South Dakota ran for a season-high 312 yards, held Indiana State's ground game to a season-low 40 yards and came away with a 38-0 win on Dakota Days Saturday. It is the third year in a row that the Coyotes have started 1-0 in Valley play.
 
Here are more notes from week five…

• South Dakota has won its last four Dakota Days games and 15 of its last 19 overall
• The Coyotes improved to 3-0 at home against Indiana State and 4-2 overall
• USD registered its first shutout since blanking Southern Illinois at home 42-0 on Oct. 28, 2017
• It was USD's first shutout on Dakota Days since beating Augustana 23-0 in 2004
• The Coyotes averaged 8.4 yards per carry, it's best performance since 2011
• Austin Simmons (9 car, 138 yds) recorded his second career 100-yard rushing performance
• Kai Henry (14 car, 101 yds) recorded his third career 100-yard rushing performance
• It marked the first time in 18 games that USD had two 100-yard rushers (Henry was a part of that tandem as well)
• USD has ran for at least four touchdowns seven times since 2010. This is the first time the Coyotes have ran for four scores in MVFC play.
• Austin Simmons recorded the Coyotes' longest run (44 yards) and longest pass (52 yards to Caleb Vander Esch) of the season
• Caleb Vander Esch (5 catches, 87 yards) led USD in receiving for the third straight game
• Billy Conaway, Joey Lombard, Marquis Majors, Austin Peters and Siler Tschirhart all made their collegiate debuts
• Drew Greenhaw caught his first touchdown pass as a Coyote. Greenhaw scored four touchdowns in 2017 at Ellsworth Community College.
• Mike Johnson recorded his third interception as a Coyote. He also recovered a fumble during the game.
• It won't be his most memorably punt, but it is his longest. Brady Schutt booted a career-long 62-yarder Saturday, his third career punt of at least 60 yards.
• Mason Lorber made a career-long 44-yard field goal
• Darin Greenfield has recorded a sack in four consecutive games
• Jake Matthew has recorded a sack in two consecutive games
• The Coyotes have registered nine sacks in their last two games
• Kameron Cline had a career game with nine tackles (two for loss). He also delivered the blow on Indiana State quarterback Gunnar See that forced the interception
• South Dakota rushing in its last two games: 81 carries, 515 yards, 5 TDs (6.4 ypc)
• Opponents rushing in the last two games: 66 carries, 77 yards, 1 TD (1.2 ypc)

 
QUOTABLE
 
Redshirt freshman right tackle Isaac Erbes
On Saturday's offensive successes…
"The way Indiana State attacked us Saturday was pretty much the same as what we saw on film leading up to the game. There were no surprises really. We were prepared and felt comfortable out there.
 
"The game plan was straight up to be a guy, kick some butt and do what hippos do. The energy from that first drive was amazing, especially because it got the D-Days crowd energized right away. We fed off that and it set the tone for the whole game. We knew we could pound the rock."
 
On stringing together a pair of wins…
"It was a rough start and it's easy to hang your head a little bit, but we have great leadership on this team and we brought everyone together. With these past two wins, we have definitely built a lot of confidence and we are ready for what's next."
 
Senior defensive tackle DeValon Whitcomb
On Saturday's defensive successes…
"We were focused this entire week on doing our job and winning our battles. When we did that, we had faith that the people behind us or next to us were going to make the play. That opened up the field and allowed us to play loose.
 
On preparation for Saturday's game…
"Throughout practice, we get different looks and get put into different positions, so once the game gets here, we've already seen all different types of scenarios. So even if they throw us a curve ball, we've already ran the play that we're going to run defensively and all we have to do is execute against the person across from us."
 
Senior defensive tackle Kameron Cline
On his career-high, 9-tackle performance…
"It felt great to win on Dakota Days. It was one of those games where I found myself around the ball the whole game and it was just my day. These wins keep lifting our spirits. We just got to keep it going."
 
On lining up in different positions throughout the game…
"I like being versatile and lining up in different spots throughout the game. I was an outside lineman last year, but using that speed inside can work as well. Our run defense has been pretty good so far and as long we do our 1/11 and do our jobs, we will continue to have success."
 
Junior running back Kai Henry
On racking up over 300 yards on the ground…
"I was impressed with how we performed as a whole. Offensively, the o-line did a great job of moving defenders and I was able to hit the holes, and it turned into a big day for us. Our confidence has always been high, but it builds with each win. We have a lot of big games coming up and our offensive line really grew in this one. They want to punch everyone in the mouth like they did today.
 
"With Austin's running ability, defenses have to account for him, and if they don't, he's going to have a big day like he did."
 
On the long touchdown run (on 3^rd-and-9)…
"We got a soft look in the box, so [Ted] Schlafke decided to go at them and I was with it. I broke through the line and saw one guy left and wasn't going to let him stop me from reaching the end zone.
 
"That was a good play, but we made a statement with the first play of the game. We ran the ball and I was carrying defenders for a first down and it got the sideline hyped, it got the fans hyped, and scoring on that first drive set the tone for the entire game."
 
Redshirt sophomore wide receiver Drew Greenhaw
On his first touchdown catch as a Coyote (and whether his new haircut had anything to do with it)…
"Your first touchdown catch is always a good feeling. I still remember my first one at Ellsworth and I'll remember this one for a long time.
 
"The defender grabbed my face mask and thank God I didn't have long hair or else I might have been tackled."
 
On racking up more than 500 yards…
"Our offensive line did a great job run blocking and that opened up a lot of pass plays for us. I see a lot more confidence in our team. I think we lacked that at the beginning of the season. It's hard to get it back following some tough losses, but we are practicing well and our confidence keeps getting better."


AUDIBLE
For more on Saturday's game, check out the latest edition of YoteCast, the official podcast of the South Dakota Coyotes. In Monday's edition, John Thayer, who worked the sidelines for the Coyote Sports Network and Jay Elsen, who called the game for Midco Sports Network, break down the game against the Sycamores and look ahead to Saturday's game at Missouri State.