For Christion, decision comes down to MAC or Dakota FCS future

Taryn Christion has a tough decision to make, and the time is drawing near.

Does the Roosevelt quarterback want to play major Division I football in the Mid-American Conference or stay closer to home and perhaps chase national titles with regional FCS programs North Dakota State and South Dakota State?

Christion, whose playmaking ability within Roosevelt's spread offense makes him an enticing prospect, recently returned from visits to MAC programs Ohio and Eastern Michigan and was intrigued by what he saw.

Ohio is coached by former Nebraska coach Frank Solich, while EMU's offense will be under the direction of first-year coordinator Kalen DeBoer, the former University of Sioux Falls head coach.

Both teams employ a spread offense with power reads and a vertical passing game, which fits right into Christion's strengths as he eyes his third year as a starter for Kim Nelson's Rough Riders.

"I really liked the offensive scheme at both schools," said the 6-foot-2, 190-pound Christion, who passed for 2,549 yards and 24 touchdowns as a junior while rushing for 988 yards and 18 TDs as the Riders advanced to the Class 11AAA finals.

"They went through some stuff and showed me where I could shine, and it was very similar to what we're doing at Roosevelt. I'd like to stay in a spread, where my game excels more and I can throw or run when I need to."

Of the schools that have offered scholarships, Christion has narrowed his list to Ohio, Eastern Michigan, Wyoming, NDSU and SDSU, eliminating USD and Northern Iowa from consideration.

"I never really felt it at USD," he said when asked about his in-state options. "I felt I would be more comfortable at SDSU and had more interest from SDSU."

Christion also doesn't sound enamored by Wyoming, under the direction of former NDSU coach Craig Bohl. He is scheduled to visit Lamarie with his parents on Aug. 9 but might cancel that trip, which could speed up his decision, originally slated for mid-August.

"I need to talk to my parents and see what they think," said Christion, adding that Wyoming is at the bottom of his list of finalists. "It's sort of a nerve-racking process, but it's fun. I just want to take the time and make sure I'm comfortable wherever I go."

Christion is being recruited as a quarterback by all the remaining schools, and he expects to redshirt his first year to pick up the offense and get physically stronger for the next level of competition.

He sounds like he could find a comfort level at SDSU, which has adjusted its offense to fit personnel in the past and could really shake things up with the Rider standout on campus.

"I got along well with the coaches there," he said. "They're saying that if I went there, the offense would kind of change. They'd put in more power reads to get me into the run game more often. It was pretty much the same deal at NDSU."

The rising senior is torn between playing at the highest level possible (FBS) and getting a chance to play closer to family and friends with the Dakota FCS schools.

If it comes down to SDSU and NDSU, it will be a good measuring stick to see if the Jackrabbits can curtail the ability of the defending national champs to dip into South Dakota for top-tier recruits in the post-Bohl era.

The decision will arrive soon, and then Christion will join Ohio State recruit Grant Schmidt and fellow Division I prospect Chase Vinatieri to make Roosevelt an odds-on favorite to claim a state title and send their electrifying signal-caller out on top.