News and Notes before the State of Missouri

Full game notes (.pdf) | Missouri State Notes (.pdf)

The basics
South Dakota (2-1, 0-0 MVFC) at Missouri State (1-1, 0-0 MVFC)
Saturday, September 25 at 7 p.m. CST
Springfield, Missouri (Plaster Stadium)
Television: none
Radio: Coyote Sports Network (John Thayer, Gary Culver, Carter Woodiel)
Watch Online: ESPN3 (Scott Warmann, Danan Hughes, Kelly Burke)
Streak: South Dakota leads 4-3 … home team won first five meetings … road team won last two

About Coyotes: The USD notched its second consecutive first half TKO from a Big Sky team last week in a 48-14 win at Cal Poly… the Coyotes rushed for 353 yards and four touchdowns behind the RB’s. first year Mike mansaray and Thomas thomas while Camp Carson passed for 226 yards and two scores… the defense remained strong against the run and limited Cal Poly to 243 total yards… all LBs in the valley Jack Cochrane and Brock Mogensen are the best tacklers … USD beat their last two opponents with a total of 68-7 in the first half … four Coyote RB are averaging over 5.0 yards per carry

About bears: MSU just made its first FCS playoff appearance since 1990 after winning a share of the Valley crown last spring… the Bears finished 5-5 overall after a 44-10 playoff loss to Dakota North… this year MSU has a 7-point loss to Oklahoma State and a 43-34 victory over nationally-ranked Central Arkansas… Utah State transfer Jason Shelley is the new QB and has 466 yards and two scores without an INT in two games… his main weapon was the transfer from western Kentucky Xavier Lane who has 17 catches, 226 yards and one touchdown … returner Kevon Latulas (143 yards) is the top rusher in the game ‘team … defensively, MSU allowed 647 passing yards and 174 rushing yards

Quick shots
-USD receives votes in both FCS polls
-USD have won their last four Valley opener, including three on the road
-USD won 45-10 in Springfield on his last trip there in 2019
-The Coyotes have eliminated a ranked opponent every year since 2013
–Alex jensen was named MVFC Offensive Lineman of the Week after USD amassed 615 yards at Cal Poly
-The Coyotes are one of two FCS teams with four running backs averaging better than five yards per carry (min. 15 carries)
-The opposing running backs carried 58 times for 110 yards against USD (0 TDs)
– Coach Nielson said on Tuesday that the two Travis Theis and Caleb Vander Esch were close to 100 percent for this week’s game
–Carter Bell was the main receiver for the Coyotes in five of the seven games played in 2021

The notes
Two teams with a little revenge in their mind face off in Springfield on Saturday the opening weekend of the conference. The Missouri State senior team likely remember a 45-10 loss to South Dakota at home in 2019. The Coyotes recall a 27-24 loss to the Bears just six months ago. in a newly remodeled DakotaDome. This will be the eighth meeting between the two programs in a series that South Dakota leads 4-3.

South Dakota defeated Missouri State 440-324 last March, but defensive back Montrae Braswell was the Missouri State neutralizer. He returned a 100-yard kickoff to make up for a Coyote touchdown in the first quarter, and added a six pick in the second quarter that gave Missouri State a 17-14 lead. Carter Bell caught a touchdown from 36 yards from Camp Carson to put USD 24-17 ahead, Jeremiah Wilson responded with a 6-yard touchdown, and Jose Pizano’s 28-yard field goal with 7:51 remaining proved to be the winner.

The 339 meters of the camp on 22 of 34 assists against Missouri State last spring, remains his best varsity in seven career games. Bell’s 106 receiving yards against the Bears in March remains a career high. MSU compensated for those numbers by limiting South Dakota to 101 yards on the ground. Six bags of Camp were taken into account in this count.

Dual All-Valley Wide Receiver Caleb Vander Esch was injured in the first quarter against Northern Arizona in Game 2 and did not return. He did not compete last week in his home state of California. The Head Coach Bob nielson said on Tuesday that Vander Esch could be 100 percent by Saturday kickoff.

Likewise, the two best running backs of the Coyotes Travis Theis and Shomari laurent were limited with injuries last week. Theis made the trip but didn’t play against Cal Poly and Lawrence ran nine times in the second half for 56 yards. First year students Mike mansaray and Thomas thomas were brilliant in their place, combining 233 yards and three touchdowns on 36 carries. Mansaray, in his first college start, totaled 17 carries for 125 yards and two first-half scores and totals 141 yards.

South Dakota has led the valley casually in each of the past three full seasons (non-COVID), but it’s ground game that emerged during the game out of conference. The Coyotes are averaging 221 rushing yards, ranking them 16th nationally. Last week’s 353 yards are the second most important on the program since 2019.

