University of Bryan Boettcher Sports Information Director Office: (605) 658-5544 Cell: (563) 260-4316 South Dakota E-mail: [email protected] Football Release www.GoYotes.com Aug. 29, 2017 Quick Hits GAME 1: SOUTH DAKOTA AT DRAKE It is pronounced KY-yotes (two syllables) South Dakota is competing at Drake for the first 2016 Records: South Dakota (4-7, 3-5 MVFC) at Drake (7-4, 6-2 Pioneer) time since 1971. USD’s last win against Drake in Des Moines was in 1967 (W, 37-35) Date / Time: Saturday, Sept. 2 at 6 p.m. CDT Location: Des Moines, Iowa Venue: Drake Stadium (14,557) Of USD’s 22 projected starters, 18 (9 off, 9 def) have previously earned starts for the Yotes TV: None Radio: Coyote Sports Network/Learfield Sports (Joe Van Goor, PBP; Gary Culver, analyst; Brandt Van Roekel (WR), Josh Hale (TE), Nick John Thayer, sideline) KVHT (106.3 FM, Yankton/Vermillion) and affiliates (page 2) Jensen (LT) and John Wessel (MLB) started in Watch Online: GoDrakeBulldogs.com ($) the win against Drake in 2015. Seventeen other active Coyotes competed in that game. Coaches: USD’s Bob Nielson (25th year as a head coach: 190-87-1 / 2nd year at USD: 4-7); & Drake’s Rick Fox (4th year at Drake and as a head coach: 19-14) USD QB Chris Streveler (2nd team all-MVFC) is the reigning MVFC Newcomer of the Year Series: Drake leads 11-7 ... USD has won the last three, all in Vermillion (1972, 2009, 2015) South Dakota will have a new punter and place- About the Coyotes: South Dakota begins year two under Bob Nielson with eight starters back kicker for the first time in four years on offense and five on defense ... senior QB Chris Streveler earned all-MVFC honors and was Valley Newcomer of the Year after accounting for 31 of 41 USD touchdowns last season ... he Just two of USD’s 11 games last season were returns nearly all of his receivers and three linemen ... junior RB Michael Fredrick earns his first decided by more than seven points. Six were turn as lead back ... senior LB John Wessel returns to lead the defense after missing last year decided by three points or fewer (4-2). due to injury ... run defense has been the focus since the end of last season when the Coyotes permitted 250 yards on the ground per game South Dakota is 7-3 against unranked FCS foes during the last two seasons About the Bulldogs: Drake (non-scholarship) is picked fourth in the Pioneer League Preseason Poll ... the Bulldogs return senior QB Grant Kraemer (2,403 yds, 23 TDs) and three offensive Seven of USD’s 10 FCS opponents are ranked linemen on offense, but must replace leading rusher Conley Wilkins (1,081 yds) and their top six in the preseason top 25. pass catchers ... the defense is highlighted by a front four that features preseason all-PFL pick Mack Marrin ... the unit also returns MLB Mike Maize and CBs Jabari Butler and Kyrell Newell ... USD is opening on the road for the seventh time Drake scored and surrendered 28 points per game on average last year in the last eight years (UC Davis, 2013) 2017 South Dakota Schedule/Results 2016 MVFC STANDINGS Polls* Team Conference Overall Date Opponent South Dakota / Opp. Time/Score North Dakota State (2/2) 7-1 12-2 S 2 at Drake RV & RV / NR & NR 6 p.m. South Dakota State (6/4) 7-1 9-4 S 9 at Bowling Green 5 p.m. Youngstown State (8/9) 6-2 12-4 S 16 NORTH DAKOTA 2 p.m. Illinois State (18/20) 4-4 6-6 Northern Iowa (20/18) 4-4 5-6 S 30 at Western Illinois 3 p.m. Western Illinois (RV/25) 3-5 6-5 O 7 YOUNGSTOWN STATE # 2 p.m. South Dakota (RV/RV) 3-5 4-7 O 14 INDIANA STATE 2 p.m. Missouri State 2-6 4-7 O 21 at Illinois State 2 p.m. Indiana State (NR/RV) 2-6 4-7 O 28 SOUTHERN ILLINOIS 3 p.m. Southern Illinois (NR/RV) 2-6 4-7 N 4 at UNI 1 p.m. This Week’s Slate N 11 at North Dakota State 2:30 p.m. Eastern Illinois at Indiana State (Thurs.) 6 p.m. N 18 SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 2 p.m. Western Illinois at Tennessee Tech (Thurs.) 6 p.m. Duquesne at South Dakota State (Thurs.) 