2019 Signing Class (.pdf)
VERMILLION, S.D.—South Dakota head football coach
Bob Nielson is pleased to announce the signing of four student-athletes to a National Letter of Intent. In addition, Nielson announced that five other high school standouts have accepted an offer of admissions to the University of South Dakota and plan to join the Coyote football program. Nielson also introduced sophomore quarterback Devon Moore (Iowa State) and sophomore linebacker Sam Gerst (Ellsworth Community College), high school teammates from Waterloo, Iowa, who have transferred to USD and begun taking classes.
The 11 additions when added to December's early signing day period of 15 brings the 2019 class to 26 student-athletes.
While the early signing period consisted in large part to the offensive and defensive lines, the newest signees include two running backs, a wide receiver and a linebacker. Running back Travis Theis was the all-classes offensive player of the year in Kansas this past season. Makiya Caesar ran for Butler Community College and has two years of eligibility remaining. Billy Conaway was an all-state receiver in Kansas and Jason Simon-Ressler is an all-state linebacker from Iowa.
When you factor in Moore and Gerst, four of the latest additions hail from Iowa. The Coyotes also successfully recruited in Minnesota (2), Kansas (2), Illinois (1), Wisconsin (1) and New Jersey (1).
More information on the latest group of signees is included here.
2019 South Dakota Football February Signing Class
| Name |
Pos. |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Hometown |
Previous School |
Hudl |
| Noah Alling |
OL |
6-4 |
275 |
Whitefish Bay, Wis. |
Whitefish Bay HS |
Video |
| Lucas Becker |
DL |
6-5 |
270 |
Blaine, Minn. |
Blaine HS |
Video |
| Makiya Caesar |
RB |
5-11 |
205 |
Neward, NJ |
Butler CC |
Video |
| Billy Conaway |
WR |
6-1 |
210 |
Shawnee, Kan. |
Shawnee Mission North HS |
Video |
| Hayden Ekern |
QB |
6-3 |
210 |
Chicago, Ill. |
St. Rita HS |
Video |
| Colton Harberts |
OL |
6-6 |
250 |
Dike, Iowa |
Dike-New Hartford HS |
Video |
| Joe Mather |
LS |
6-0 |
170 |
St. Paul, Minn. |
Highland Park HS |
Video |
| Jason Simon-Ressler |
LB |
6-3 |
220 |
Farley, Iowa |
Western Dubuque HS |
Video |
| Travis Theis |
RB |
5-11 |
205 |
Pratt, Kan. |
Pratt HS |
Video |
| Players have transferred and are currently enrolled at USD |
| Devon Moore |
QB |
6-4 |
225 |
Waterloo, Iowa |
Iowa State |
|
| Sam Gerst |
LB |
6-0 |
220 |
Waterloo, Iowa |
Ellsworth CC |
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2019 South Dakota Football Early Signing Class
| Name |
Pos. |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Hometown |
Previous School |
Hudl |
| Carter Bell |
WR |
5-10 |
180 |
Bettendorf, Iowa |
Bettendorf HS |
Video |
| Ryan Bena |
OL |
6-3 |
275 |
Omaha, Neb. |
Creighton Prep |
Video |
| Brady Booker |
LB |
6-3 |
240 |
LaSalle, Ill. |
Iowa Central CC |
Video |
| Cori Fant Jr. |
DB |
6-1 |
185 |
Tampa, Fla. |
Jefferson |
Video |
| Robert Ford III |
DB |
6-1 |
175 |
St. Peters, Mo. |
Lutheran HS |
Video |
| Nick Gaes |
DL |
6-4 |
235 |
Alta, Iowa |
Alta-Aurelia HS |
Video |
| D.J. Gross |
LB |
6-2 |
215 |
McCook, Neb. |
McCook HS |
Video |
| Blake Holden |
DL |
6-3 |
265 |
Watertown, S.D. |
Watertown HS |
Video |
| Cliff Johnson |
OL |
6-5 |
285 |
Lake Andes, S.D. |
Andes Central HS |
Video |
| Jake Larsen |
DL |
6-3 |
270 |
Harrisburg, S.D. |
Harrisburg HS |
Video |
| Joey Lombard |
OL |
6-5 |
305 |
Anoka, Minn. |
Anoka HS |
Video |
| Jontrell Oliver |
DL |
6-3 |
245 |
Tampa, Fla. |
East Bay HS |
Video |
| Tyler Perry |
DB |
6-3 |
190 |
North Port, Fla. |
Port Charlotte HS |
Video |
| Tyler Smith |
OL |
6-5 |
270 |
Joplin, Mo. |
Joplin HS |
Video |
| Siler Tschirhart |
OL |
6-8 |
250 |
Overland Park, Kan. |
Blue Valley HS |
Video |
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