Greenways to play for Augustana this year

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Jason and Justin Greenway are starting their college football careers right away.

The Mitchell High School graduates and former Kernel standouts will not redshirt as true freshmen at Augustana College in Sioux Falls. They expect to get limited carries at running back and play on special teams.

“It’s limited time this year for us,” Justin Greenway said Monday evening before going to team meetings. “But I felt like if I can help the team out, I might as well this year.”

The Greenways, cousins of Minnesota Vikings linebacker and Mount Vernon native Chad Greenway, will be suiting up in Augustana’s season-opening game against Northern State University, starting at 1 p.m. Saturday at Kirkeby-Over Stadium in Sioux Falls. Dajon Newell, a sophomore from Lakeview, Minn., is the team’s starting running back, Justin Greenway said.

The twins said they were both given the option whether or not they wanted to be redshirted, meaning a player can practice with the team but not play in games and still have four years of eligibility after the redshirt season.

“They explained to me both sides of getting redshirted and not, and they let me make the decision,” Jason Greenway said. “I think it would be a long year doing nothing if I was redshirted.”

When the Greenways chose their college earlier this year, they did so separately and didn’t talk about their decision together. They did the same thing about their decision to play this season.

“We went into coach’s office separately,” Jason Greenway said.

Jason Greenway said his most memorable moment of practice so far was during the final play of practice last week. He said he made a nice block to allow a freshman quarterback score a long touchdown run. He’s anticipating an intense game because Augustana and Northern State, based in Aberdeen, are conference foes and in-state rivals.

“We’ve been looking pretty good in practice, and we expect to win,” he said.

Justin Greenway said practice has been going well and both he and his brother have been healthy. He said he notices a major difference between college and high school football.

“A lot faster and the guys are bigger, quicker and stronger, but I’m enjoying my time here,” he said.

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