Danny Batten was an excellent football player at Mesquite High in Gilbert, Ariz., and after a 144-tackle senior season in 2005 he waited for the phone to ring.

He waited, and waited. And when it did finally ring, he was surprised to hear South Dakota State on the other end.

"I didn't have any other offers coming out of high school, so it was a pretty easy choice to make," Batten says now. "It was a rival coach who helped me get recruited here. Our Arizona recruiter was watching tape and the coach told him, ‘You need to take a look at this kid.' And one thing led to another."

Batten's stature has certainly changed in four years in Brookings, S.D. He started as a 225-pound true freshman; the Arizona native had never experienced winter or anything less than big city life.

"It was a huge culture shock, coming from a place where there's millions of people to 30,000, give or take," he said.

The 245-pound Buchanan Award finalist has weathered well. Second on the team in tackles, Batten was named co-MVP on defense for the Missouri Valley Conference on Wednesday.

Likewise, the Jackrabbits' stature has never been higher. Ranked 11th in the Football Championship Subdivision, the 8-3 Jacks are about to play their first playoff game at this level, against the No. 3 Montana Grizzlies on Saturday. They moved up from Division II just six years ago.

Batten and a gambling defense that allows just 13.5 points a game are a major part of SDSU's first postseason appearance in 30 seasons. The addition of Clint Brown as co-defensive coordinator has coincided with a blitz-happy look.

"We're different than we have been when we've been out there," said Coach John Stiegelmeier, who brought the Jacks into Missoula for losses in 2005-06 (7-0 and 36-7). "We have a much more aggressive defense in terms of line movements and twists, and blitzing the linebackers.

"That's not my nature, so it hurts me to say that. But it's created an aggressive approach on defense, and for the most part it hasn't hurt us."

The Jackrabbits have taken to it well. Derek Domino is the top tackler. Defensive end Jake Steffen - whose brother Mike is a big-play receiver - has 7.5 tackles for loss.

"Our whole philosophy is to fly to the football," said Batten. "It's not anything crazy schematically. It's just fly, fly, fly to the football. Everybody on the defense is mad if they're not in on the tackle. It's a competition to see who can get to the ball faster."

The Jacks are allowing a respectable 108.4 rushing yards a game, and of equal note is their pass defense. SDSU's zone coverage has come up with 16 interceptions, and leads the FCS in passing efficiency defense. That's impressive even in a run-happy league.

The league is new too: The Jackrabbits joined the Missouri Valley, formerly the Gateway Conference, in 2008 after four seasons in the Great West. An established, consistent league hasn't hurt their cause.

"I think it did help," said Batten. "The Great West had half the teams. In the Missouri Valley you have to win eight to be conference champs. Every week you have to play your best."

Of course there are those three losses. One was 21-14 at Cal Poly, when the Mustangs were ranked No. 17 and playing well. The next was at No. 1 Southern Illinois, the Jacks' lone league loss, by a 34-15 score.

The game was notable for SIU's six sacks of senior quarterback Ryan Crawford, who also had an interception returned 75 yards for a score; a dropped punt snap to set up an SIU touchdown; and 259 rushing yards by the Salukis.

Stiegelmeier remembers something else.

"(Things) went bad and then - and this surprises me to say this - I am convinced we didn't bow our neck and respond to it," he said. "Consequently it didn't get worse, but it didn't get any better."

It was 34-3 when freshman Thomas O'Brien came in. He threw two fourth-quarter TD passes, and he's now the established starter. His top target is Glen Fox, who has 60 catches.

Of course everything is predicated on the run game, and the Jacks have a sparkplug in running back Kyle Minett. Running behind 300-pounders like Casey Knips and Ryan McKnight, Minett has rumbled for 1,179 yards and 14 TDs.

"He's not a track guy, but he's a complete football player," Stiegelmeier said of the junior. "He blocks well for a tailback type. His forte is to get 4 yards and get a one-on-one, and try to spin off or break a tackle."

Perhaps not coincidentally, Minett didn't have great games against Southern Illinois - the Jacks rushed for just 14 yards, though Minett had 61 - or Cal Poly or Minnesota. All were losses, though against the Big Ten Gophers their defense and special teams set the Jacks up for the upset (SDSU lost, 16-13).

That was Nov. 14; last week the Jacks topped Western Illinois to punch their ticket to the FCS playoffs.

Not bad for a school with, Stiegelmeier notes, the lowest budget in the MVC and trailers for offices. For all that the Jacks are a big draw at home.

"I don't know if I should be excited or embarrassed, but I can say we've been a better success as an FCS team than when we were in Division II," said the veteran coach. "Now, why that is? I think there's a bunch of young guys and coaches rolling up their sleeves and getting to work."

Fritz Neighbor can be reached at 523-5247 or at fneighbor@missoulian.com.