Full Game Notes (.pdf) | Youngstown State Notes (.pdf)

The Basics
Youngstown State (5-4, 1-4 MVFC) at South Dakota (3-6, 2-3 MVFC)
Saturday, Nov. 9 at 2 p.m. CST
Vermillionm, S.D. (DakotaDome)
TV: MidcoSN (Jay Elsen, Andre Fields, Kelly Stewart)
Radio: Coyote Sports Network (John Thayer, Gary Culver)
Watch Online: FREE webcast on GoYotes.com | ESPN+ (subcription required)
Series: Youngstown State leads 6-1 (home team has won the last two games)

About the Coyotes:  South Dakota has averaged 30 points and 464 yards during its three-game losing skid, but 13 turnovers and a 3-for-9 performance on fourth down has kept more points off the board ... Kai Henry has eclipsed 100 yards rushing in back-to-back games ... Austin Simmons leads the Valley in passing and total offense ... Caleb Vander Esch leads the league in catches ... big plays have bitten the defense of late ... two-time all-American Darin Greenfield is three sacks shy of the program record ... inside linebacker Jack Cochrane is the Valley's third-leading tackler

About the Penguins:  Youngstown State lost senior QB Nathan Mays to an ankle injury during last week's 56-17 loss to NDSU ... soph. Joe Craycraft took snaps and true freshman Mark Waid made his debut in Mays' absence ... regardless, the strength of the Penguins is their defense and a ground game headed by senior Joe Alessi that both rank 22nd nationally ... only NDSU and SDSU have reached 200 yards rushing against YSU ... Alessi averages 6.6 yards per carry and 77 yards per game ... top receiver Jermiah Braswell (453 yds, 5 TDs in 2019) is nearing 1,000 career receiving yards ... DE Justus Reed
(8.5 sacks, 13.0 TFL) is a disruptor on defense ... safety Zaire Jones leads the team in tackles

Quick Hits
-Austin Simmons is within reach of 6,000 yards and some heavy hitters on the Coyotes' all-time passing list (see below)
-Darin Greenfield is third amongst Division I's active leaders for tackles-for-loss with 52.0
-Kai Henry is the first Coyote RB to post back-to-back 100-yard rushing efforts since Trevor Bouma in 2015
-Caleb Vander Esch leads the Valley with 43 catches, and is third in both receiving yards (581) and touchdown receptions (6)
-Brady Schutt is FCS's third-leading punter (46.1 yards per punt)
-Levi Falck (hand) returned to the lineup last week after missing six games due to injury
-USD has converted 51 percent of its third downs since playing Oklahoma in week two

The Notes
South Dakota looks to snap a three-game skid Saturday when the Coyotes host Youngstown State inside the DakotaDome. The two teams have split their last two matchups with South Dakota winning 31-28 in Vermillion back in 2017 and Youngstown State taking a 29-17 decision on a rain-filled night last year in Ohio.

Both teams are coming off tough losses. South Dakota dropped a 38-34, back-and-forth affair at Western Illinois last weekend in Macomb. The Coyotes totaled 578 yards of offense, including 304 on the ground, but gave up a 45-second touchdown drive at the end. Youngstown State, meanwhile, couldn't stop the Bison at home. Worse, senior quarterback Nathan Mays sustained an ankle injury that will end his career.

Turnovers have certainly had an impact in recent weeks. South Dakota has committed 13 of them in their last three games after totaling 10 through its first six games. But consider this resolve by the Coyote defense: USD is minus-9 in turnovers this season, but USD's points off turnovers number is identical to its foes – 45 points. Opponents have totaled 45 points on 23 USD turnovers.

South Dakota, behind junior running back Kai Henry, surpassed 300 yards rushing for the second time this season. It marked the first time since 2014 that USD has surpassed 300 yards on the ground twice in the same year. The Coyotes are averaging 225 yards on the ground in Valley play and rank 35th nationally in rushing.

Kai Henry backed up a career-best 116 yards against Southern Illinois by carrying a career-high 30 times for 145 yards last week at Western Illinois. Henry accounted for 11 of the Coyotes' 37 first downs. He converted 7 of 8 third-down carries requiring four yards or fewer. Henry is the first USD running back since Trevor Bouma in 2015 to turn in back-to-back 100-yard performances.
You would have to go back to 2007 to find a Coyote running back who reached 100 three games in a row (Amos Allen, 9).

In addition to Henry, USD got a career-best 69 yards and a touchdown from Canaan Brooks. The Coyotes also feature one of the best running quarterbacks in the Valley in Austin Simmons whose season includes a 9-carry, 138-yard and 3-touchdown game against Indiana State earlier this year.

