O’Gorman rising senior Sullivan Schlimgen held a football scholarship offer from Texas Tech, an FBS program, and also had interest from several other Big 10 and Big 12 programs.
Having Texas Tech come out to Sioux Falls to watch him work out and then tell him he had all the tools to play in the NFL one day was a really special moment for him. But after taking time to think and pray on it, and after many conversations with his parents about his future, he kept coming back to a different program: South Dakota State.
Schlimgen chose to join the Jackrabbits over Texas Tech and others, announcing his decision on Twitter on Thursday, June 13.
“My most important thing was, team culture wise, I wanted to be connected with not only just the linebackers I’d be with, but the whole defensive group, the whole offense … I wanted to feel connected with everyone,” Schlimgen said. “SDSU was really the school that I felt that.”
South Dakota State just always felt like home.
When South Dakota State football coach Jimmy Rogers first extended the offer in March, it was a great moment for the Schlimgen family. Schlimgen’s mom even took a moment to stop and hug her son mid-conversation.
“I just felt great at that moment,” Schlimgen said.
Schlimgen’s visit to Brookings on Sunday, June 9 to inform the Jackrabbits coaching staff of his decision only confirmed that.
On that visit, South Dakota State players were outside playing cornhole and watching game two of the NBA Finals. There was food for the players and a variety of different games setup. Everyone was just enjoying each other like a family would.
He was home.
Schlimgen will join an SDSU team that just went 15-0 in 2023 en route to their second consecutive FCS national championship and are favorites to repeat this season.
Jonathan Fernandez covers high school and college sports for the Argus Leader. Contact him at jfernandez1@argusleader.com. Follow him on Twitter at@JFERN31
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