The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) will host its annual football media day event Thursday, July 31, at the CAVEA Theater on the campus of MSU Denver. Representing the Black Hills State program will be head coach Josh Breske, defensive end Cooper Brown, and running back Cameron Goods. The Yellow Jackets will be the first team to go during the event, which will be broadcasted live on the RMAC Network at 10:30 a.m., as interviews will be conducted by Miles Dunklin. During the event, the 2025 Preseason Coaches’ Poll and the Preseason All-RMAC teams will be announced at 12 p.m. in-between morning and afternoon sessions.
JOSH BRESKE | 6TH SEASON | 23-23 CAREER RECORD
Breske, who enters his sixth season as the head coach at his alma mater, continues to raise the bar for the program. Tied as the third-longest active tenured coach in the RMAC, he will be just the tenth coach in school history to reach the 6-year threshold. Additionally, his six wins in 2024 brought him into the top-10 all-time in Yellow Jacket history with 23 victories guiding the program, currently ranking ninth.
BHSU’s Longest Tenured Coaches (6+ Seasons) BHSU’s Winningest Coaches (20+ Victories)
Gene Schlekeway (15 Seasons – 1968-82) Gene Schlekeway (1968-82 – 62 Wins)
Don Young (10 Seasons – 1948-50, ’53-58, ’67) Paul G. Rose (1928-35 – 37 Wins)
Lyle W. Hare (8 Seasons – 1906, ’11-17) John Scott (2003-08 – 37 Wins)
Paul G. Rose (8 Seasons – 1928-35) Lyle W. Hare (1906, ’11-17 – 33 Wins)
Dale Hardy (8 Seasons – 1959-66) Don Young (1948-50, ’53-58, ’67 – 29 Wins)
John Reiners (8 Seasons – 2012-19) Dale Hardy (1959-66 – 28 Wins)
Ted Birkeland (7 Seasons – 1936-42) Ed Neibauer (1990-95 28 Wins)
Ed Neibauer (6 Seasons – 1990-95) John Reiners (2012-19 – 27 Wins)
John Scott (6 Seasons – 2003-08) Josh Breske (2020-Present – 23 Wins)
Josh Breske (6 Seasons – 2020-Present) Ted Birkeland (1936-42 – 21 Wins)
The 6-5 (5-4 RMAC) record a year ago marked the third consecutive winning season for Black Hills State overall and in league play. The ongoing string of success is the longest stretch of consecutive winning seasons in the program’s DII history, and the longest since they posted six consecutive winning years overall and in conference play from 2005-10 as members of the NAIA’s Dakota Athletic Conference (DAC). Breske’s tenure has also seen the team showcasing sustained success at home, going 10-5 at Lyle Hare Stadium since 2022 and posting a 4-1 record in 2024. The 4-1 record was the best at home in nearly two decades, matching an identical 4-1 mark in 2007. Among other highlights in the 2024 season, it was the second time in the last three years that BHSU took down rivals South Dakota Mines (22-20) and Chadron State (21-18) during the same season.
Black Hills State closed the 2024 season with significant momentum, winning three of their final four games. They look to carry that momentum into a loaded 2025 schedule that includes non-conference games against Sioux Falls, who went 8-3 (7-3 NSIC) last year, and Grand Valley State, a team considered to once again be in the top-5 nationally at the beginning of the season after an 11-2 (6-1 GLIAC) season in 2024.
The Yellow Jackets are set to return both of their First Team All-RMAC selections from a year ago, as Jayson Rouse will be a leader on the offensive line and Kellen Collier will be a leader on the defensive line. Among other returners, BHSU also brings back three Honorable Mention All-RMAC selections in running back Cameron Goods, quarterback Luke Duby, and linebacker Sebastian O’Farrell. Statistically in 2024, the Green & Gold ranked fourth in NCAA Division II in red zone offense (0.917), eighth in blocked kicks (7), 12th in rushing defense (85.4), 18th in blocked punts (2), 20th in tackles-for-loss per game (7.5), and 25th in fumbles recovered (9).
COOPER BROWN | REDSHIRT SENIOR | DEFENSIVE END | 6’0 | 245 LBS | GILBERT, ARIZ. | HIGHLAND H.S.
