2023-11-28 23:05:38
By: Bryan Boettcher, USD Sports Information
Story Links
Full Game Notes (.pdf) | Sacramento State Notes (.pdf)
The Basics
No. 15 Sacramento State (8-4, 4-4 Big Sky) at No. 3 South Dakota (9-2, 7-1 MVFC)
Saturday, Dec. 2 at 1 p.m. (CST)
Vermillion, S.D. | DakotaDome (9,100)
TV: None
Radio: Coyote Sports Network (John Thayer & Gary Culver)
Watch Online: ESPN+ ($) (Jack Benjamin & Craig Haubert)
Series: First Meeting
About the Coyotes: It’s a season of firsts: first nine-win season at the FCS level, first time with seven wins in MVFC play, and first-time receiving a top-eight seed … the program is making its third playoff appearance in six full seasons under Bob Nielson, the MVFC Coach of the Year … LB Brock Mogensen led the Valley in tackles in conference play and was voted MVFC Defensive Player of the Year … he leads a defense that has held seven of 10 FCS offenses to seven points or less … RB Travis Theis is the sixth-leading rusher in program history … WR Carter Bell is the fifth-leading receiver in program history … QB Aidan Bouman’s 2,178 yards this season are eighth-most in USD history … K Will Leyland hasn’t missed
About the Hornets: Sacramento State is one of five teams that have appeared in the FCS playoffs in each of the last four fall seasons … the Hornets played their first road FCS playoff game last week and won 42-35 at North Dakota … QB Kaiden Bennett passed for 207 yards, ran for 126 and accounted for three TDs … 16 different Hornets have reached the end zone this season … TE Marshel Martin is a three-time, first-team all-Big Sky pick with 2,367 career receiving yards and 27 TDs … RB Marcus Fulcher has 23 career TDs … sixth-year senior LB Armon Bailey is a two-time Big Sky first-teamer who leads the Hornets with 90 tackles … he had eight tackles and two sacks last week in Grand Forks
Quick Hits
-We are the KIGH-yotes (two syllables)
-USD is making its third FCS playoff appearance in the last six full seasons (’17, ’21)
-This is USD’s second appearance in the round of 16 (L, 54-42 at Sam Houston in ’17)
-This is the fifth NCAA playoff game inside the DakotaDome; second FCS game (’21)
-USD last reached 10 wins in a season in 1986 when it was Division II national runner-up
-Bob Nielson is the first to be named MVFC Coach of the Year at two different schools (Western Illinois ’15)
-LB Brock Mogensen is the second Coyote to be named MVFC Defensive Player of the Year (LB Tyler Starr ’13)
-USD had seven all-MVFC honorees and another five who earned honorable mention (see page 11 for full list of honorees)
-RG and co-captain Isaac Erbes is expected to make his 51st consecutive start Saturday
The Notes
South Dakota, the No. 3 national seed in the FCS playoffs, makes its 2023 postseason debut Saturday at home against Sacramento State, a 42-35 winner at North Dakota last weekend. It is the first meeting between the two programs. The only head-to-head matchups between the two programs came in men’s basketball in late 2015 (W, 96-90) and late 2016 (W, 72-56).
South Dakota is no stranger to the Big Sky Conference. The Coyotes have faced at least one Big Sky opponent every year since starting its FCS transition in 2008. Sacramento State, Portland State and FCS newcomer Idaho are the only teams USD has yet to face on the gridiron.
The Coyotes are making their seventh NCAA playoff appearance and third at the FCS level. Bob Nielson first took the Coyotes to the FCS playoffs in his second season with the team back in 2017. South Dakota beat Nicholls 38-31 in Louisiana before falling 54-42 at Sam Houston State (Texas) in the round of 16. USD dropped a first-round game at home to Southern Illinois 22-10 in 2021. The Coyotes are 5-6 all-time in the NCAA playoffs.
Bob Nielson is MVFC Coach of the Year and a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award presented annually to the FCS Coach of the Year. He has orchestrated the best turnaround in FCS football this season. Nielson took a Coyote team picked to finish ninth in its own conference to the No. 3 overall seed. It is the first top-eight seed in program history. The Coyotes’ No. 3 ranking in the polls is their highest at the FCS level.
Nielson is a three-time national coach of the year recipient. He was Football Gazette’s NCAA Division III Coach of the Year in 1998 when he led Wisconsin-Eau Claire to the national semifinals. He was NCAA Division II National Coach of the Year in 2008 and 2010 when he led Minnesota Duluth to national titles.
Nielson’s 227 career wins are second-most among active FCS coaches and eighth-most among all active NCAA football coaches. He is taking his 13th team to the NCAA playoffs in 31 seasons as a head coach. This is his fourth time leading a team to the FCS playoffs.
South Dakota played the toughest FCS schedule last year and went 3-8. The Coyotes are 9-2 this year for the best win differential among FCS teams. The defense, behind three first-team all-MVFC honorees, ranks fifth nationally in fewest points allowed. The offense, directed by new offensive coordinator Josh Davis, has effectively utilized a pro-style attack predicated on a strong rushing attack.
