He may be retired. He may no longer be in charge of the FCS football powerhouse he built.

But former South Dakota State head coach John Stiegelmeier has certainly not vanished from the Dykhouse complex.

In his first Happy Hour interview since reacting to successor Jimmy Rogers leaving and taking his whole staff and over a dozen SDSU players with him, "Stig" gives his observations and stories about:

• The five SDSU spring football practices he attended
• Dan Jackson as a head coach
• Trip to Northwestern to see former Jackrabbits Zach Lujan (offensive coordinator), Christian Smith (defensive line coach) and Griffin Wilde (wide receiver)
• Recent family vacation to Central America
• Communication with Jimmy Rogers since Rogers took over Washington State

The Head Coach Emeritus who guided SDSU to the 2022 national title in the final game of his 25-year run sizes up expectations for the 2025 squad full of new players and an entirely new staff, made partly of familiar faces.

And, yes, Stig offers plenty of insight and opinion on NIL, the transfer portal, how it affects SDSU and all FCS teams, and what it takes to succeed in this era.

It's May, which brings with it May baskets, May flowers, and memorable Augustana baseball postseason runs. (Augie softball for that matter, too.)

The Vikings begin their quest for a fifth NSIC tournament title and ninth NCAA Div. II Tournament berth, and second national championship on Tim Huber's watch at The Birdcage on Wednesday evening.

Six players have been drafted by Major League teams and 28 have been named All-America since Huber in 2009 after a few years as a junior college coach in the Twin Cities. Facilities and player talent have blossomed to become top-shelf at the Div. II level in those 16 years, a result of what what Huber calls "no secret sauce, just hard work."

The Belle Plaine, Minn., native walks us through that labor of love story, starting from humble beginnings on the Augie campus. A wooden fence, of all things, opened the floodgates and led to the mountain top in 2018.

Huber re-lives that remarkable run, and how it both changed things yet didn't. The Vikings haven't recaptured the ultimate prize, but have won the third-most games of any Div. II team in the nation in the last seven years.

How does Huber do it, what challenges do (or will) NIL and the transfer portal present his sport at his level, and how does he look back on Augie seeking — but ultimately not finding — Div. I status back in 2019-20?

He sat down with Happy Hour host John Gaskins at Gateway Lounge for an hour-long conversation to unpack his 16 years of success.

Before that, John recaps the Wolves buzzkill belly flop in Game 1. If the Warriors will win this series, will we consider that epic failure worthy of induction into the Minnesota Pro Sports Pantheon of Misery? John also gives reasons why Game 2 should be a bounce back — or not.

It's May, which brings with it May baskets, May flowers, and memorable Augustana baseball postseason runs. (Augie softball for that matter, too.)

The Vikings begin their quest for a fifth NSIC tournament title and ninth NCAA Div. II Tournament berth, and second national championship on Tim Huber's watch at The Birdcage on Wednesday evening.

Six players have been drafted by Major League teams and 28 have been named All-America since Huber in 2009 after a few years as a junior college coach in the Twin Cities. Facilities and player talent have blossomed to become top-shelf at the Div. II level in those 16 years, a result of what what Huber calls "no secret sauce, just hard work."

The Belle Plaine, Minn., native walks us through that labor of love story, starting from humble beginnings on the Augie campus. A wooden fence, of all things, opened the floodgates and led to the mountain top in 2018.

Huber re-lives that remarkable run, and how it both changed things yet didn't. The Vikings haven't recaptured the ultimate prize, but have won the third-most games of any Div. II team in the nation in the last seven years.

How does Huber do it, what challenges do (or will) NIL and the transfer portal present his sport at his level, and how does he look back on Augie seeking — but ultimately not finding — Div. I status back in 2019-20?

He sat down with Happy Hour host John Gaskins at Gateway Lounge for an hour-long conversation to unpack his 16 years of success.