska native, Lujan began his career at Chabot College in California before transferring to South Dakota State from 2014-16. He joined the staff upon his 2017 graduation as an offensive quality control, then moved to running backs coach in 2018. Lujan moved to quarterbacks in 2019 and was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2022.
The FootballScoop Coaches of the Year awards presented by AstroTurf are the only set of awards that recognize the most outstanding position coaches in college football. The finalists (Ronnie Bradford [Montana], Billy Nesselt [UAlbany], Tyler Roehl [North Dakota State], Ryan Smith [Florida A&M] and Lujan) were selected based off of nominations by coaches, athletic directors, and athletic department personnel. The prior winners selected this year's winner.
Previous winners of the FCS Coordinator of the Year award are Heishman Northern (Prairie View A&M, 2008), Bob Shoop (William & Mary, 2009), Nick Rapone (Delaware, 2010), Scott Stoker (Sam Houston State, 2011), Chris Klieman (North Dakota State, 2012), Sterlin Gilbert (Eastern Illinois, 2013), Don Bailey (Idaho State, 2014), Lyle Hemphill (Stony Brook, 2015), Phil Longo (Sam Houston State, 2016), Bob Trott (James Madison, 2017), Matt Entz (North Dakota State, 2018), Shane Montgomery (James Madison, 2019), Ryan Carty (Sam Houston, 2020), David Braun (North Dakota State, 2021), and Jimmy Rogers (South Dakota State, 2022).
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