South Dakota delivered a TKO in the first half to each of his last two opponents. Combined in those first two halves against Northern Arizona and Cal Poly, South Dakota enjoyed a 751-252 total-yard advantage and a 68-7 advantage on the scoreboard. The Coyotes have scored eight touchdowns and four baskets with two punts on those 14 drives. The opponents had 10 punters, a turnover and a touchdown.

Defend the race was the key to the defense of the Coyotes. South Dakota rank 18th nationally in rushing defense at 94 yards per game and have yet to allow a touchdown. Quarterbacks have run 41 times for 138 yards through games. The opposing running backs carried 58 times for 110 yards (1.9 YPC). Those numbers don’t include two carries for 23 yards on maximum defense at the end of the first half against northern Arizona.

Cal Poly totaled 243 yards Saturday. The Mustangs had 182 yards before a 61-yard touchdown pass in their last offensive play.

The defensive success starts at the front with the defensive line where the nose tackles DeValon Whitcomb (23 career starts) serves as a nose tackle. Rush backer Jacob Matthew is fifth on the team in tackles with 12, but defensive wing Brendan Webb and Nick gaes are right behind with 10 each. Their game opened up tackle lanes for valley linebackers and key tacklers. Jack Cochrane (24) and Brock Mogensen (22) who combined for a sack and eight tackles for a loss.

Two new faces who filled the box score last week defensively were sophomores Jack leave and transfer of graduates DeJaun Cooper. Hagy totaled five tackles, including a sack and another save for a loss. Cooper suffered a backpack in the fourth quarter that led to a Coyote touchdown. He made four tackles, two for losses and a rushed quarterback on his first start as a Coyote.

Missouri is averaging 230 passing yards, with western Kentucky transfer Xavier Lane accounting for nearly half of those yards. The Bears also bring back Damoriea Vick senior who is 6-3 / 4 and has nearly 1,500 career yards. Coyotes counter with corner half Myles Harden who led the FCS in assists defended per game as a true rookie last spring. Tre Jackson has made seven consecutive starts to the other side for the USD and is posting a strong performance at Cal Poly.

In three games against Missouri State, Cochrane totaled 29 tackles, recovered two fumbles and recorded one interception. The Coyotes edged the Bears in each of those three encounters.

Camp rebounded from a 98-yard performance against Kansas to throw for 213 yards and one scoring against Northern Arizona and 226 yards and two scores against Cal Poly. He and his counterpart, Missouri State quarterback Jason Shelley, have yet to throw an interception this season.

bettor Brady schutt and long snapper Dalton godfrey are the preseason All-Americans on special teams, but the senior kicker Lorber mason has been in the headlines for the past two weeks. He scored three goals from over 40 yards and totaled four 3-pointers in total. He also produced 11 touchbacks on 15 kickoffs.

Schutt and the Coyotes boasted of the higher punt unit last spring with a net average of 43.7 yards per kick. South Dakota ranks 18th nationally this season as the weeks go by with a net average of 40.6. Missouri State, behind kicker Grant Burkett, is the national leader with a net average of 48.3 yards. Burkett is averaging 50.8 yards on 10 punts.

Of by Wesley Eliodor seven career kickoff returns, one for 49 yards and another for 69. The Last Coyote to execute a kickoff for a touchdown was Jeremy Blount in 2008. The last punt return for a score was by Stefan Logan in 2006.

Iowa Hawkeye Connection: defensive line coach Corey Brown is the only new addition to the Coyotes coaching staff. Brown is the third former Iowa Hawkeye that Nielson has added to his defensive team in the past three years. Brown (DL), Abdul Hodge (LB) and Myles Taylor (DB) are all former Hawkeyes.

Milestone watch: Jakari Starling (99 tackles) and Jacob Matthew (98) are approaching 100 career tackles. Security Elie Reed (196) approach the 200. Offensively, Caleb Vander Esch comes on with 95 career catches. Dan Skelly, who competed for the Coyotes from 2005 to 2009, is 10th on the Coyotes all-time receiving list with 106. Jack Cochrane is expected to make his 30th straight start as linebacker.

Here is an overview of the figures of South Dakota First Half vs. Cal Poly:
• First tests: 26 USD, Cal Poly 4
• Precipitation Price: 218 USD, Cal Poly 25
• Exceedance price: 234 USD, Cal Poly 86
• Total Yards: 45 USD, Cal Poly 111
• Time of possession: 9:32 p.m. USD, Cal Poly 8:28 a.m.
• Third down: 6/7 USD, Cal Poly 2/7
• South Dakota Punts: 0
• Cal Poly 3-and-outs: 3

History of the series with the State of Missouri:
2012: at Missouri State 27, South Dakota 24
2013: in South Dakota 17, State of Missouri 14
2014: at Missouri State 31, South Dakota 12
2015: at South Dakota 40, Missouri State 10
2018: South Dakota 35, Missouri State 28
2019: South Dakota 45, at Missouri State 10
2021: Missouri State 27, South Dakota 24