Simmons ranks seventh nationally in total offense (318 ypg) and 18th for passing (272 ypg). His 21 touchdown passes rank 13th nationally.
    Here is where Simmons stands on USD's all-time lists:
    USD career touchdown pass leaders:
    3. Chris Streveler (2016-17)    54
    4. Austin Simmons (2016-pres.)    46
    
    USD career passing leaders:
    2. Wesley Beschorner (2002-05)    6,240 (+258)
    3. Chris Streveler (2016-17)    6,081 (+99)
    4. Austin Simmons (2016-pres.)    5,982

True freshman Carter Bell became the 19th Coyote this season to catch a pass from Simmons. He worked the slot before Kody Case reentered the lineup late due to an injury. South Dakota also welcomed back Levi Falck to the field after an injury sustained in practice after week two. Falck was USD's third-leading receiver last season when he caught 45 passes for 492 yards and two scores.

Caleb Vander Esch had been South Dakota's leading receiver in six consecutive games up until last week when tight end Brett Samson caught a career-high six passes for 52 yards and a touchdown. Samson and Vander Esch both hauled in touchdowns last week, giving each seven in their USD careers.

Right guard Mason Scheidegger has started all 33 games since the start of the 2017 season, and has played all five positions during his career. Redshirt freshman Isaac Erbes was named Valley Offensive Lineman of the Week following his performance against Indiana State. Sophomore Alex Jensen is starting at left tackle after competing at tight end the previous two seasons. Another redshirt freshman, Kian Rexroat-Potts, starts at center. Austin Wallace has started at guard the last five games.

Blame it on the construction, but the Coyotes are 1-3 at home this season with two games in Vermillion remaining. In 40 seasons prior to this one, South Dakota posted a losing record at home six times. USD is 150-80 (.652) all-time inside the DakotaDome.

Penalties were a factor in Saturday's loss in Macomb. The Coyotes were flagged 14 times for 160 yards including 60 yards in the deciding fourth quarter. That upped USD's average to 80 yards per game in penalties. By comparison, the Coyotes averaged half that total under Bob Nielson back in 2016.

South Dakota is working in a new "positionless" defense headed by coordinator Travis Johansen, who was the defensive coordinator at Grand View (Iowa) from 2013-18. In those six seasons, the Vikings were 61-11 with five conference championships and the 2013 national title (14-0).

The Coyotes came out in a 4-3 front last week against Western Illinois, which was unusual for USD this season. As such, redshirt freshman Brendan Webb made his first start. Webb finished with four tackles and broke up two passes.

Two-time All-American defensive end Darin Greenfield registered his fifth sack of the season last week against Western Illinois. Greenfield is already USD's all-time leader in tackles-for-loss with 52, and he stands three sacks shy of the career record of 27.0 shared by A.J. Shable and Tyler Starr.

Free safety Phillip Powell is coming off his best game of the season. He registered a career-high 13 tackles including 12 solo. Powell was responsible for tracking Western Illinois' wing back and also logged two tackles on kickoffs during the second half.

Junior inside linebacker Jack Cochrane racked up a career-high 17 tackles the last time South Dakota was inside the DakotaDome. That is the most by any Coyote since 2012. Cochrane leads the Coyotes, ranks third in the Valley, and is 30th nationally with 80 tackles this season.

True freshman Cori Fant Jr. is expected to make his sixth start at cornerback Saturday opposite veteran Mark Collins Jr. Fant Jr. ranks seventh on the team in tackles and has been credited with five pass breakups this season. UMass transfer Bakhari Goodson was injured against UNI and has not returned to the lineup.

Fant Jr. is one of eight true freshmen who have competed for the Coyotes this season. He and Stephen Hillis have played in all nine games. Wide receiver and return man Billy Conaway (4 games) and now Carter Bell (2 games) and Travis Theis (2 games) are the only other true freshmen who have appeared in multiple games this season. Conaway did not compete Saturday after playing in the prior four games.

South Dakota has lost the turnover battle just one time in its seven meetings with Youngstown State (2015). The Coyotes have yet to outrush the Penguins (they tied in 2015), and Chris Streveler's 360-yard, 3-touchdown performance in the win in 2017 is the only time USD has outgained Youngstown State both through the air and overall.

Youngstown State completed one of five passes in the second half of its win against South Dakota last year after taking a 22-0 lead into halftime. Kai Henry ran for 79 yards and two touchdowns, Austin Simmons passed for 158 yards, and Dakarai Allen caught seven passes for 97 yards. Defensively, Darin Greenfield had two sacks and forced two fumbles, Jack Cochrane had 11 stops and Jake Richardson had a strip sack that set up a short touchdown drive.