MVFC Defensive Player of the Year Brock Mogensen has been at the heart of South Dakota’s defense for the last four seasons. He is a three-time all-MVFC linebacker with 389 career tackles which ranks third among active FCS players. He led the Valley with 85 tackles in eight conference games and his 103 stops this season rank 20th nationally.
Cornerback Myles Harden and rush linebacker Brendan Webb are the other two first-team honorees.
Harden boasts one of the best comeback stories in FCS. His last two seasons were cut short due to injury, but has started all 11 games this season. Harden recently accepted an invitation to compete in the East-West Shrine Bowl and has a high NFL Draft grade. He has forced eight turnovers in 17 games since the start of last season.
Webb leads a talented front four that includes tackles Blake Holden and Nick Gaes along with defensive end Micah Roane. Webb led the Valley and ranked seventh nationally with 9.5 sacks during the regular season. He tied a program record by recording 4.0 sacks in a 14-7 win against Southern Illinois in week eight.
Holden is tied with cornerback Shahid Barros for the fourth-most tackles on the team with 49, an incredible feat for a defensive tackle. Gaes (5.5) and Roane (4.5) have combined for 10 sacks. Mi’Quise Grace (4.0 sacks) and Mosai Newsom add depth.
South Dakota’s defense ranks 13th nationally and third among playoff teams in passing yards allowed. Shahid Barros has a team-high two interceptions and has been a talent opposite Myles Harden at cornerback. Safety Dennis Shorter is an honorable mention all-MVFC honoree who is second on the team in tackles. He and fellow safety Josiah Ganues have one pick each.
Josh Davis is South Dakota’s new offensive coordinator this season. Davis was a standout wide receiver at South Dakota State and won a national title on the coaching staff at SDSU last season. The Coyotes’ pro-style offense is in contrast with the no-huddle approach that Bob Nielson incorporated at USD upon arrival. It has led to fewer possessions, but more complementary football.
Wide receiver Carter Bell surpassed 2,000 career receiving yards in the final game of the regular season and ranks fifth on the Coyotes’ all-time list (not bad for a high school quarterback). Running back Travis Theis needs 21 yards rushing to break into the top five of the Coyotes’ all-time rushing list.
Theis is the bell cow back for South Dakota but he has been aided by a bevy of talented running backs. Nate Thomas, injured all last season and in the middle of this one, had a 164-yard performance early in the season (Lamar) and an 8-carry, 102-yard effort last time out (Western Illinois). Charles Pierre Jr. has run for 320 yards and four scores in just six games. He ran for 80 yards and two touchdowns in his debut (Murray State) and had 107 yards at Indiana State which included an 81-yard touchdown run. Keyondray Jones has touched the ball 16 times on offense and scored four touchdowns. Mike Mansaray, like Theis, doubles as a lead blocker in USD’s two-back sets.
Aidan Bouman is the seventh quarterback in program history to throw for 2,000 yards in a season. He had a 369-yard, 3-touchdown performance against Youngstown State and has averaged 287 yards over his last two games. He manages an offense that has turned it over just seven times this season which is third-fewest nationally.
Marshel Martin is a weapon at tight end for Sacramento State. JJ Galbreath is a weapon at tight end for South Dakota. Galbreath is the Coyotes’ second-leading receiver with 35 catches for 504 yards and four touchdowns. He had the second-most catches and receiving yards among tight ends in MVFC play. Twice he has totaled 101 yards receiving in a game this season.
All-MVFC center Joey Lombard and right guard Isaac Erbes, who earned MVFC honorable mention, have combined to start 82 football games. Joe Cotton has started all 11 games at left tackle and was named to the Valley’s All-Newcomer Team. Sam Kohls has made nine consecutive starts at left guard. Bryce Henderson began at left guard before moving to right tackle.
South Dakota has boasted strong specialists throughout Nielson’s tenure. This year’s unit features all new starters. Punter Tyler Ebel is a redshirt freshman, Zeke Mata arrived from LSU and handles kickoff duties, and long snapper Caden Pellizzer came from Northern Michigan.
Will Leyland, a fourth-year sophomore, is the only FCS kicker yet to miss this season. He is 10-for-10 on field goals and 32-for-32 on extra points. He drilled a game-winning, 41-yard field goal to beat Youngstown State inside and hit a career-long 50-yarder against SDSU. Half of his field goals have been 40 yards or longer.
South Dakota is 5-1 at home this season12-5 since the pandemic and 165-85 all-time inside the DakotaDome (.660). The Coyotes have forced at least one turnover in all six home games this year. Travis Theis has averaged 81 yards at home. JJ Galbreath and Carter Bell combine to average 126 yards receiving there. Brock Mogensen has 50 tackles in six home games and the Coyote defense boasts 15 sacks and five interceptions in the Dome this season.
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