Payton Shafer begins his first season on Head Coach Jimmy Rogers’ staff in a defensive graduate assistant role, working with the linebackers. Shafer is no stranger to Rogers as he played for the Cougars head coach at South Dakota State and spent the last two seasons as a student assistant on Rogers staff.
Shafer spent four seasons in a Jackrabbits uniform, beginning in 2019. As a linebacker, he was a key member of the 2022 SDSU defense that led the nation in rushing defense, finished second in total defensive and third in scoring defense. The Jackrabbits captured the 2022 FCS National Championship that season, the first in program history.
For his career, Shafer played in 40 games and helped the team to a 40-12 overall record, two Missouri Valley Conference Championships and four appearances in the NCAA FCS Championships, reaching the championship game in 2020-21 (spring), the semifinals in 2021 and the national title in 2022.
A native of Cottage Grove, Minn., Shafer attended Park High School before attending South Dakota State, where he graduated with a degree in sports management.