Brown will be among the several returners on an experienced defensive line this upcoming fall, having started all 11 games a year ago. Among the returners on defense, he posted the third-most tackles last season with 37.0. Additionally, he brings back the most tackles-for-loss (9.5), was the team-leader in sacks with 5.5, deflected two passes and forced three fumbles. Throughout his career the redshirt senior has appeared in 33 games, totaling 129 tackles, 24.5 tackles-for-loss, 14 sacks, four pass deflections, six forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries. During the Yellow Jackets NCAA Division II era, he ranks second and fourth for most sacks in a single season and holds the second-most sacks in a career during that time span. He currently holds career-highs of ten tackles, which occurred against Colorado School of Mines in 2023, three tackles-for loss at New Mexico Highlands in both 2022 and 2024, and two sacks at New Mexico Highlands in 2024. Last season he accumulated five or more tackles four times, notched two or more tackles-for-loss twice, and recorded multiple sacks once. Over the course of his career, he has earned All-RMAC Honorable Mention and RMAC Defensive Freshman of the Year in 2022, is a 2-time RMAC Academic Honor Roll recipient in 2023 and 2024 and was a CSC Academic All-District selection in 2024.
BHSU Sack Leaders (NCAA Division II Era – 2012-Present)
Single Season Career
1. Keenan Eck (2022 – 8.5) 1. Jarrell Ganaway (2015-21 – 21.5)
2. Cooper Brown (2022 – 7.5) 2. Cooper Brown (2022-Present – 14.0)
3. Jarrell Ganaway (2021 – 6.5) 3. Kellen Collier (2021-Present – 9.5)
4. Cooper Brown (2024 – 5.5) 4. Keenan Eck (2022 – 8.5)
T-5. Jarrell Ganaway (2018 – 5.0) T-5. Austin Goddard (2015-18 – 7.5)
T-5. Austin Goddard (2018 – 5.0) T-5. Kolten Johnson (2014-18 – 7.5)
T-5. Jarrell Ganaway (2017 – 5.0)
CAMERON GOODS | SENIOR | RUNNING BACK | 6’0 | 210 LBS | IRVINE, CALIF. | IRVINE H.S.
After posting his best season in the Green & Gold, Goods returns to once again lead the running back room. He appeared in all 11 games last season, including making ten starts, while running the ball 125 times for 626 yards (5.0 yards per carry), and nine touchdowns. Additionally, he caught 20 passes for 149 yards and two touchdowns. In his career he has played in all 33 games, rushing the ball 277 times for 1,535 yards (5.5 yards per carry), and 13 touchdowns, and has caught 28 passes for 253 yards and three touchdowns. His first multi-touchdown game of his career occurred in a rivalry-victory over Chadron State this past season, which included a game-winning 45-yard touchdown run in the closing minutes to secure the win. He ended the 2024 season with his first career 100-yard rushing game, totaling 178 yards (9.4 yards per carry) on 19 carries, finding the end zone three times in a win at New Mexico Highlands and earned RMAC Offensive Player of the Week honors. His 62 yard touchdown run against the Cowboys was the longest run of the season by a Yellow Jacket. With his performance against NMHU, he is one of just three players in program history since 2004 to rush for 150 or more yards and score three touchdowns on the ground in a single game. Along with his conference player of the week honor this past season, he was also named Honorable Mention All-RMAC in 2024 and is a 2-time RMAC Academic Honor Roll selection in 2023 and 2024.
150+ Rushing Yards & 3 Rushing Touchdowns in BHSU Single Game (Since 2004)
Payten Gillmore (248 Yards & 3 Touchdowns vs. New Mexico Highlands in 2018)
Phydell Paris (192 Yards & 3 Touchdowns vs. Dickinson State in 2016)
Cameron Goods (178 Yards & 3 Touchdowns at New Mexico Highlands in 2024)
Nolan Susel (173 Yards & 3 Touchdowns at Fort Lewis in 2023)
Payten Gilmore (156 Yards & 3 Touchdowns vs. Azusa Pacific in 2019)
