(Editor's note: The following article appeared in the Oct. 15 edition of the Sioux City Journal. It features the Coyote defensive line, including John Barker of Sioux City, Iowa and A.J. Schable of Ida Grove, Iowa.)

By Steven Allspach, Journal sports writer

VERMILLION, S.D. -- All guts, not much glory. John Barker and A.J. Schable can stomach the twist on the old football axiom with few aches this season. Stands to reason.

Their University of South Dakota football team has won six of its seven games this season and takes a No. 18 national ranking in NCAA Division II into a North Central Conference showdown with unbeaten St. Cloud State (7-0) here Saturday in the DakotaDome.

In the recent past, a USD team with a 6-1 record in mid-October 'twasn't always so. Despite toiling in relative anonimity, the two defensive tackles are figuring in some glory. "There's not too much glory or attention thrown our way when you play defensive tackle,'' said Schable, a 6-foot-4, 280-pound junior tackle from Ida Grove, Iowa, who teams with the 6-2, 283-pound Barker on the inside of USD's 4-3 defensive alignment. "But, we don't mind because, first of all, we're having such a good season and football is certainly a lot more fun this year.

"And, there just seems to be a more positive, upbeat attitude about the team and that starts with the coaching staff. Those guys are basically all new and they've brought in a fresh approach to everything -- practice, games, meetings -- everything.

"It's exciting, too, to be part of a new system. We had expectations in the past, but didn't reach some goals.

"It's different this year. It's not only winning, it's the way we're competing and winning.'' Barker, a sophomore out of Sioux City East, is making up for time lost last year when he suffered a broken hand early in the campaign and missed the remainder of the season. He received a medical hardship redshirt and will have two more years of eligibility.

Both Barker, a business major, and Schable, who are roommates, earned varsity monograms as true freshmen.

The aggressive rough-and-tumble tandem absorb enough attention from offensive linemen that ends Tim Schellhammer and Adam Schwaderer have emerged as two of the top tacklers in the NCC.

Schellhammer, a 6-4, 260-pound senior pass-rusher extraordinare from Chadfield, Minn., has 38 tackles and nine quarterback sacks to lead the NCC and is third in tackles for losses with 10.5. Schwaderer, a 6-2, 261-pound junior from Delmont, S.D., has registered 29 tackles on the other flank.

Coach Ed Meierkort's Coyotes also rank second in North Central scoring defense (16 points a game) and total defense (278.7 yards a game).

"Our new defensive system allows us to be much more aggressive,'' said Barker, the 21-year-old son of Dan and Ann Barker who has made 23 tackles, including seven solos. "I usually play what would be the conventional noseguard spot and A.J. lines up on one side or the other depending on the situation, but we're both tackles.

"Our job is to put the pressure on the quarterback, but we've also got to stop the run. Many times that means you're not making many tackles, but Tim and Adam are outstanding ends and they take care of business.

"We have a more get-after-them attitude this year and that's because of our defensive coordinator, Dan Friedel. He's one of the best around and really creates a lot of different stunts and twists to our scheme in every game plan.''

The USD defense is also shored up with a rambunctious secondary that includes Tim Dacy and Chris Reid, who are tied for third in the NCC each with three pass interceptions, and linebacker Ryan Hedden, sixth in the conference with 54 tackles.

Schable, a prep all-stater at Battle Creek-Ida Grove, rushed for 1,055 yards as a 240-pound senior at BC-IG and started his college career as a fullback. He was soon moved to linebacker and has settled in as a defensive lineman.

"At first it was like starting all over in football, but I love playing in the line now,'' said Schable the 20-year-old son of Carl and Ellen Schable. A.J. was also a track standout as a prep and uncorked a discus toss of 185 feet, 4 inches as a prep, a mark that still ranks in a tie for 10th all-time in Iowa. "I gave up track after I got to USD to concentrate on football.''

However, he returned to the sport last spring in USD's indoor season and made quite a return, winning the NCC indoor shot put title with a heave of 52 feet. 2.5 inches, and he also finshed sixth in the 35-pound weight throw.

"Someday I'd like to return to track and try the hammer and discus, again,'' said the physical education major, who has recorded 26 tackles, nine of them solos. The roommates have one quarterback sack each.

Meierkort, working wonders in his first season as Coyote coach, praises the work of Barker and Schable this season.

"We expected great things from those two young men and they're definitely living up to expectations,'' said Meierkort. "They're hard workers and like everyone else on the team, have bought into our new system. That's been the big key.''

St. Cloud State, USD's Saturday foe, is coached by Randy Hedberg. Hedberg, a former college quarterback, played collegiately at tiny Minot State in North Dakota, but was selected in the 1976 National Football League draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Hedberg played three years in the NFL and in 1977 started five games for Tampa Bay as a rookie. He's one of just 12 rookie quarterbacks to start a game in NFL history.

The Huskies have been growling all season and enter the Saturday showdown ranked sixth in both the American Football Coaches Association NCAA Division II and the D2Football.com poll, seventh in the Dopke.com national rankings and eighth in the Don Hansen Football Gazette Division II rankings.

St. Cloud's victims this season are Wayne State (45-14), Minnesota-Crookston (49-14), Western Washington (42-29), Northern State, Minnesota Mankato, North Dakota and Augustana.

South Dakota is 2-1 in the NCC, losing only to Nebraska-Omaha and St. Cloud is 3-0 in the league.