Coyote Football Team Has Notched More Than 500 Wins in Its 114 Years of Competition
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INSTITUTION YEARS HEAD COACHING RECORD Western Illinois 3 years (2013-15) 16-21 Minnesota Duluth 5 years (2008-12) 62-7 Minnesota Duluth 4 years (2004-07) N/A, athletic director Minnesota Duluth 5 years (1999-2003) 38-19 UW-Eau Claire 3 years (1996-98) 22-11 Wartburg 5 years (1991-95) 39-14 Ripon 2 years (1989-90) 9-8-1 Wartburg 2 years (1987-88) N/A, defensive coordinator Wartburg 6 years (1981-86) N/A, offensive line HEAD COACH BOB NIELSON 30TH HEAD COACH IN THE HISTORY OF UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH DAKOTA FOOTBALL. Nielson has spent the last three years as head coach at Western Illinois University in Macomb. He led the Leathernecks to a 7-6 record and to the second round of the FCS playoffs this past season when he was named Missouri Valley Football Conference Coach of the Year. It was the first playoff appearance for the Leathernecks since 2010. Nielson said he's been referred to as a builder from time to time throughout his career and his resume supports the label. He has compiled a 186-80-1 record in 23 seasons as a head coach for five different programs. He's taken four of those programs to the playoffs within his first four years and captured NCAA Division II national championships with Minnesota Duluth in 2008 and 2010. He began his career at Ripon College where he won two games in 1989 and then went 7-2 in 1990 before taking the head coaching gig at Wartburg College, his alma mater. Nielson, who grew up in Marion, Iowa, is a 1982 graduate of Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa. He received his master's degree from the University of Northern Iowa in 1988. He and his wife, Terri, who was in attendance Tuesday, have two daughters, Amanda Taylor and Kasey King, and a son, Kyle. Photo credit: David Samson / The Forum POWER OF THE PACK ne of the most successful programs at the University of South ODakota, the Coyote football team has notched more than 500 wins in its 114 years of competition. Over 200 USD student-athletes have earned first-team all-conference honors, while more than 40 continued their playing career in the National Football League. Behind the solid leadership of coaches like Dave Triplett, the Coyotes have qualified for postseason play four times. Current Head Coach Joe Glenn has continued that tradition of success while leading USD in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. USD’s achievements on the gridiron have been due in large part to its team mentality. Over the years, the Coyotes have banded together to craft a .516 winning percentage, including a 39-14 record in the DakotaDome since 2004. South Dakota squads have earned 10 conference championships in the NCC with its last coming in 2005. That Behind a stifling defense, the 1978 South Dakota football team won six of determination has translated into four postseason berths, including its final seven contests during the season to finish first in the North Central advancing to the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs in 2006. Conference. The title is one of 10 conference championships for the Coyotes. The team’s success doesn’t mean the Coyotes haven’t earned plenty of individual honors. A total of 53 USD football players have earned numerous All-America honors from several prestigious outlets. Over 200 Coyotes have claimed first-team all-conference honors on the field, but more than 120 have earned academic all-conference in the classroom. In 2005-2006, Wesley Beschorner and Stefan Logan were finalists for the Harlon Hill Award and also had three Gene Upshaw Lineman of the Year finalists and a Rimington Award winner in his time at USD during that span. In 2013, LB Tyler Star was named Missouri Valley Football Conference Defensive players of the year and was also a finalist for the Buch Buchana Award. (Most outstanding FCS Defensive Players) One of the reasons USD has been able to mold such a thriving program is the level of dedication from the Athletic Department. From its humble Wesley Beschorner (middle) and Christian Morton (bottom) helped continue the Coyotes’ winning ways into the 2000s and are synonymous with individual beginnings at Inman Stadium, the football program now enjoys success at USD. Beschorner was a finalist for the Harlon Hill Award in 2005, expansive facilities in the DakotaDome, including spacious coaches’ while Morton was a Gene Upshaw Lineman of the Year finalist in 2007. offices, locker rooms and athletic training rooms. With a wealth of support from staff and fans, South Dakota football expects to contend for championships for many years to come. ORIGIN OF THE COYOTE NICKNAME The word Coyote came from a horse race at a military fort in 1863. When a Dakota cavalry horse outran a larger horse entered by the Iowa Sixth