7 p.m. *Coaches & STATS (FCS) Missouri State at Missouri (Sat.) 11 a.m. **AP Top 25 & USA Today Poll (FBS) Youngstown State at Pitt (Sat.) Noon # - Dakota Days game Miss. Valley State at NDSU (Sat.) 2:30 p.m. ALL TIMES LISTED ARE CENTRAL TIME ZONE South Dakota at Drake (Sat.) 6 p.m. Butler at Illinois State (Sat.) 6:30 p.m. UNI at Iowa State (Sat.) 7 p.m. Game 1: USD at Drake THIS WEEK’S NOTES Bob Nielson is set to begin his 25th season as a head 1 coach and his second with the Coyotes. He stands 10 wins COYOTES ON THE RADIO shy of 200 for his career. All regular season and postseason University of South USD is the sixth program Nielson has served as head coach at. He has taken four of the previous five programs to the Dakota football games will be carried live through the Coyote playoffs within his first four years and captured NCAA Division II Sports Network. national championships with Minnesota Duluth in 2008 and Award-winning play-by-play announcer Joe Van Goor 2010. returns as the voice of the Coyotes for the 2017 football Nielson is a three-time national coach of the year and the season. He will be joined by long-time Vermillion High School 2015 MVFC Coach of the Year. coach Gary Culver, who will provide commentary, and sideline reporter John Thayer, host of On the John. Pass game coordinator Ted Schlafke (starting quarterback) KVHT 106.3 FM in Yankton serves as the flagship station 2 and co-defensive coordinator Tyler Yelk (starting safety) won a NCAA Division II national championship under Nielson at for the Coyotes. USD fans can also catch the games through Minnesota Duluth in 2008 (15-0). these affiliates: South Dakota rushed for 296 yards and took advantage of Location FM Stations AM Stations 3 a backup quarterback in trouncing Drake 52-0 in the Belle Fourche KYDT 103.1 KBFS 1450 Coyotes’ 2015 home opener. Trevor Bouma rushed for 117 Rapid City KIMM 106.7 KIMM 1150 yards and three touchdowns and Ryan Saeger passed for 157 yards and two scores in the win. Michael Fredrick ran 11 times Sioux Falls KQSF 95.7 for 54 yards and a touchdown. Brandt Van Roekel caught three Watertown KXLG 99.1 passes for a game-high 74 yards and a score. Drake offensively Yankton/Vermillion KVHT 106.3 had eight drives of three plays or less. A trio of milestones are within reach in Saturday’s Scheidegger is one of two new starters on the offensive 4 opener: Quarterback Chris Streveler (1,958) can become 8 line. At right guard is Cody Jennings, a junior transfer from the eighth quarterback since 2000 to reach 2,000 yards passing. Kismet, Kansas, who led Garden City Community College (Kan.) Brandt Van Roekel (983 yards) can become the 10th wide to a national championship last season. Nick Jensen has receiver since 2000 to reach 1,000 yards receiving. Michael started every game for the last two years at left tackle. Stetson Fredrick (980 yards) can become the 12th Coyote since 2000 to Dagel (LG) and Tanner Anderson (RT) return as well. reach 1,000 yards rushing. USD returns six of its top seven wide receivers and both Fredrick, a junior, enters the season as the number one 9 starting tight ends to the passing game. Trystn Ducker led 5 running back for the first time. He averaged 80 yards the team with 26 catches as a true freshman last season. rushing in five starts at the end of his freshman season when Alonge Brooks, another newcomer a year ago, led the team Bouma was injured due to injury. Included in that span was a with 384 yards and five touchdowns. Nine Coyotes caught career-best 143-yard effort against then-No. 5 South Dakota double-digit passes last season. State. Defensively, the focus since the end of last season has Outside of Fredrick, no other running back has attempted a 10 been improving a unit that allowed 250 yards rushing 6 carry in a Coyote uniform. Redshirt freshman Ben Klett is per game last season. To that end, the Coyotes brought in eight included on the depth chart, and Nielson has hinted that true true freshmen defensive linemen on Signing Day, moved end freshman Kai Henry (Miami, Fla.) will receive carries to spell Jake Leohr to defensive tackle, and welcomed back starting Fredrick. Henry is also scheduled to appear as a deep back on middle linebacker John Wessel, a captain who missed all but USD’s kickoff return team. three plays of 2016 due to injury. Of the eight underclassmen on the Coyotes’ two-deep, five are on the defensive line. Henry and backup center Tyler Ciurej (SEAR-eh) are the 7 two true freshmen on this week’s two-deep. Nine redshirt Defensive ends Darin Greenfield and Kameron Cline freshmen are on the offensive and defensive two-deep including 11 are expected to earn their first collegiate starts Saturday.