Story by
The Daily Republic, Mitchell, S.D.
Matt Zimmer: Josh Holst ready to lead Jackrabbit offense
- Story byThe Daily Republic, Mitchell, S.D.
- Matt Zimmer: Josh Holst ready to lead Jackrabbit offense
Sep. 23—BROOKINGS — When Chase Mason went down with a knee injury in South Dakota State 's win over Youngstown State last Saturday, backup quarterback Josh Holst was ready.
Maybe a little bit too ready.
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Holst overshot his throws downfield, completing just 3-of-8 passes as the Jackrabbits used the ground game to salt away their 27-20 win. No one seems worried, though.
Quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator Eric Eidsness said Holst was just a little bit too amped up to get in and make plays, and when asked about it after Wednesday's practice, Holst didn't disagree.
"I had a lot of adrenaline, for sure, and I missed some throws," Holst said. "Put a little too much juice on them.
"But," he added, "I'm going to keep throwing the ball down the field. I'm going to be fired up to play Saturday."
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When Mason went down for five weeks last year the Jacks didn't have much experience to turn to, with redshirt freshmen Luke Marble and Jack Henry taking turns under center. The Jacks went 1-4.
Henry has had an entire offseason to learn and improve and he has. But Holst ultimately won the backup role in camp, which isn't surprising. A 6-4, 210-pound junior, Holst spent three years at the FBS level with Northern Illinois, and in the last two seasons there played in 14 games, starting seven. He threw for 1,282 yards and rushed for 385 yards, and his finest moment was in the 2024 Potato Bowl, when, as a redshirt freshman, he was named MVP of the game, completing 18-of-30 throws for 182 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 65 yards and catching a pass for a 2-point conversion.
The Jacks have brought in quarterbacks from the FBS level before, but never one who'd actually played and succeeded. Holst has.
"We feel great about Josh," said tight end Coleman Kuntz. "He's just an experienced quarterback. And he comes into the huddle and he has a swagger. Sometimes you look at a guy and you see if he's nervous, or if he's actually got it. And Josh has got it."
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Kuntz said that on Wednesday. Saturday night, moments after the Jacks' win over the Penguins, captain Quinten Christensen said almost the same thing.
"You look in someone's eyes and you're like does this guy got it? He's got it," Christensen said.
Holst threw a 78-yard touchdown pass to Landon Dulaney on his first attempt as a Jackrabbit, in the season opener against Stetson. He looked sharp all through camp, edging out Henry for the QB2 job despite Henry playing well himself.
And while he may not have Mason's physical tools, he's a similar profile. Tall and lean with a strong arm and the ability to be a true threat in the ground game.
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Holst's experience would be important no matter where it came, but it's even doubly meaningful because he ran the same offense at NIU that he's running now, because Eidsness was the playcaller at both places. Holst says the terminology is all basically the same, so he didn't have much to learn when he arrived.
Holst knew the starting job was Mason's, but he took the role of backup seriously so he'd be ready in case his number was called.
"Obviously (the injury) sucks, it's Chase's team, but that's why I came here," Holst said. "You've always got to prepare to be the starter. I've been with the 2s but I was always out there playing practice like it was a game. You've always got to be ready, and when you have to go in you've got to seize the opportunity. You've got to be able to step up and win the game."
Though he spent the last three years in the Mountain West, Holst says this is the best collection of talent he's played with. He mentioned the receivers, offensive line and running back Josiah Johnson (who ran for 238 yards against YSU), but was especially effusive in his praise for the quarterback room. Holst was already a pretty good quarterback, and he thinks a couple months of being in Brookings has already made him better.
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"It's the best QB room I've ever been a part of," Holst said. "We all support each other tremendously, and we all love each other. And it's just — when you support each other and you love each other and you're not, like, upset about a guy being in front, and you compete, you make each other better. And that's just what we've been doing since spring. I've been making Chase better. Chase has been making me better. Same with (Henry). Same with (Jack) Thue. Everybody, even (Anthony) Rezac. I mean, we all make each other better.
We're all super close, and we all support each other, and it's just great to be a part of guys who support and love each other so much."
The Jacks shouldn't have trouble with the Panthers, this week's opponent. They opened as 34.5 point favorites.
But the timing of SDSU 's final non-conference game is good. It gives Holst a chance to tighten the screws, get comfortable and develop timing and a rapport with the receivers. They'll need that, as they travel to Illinois State the following week for a battle of No.2 vs. No. 3.
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Mason hasn't been ruled out of that game, but getting him back that quickly might be wishful thinking. Holst wants to be ready to go into Hancock Stadium able to lead the Jacks to a win over last year's national runner-up.
The coaches are planning on as much. When asked if the Jacks offensive gameplan will change with Holst replacing Mason, head coach Dan Jackson didn't hesitate.
"Nope, not at all," he said. "Josh can run it, throw it, execute every play in the offense. I'm excited to see him play. He'll have a good week of practice I'm sure. He understood his role when he was backing Chase up, now he understands he needs to step up and play, and when Chase is back he'll go back to that role. He's a good player. He's here for a reason."