Calvalry, one of the Iowans said, “look at the Kiote run.” The name stuck. According to longtime USD historian Cedric Cummins, the Coyote was customarily assumed to be the University’s mascot without any official action. Cummins writes: “First of the University annuals was published in the spring of 1902 with William Williamson, Jr., as editor in chief, fixing the name ‘Coyote’ upons it progency.” The use of the term by the yearbook helped to popularize the Coyote nickname. Another symbol that originated during this period was the yearbook that was given the title, “Coyote.” The state animal of South Dakota is the Coyote. SOUTH DAKOTA FOOTBALL BY THE NUMBERS 525 53 238 140 4 10 44 All-time victories in Coyotes to earn First-team Academic Postseason Conference football USD players to USD football history All-America All-conference All-conference appearances titles captured continue their career honors accolades honorees in the NFL/CFL The University of South Dakota accepted an invitation to join the Missouri Valley Football Conference on November 4th, 2010. USD became a full member for the 2012-2013 academic year. South Dakota is the first school to join since NDSU and SDSU in 2008. The move also cements South Dakota’s position in The Summit League. The Coyotes were granted admission into The Summit League in April of 2009. The Missouri Valley Football Conference formed in 1985 as the Gateway Football Conference until rebranding in June 2008. One of the most stable NCAA Football Championship Subdivision conferences, the MVFC has five charter institutions and only 11 members in its history. A league team has reached the semifinals 17 times in the last 21 years, which includes six national championships. The MVFC has claimed (6) FCS titles in 1997, 2002, 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014. For the second-straight year, the MVFC earned five playoff berths (a record). A league team has made a championship game appearance nine times, and an MVFC team has been in the semifinals 20 total times. Last year, the league was 10-4 in the playoffs (which included three games against each other), and the MVFC has an FCS-best 35-15 record in the playoffs since 2010. The Missouri Valley Football Conference has recorded a 35-15 record since 2010 in the playoffs -- better than any other league. Over the last two years the MVFC is 16-8, which includes five intraconference games, meaning the league is 11-3 vs. the rest. MVFC Members (Miles from Vermillion): • Illinois State (525) • Indiana State (665) • Missouri State (482) • North Dakota State (302) • Northern Iowa (254) • South Dakota • South Dakota State (116) • Southern Illinois (576) • Western Illinois (401) • Youngstown State (924) ILLINOIS STATE INDIANA STATE MISSOURI STATE NORTH DAKOTA STATE NORTHERN IOWA Redbirds Sycamores Bears Bison Panthers SOUTH DAKOTA SOUTH DAKOTA STATE SOUTHERN ILLINOIS WESTERN ILLINOIS YOUNGSTOWN STATE Coyotes Jackrabbits Salukis Leathernecks Penguins COYOTES AT HOME North Dakota, North Dakota St., Northern Colorado, South Inman Stadium Dakota St., Saint Cloud St., UC Davis, Western Wash., Yankton) Record ...................................................130-83-8 (Opened 1924, closed, 1978) First game ............................. 1914 (South Dakota 33, Yankton 3) First Game ................................................... USD 19, Yankton 0 (Sept. 27, 1924) Record ................................................................................. 59-30-5 First Night Game .............................................USD 52, Westmar 0 (Sept. 1948) Longest winning streak.................8 Twice (1935-1942, 2001-08) Longest losing streak ..............................................5 (1959-1963) DakotaDome Games ending in ties ............... 5 (1916, 1920, 1949, 1952, 1976) Record ......................................................................128-64 (.681) (Opened 1979) Most points, USD ..............................................................60, 1973 First Game .................................USD 22, St. Thomas (Minn.) 6 (Sept. 8, 1979) (USD 60, Morningside 7) Longest Home Winning Streak ...........................................23 games, 2003-07 Most points scored by an opponent ...............................54, 1950 (South Dakota State 54, USD 28) DAKOTA DAY NUMBERS Least points by USD ......................................................0, 13 times Number of opponents ................................................................ 18 (‘21, ‘23, ‘25, ‘28, ‘29, ‘30, ‘33, ‘34, ‘46, ‘62, ‘63, ‘65, ‘77) (Augustana, Central Wash., Dakota Wesleyan, Michigan St., Least points by opponent ............................................0, 14 times Missouri S&T, Minn. St. Mankato, Morningside, Neb.-Omaha, (‘17, ‘18, ‘24, ‘26, ‘31, ‘32, ‘38, ‘41, ‘42, ‘48, ‘55, ‘70, ‘78, ‘03, ‘04) Missouri State, Western Illinois COYOTES IN THE BIG TIME The tradition