VERMILLION, S.D. — One of the best football seasons in the pre-DakotaDome era will be experiencing a 50^th reunion on Saturday at South Dakota's Dakota Days contest against Missouri State.
 
The 1968 squad, led by coach Joe Salem, posted a 9-1 overall record and went 5-1 in the North Central Conference. The lone blemish on the year came against a highly-ranked North Dakota State team, 35-13.
 
The Coyotes of 1968 were a good blend of offense and defense, limiting all but three of its opponents to 16 points or less. Offensively, led by then record-setting quarterback Jim Foster, a junior, and sophomore running back Bob Koch, South Dakota scored at least 13 points in every game, the only team to do so in Salem's nine seasons as head coach.
 
"At that time I don't think we knew it, but as we get older we realize there is something special about that team," said Roger Larson, a junior halfback. "It's a developed theory I have about team chemistry. I don't know if you can articulate it. I don't know if you even necessarily recognize it. It's just there and there is something that is unique and special about it.
 
The 1968 team with a roster of between 44-47 players included 23 of those that had earned letters during the 1967 season. With only 11 seniors, the season outlook hinged on a large group of sophomores, many up from an unbeaten freshman team the year before, to produce.  
 
The '68 team was inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame in 2012 and 40 guys were in attendance. Larson believes 32 will be here this weekend while seven are now deceased.
 
"To have that many come back 50 years later speaks to what that team was all about," said Larson. "At this point in our lives, we all recognize that was incredibly special and unique."


 
Playing home games at Inman Stadium, an outdoor field surrounded by a running track, the Coyotes went 4-1 at home, posting wins over Montana (21-0), South Dakota State (55-32), Northern Iowa (13-7) and Drake (49-28).
 
"That South Dakota State game, we thought we were pretty good at that point and in the first half they were up 21-7," said Larson. "I remember thinking going to the locker room maybe we're not this good.
 
"We proceeded to come out and play what I call the perfect game for every player on that team and we beat them handily. That was probably the most memorable game, the other one was losing to North Dakota State, that was our only loss."
 
Activities for the team included golf at the Bluffs on Friday, followed by a tour of the Sanford Coyote Sports Center and dinner downtown. Saturday, the team will ride on Joe Glenn's float in the parade, tailgate in tailgate nation and be recognized prior to the coin toss of the Dakota Days game.