University of South Dakota Athletics

Kody Case, who was limited to four games last season due to injury, made a triumphant return to the field and shined in South Dakota's season opener against No. 25 Montana Saturday. Case tied the Coyotes' single-game record with 11 catches and had a career-high 144 yards and two touchdowns. It was the second two-touchdown game for Case and first since 2017.
 
Here are some other notes from week one:

• Case's catches and yardage totals all came in the first three quarters
• The Coyotes ran 11 plays in the fourth quarter and possessed the ball for 2:52
• The Coyotes ran 26 plays in the second half and possessed the ball for 9:19
• It was a solid debut for USD's offensive line, which featured two redshirt freshmen and a left tackle who competed as a tight end the first two seasons. The only sack on quarterback Austin Simmons was credited on the first play of the game when Simmons scrambled to his right and took a five-yard loss. Montana's defense registered just one hurry.
• Starting running back Kai Henry was injured at the end of a 16-yard screen pass on the second play of the second quarter and did not return. He carried four times for 29 yards in the first quarter, including a 17-yard burst down the left sideline.
• Sophomore running back Canaan Brooks finished with career high of 13 carries and 41 yards
• Montana quarterback Dalton Sneed stole the headlines, but it was his pass catchers who combined for 218 yards after the catch. Of Sneed's 37 completions, all but 10 were caught either behind or within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage. His 10 passes behind the LOS netted 58 yards and a score.
• Twelve players made their Coyote debuts and eight made their collegiate debuts. Included in the latter are true freshman Cori Fant Jr. at cornerback and seven redshirt freshmen.
• Redshirt freshman Dakota Smith and senior captain DeValon Whitcomb each recorded their first collegiate sack
• Brady Schutt averaged 49.2 yards per punt which included a career-long of 61 that reached the end zone
• Tight end Austin Goehring caught his first pass as a Coyote
• Junior middle linebacker Jack Cochrane came away with his first collegiate interception. Junior cornerback Mark Collins Jr. recorded his third.
• Montana converted 12 of 14 third downs over the final three quarters of the game. USD was 2 of 10 on third downs, and both conversions were 3^rd-and-1s.
• Senior quarterback Austin Simmons moved into the top 10 on USD's all-time passing list. He is number seven this week and stands 220 yards shy of 4,000.

 
QUOTABLE
 
Redshirt freshman center Kian Rexroat-Potts
On his collegiate debut…
"I enjoyed it. It was good being out there for the first time since high school, and the older guys like Mason (Scheidegger) and Michael (Bianchi) both helped me out a lot in getting the calls together. It was exciting."
 
On his first start at center…
"About midway through fall camp I thought I was doing okay and that I could earn a starting role. I played left tackle in high school so this was my first game at center. I know I have to get better and collectively, we have to continue getting better every day from here on out"
 
Redshirt freshman linebacker Dakota Smith
On making his collegiate debut inside the DakotaDome…
"I wasn't as nervous as I thought I would be, and I think it was because of our increased preparation for everything. We have done everything so many times, so when you get out here it feels natural.
 
On his first sack…
"I saw the quarterback motion the back out, which I knew from practice that's the only guy that picks us up. So I knew I was probably going to come free, but as soon as I saw that gap, my eyes widened and it happened in an instant and I was up celebrating with my boys."
 
Senior quarterback Austin Simmons
On the takeaways from Saturday…
"The biggest thing was that we didn't capitalize in the red zone. We had a lot of chances there, but we didn't get the points that we needed. That said, having Kody (Case) back out there was a big one for us. Obviously, he had a great game. He's a playmaker, and look forward to having him hopefully stay healthy the rest of the season."
 
On Montana's defense…
"We thought they might play a little bit more man, but they often dropped back into a zone. They backed us into some 3^rd-and-longs early, so we certainly need to stay on schedule more. Third downs need to be our down, and hopefully we will do a better job there moving forward."
 
Senior defensive tackle DeValon Whitcomb
On his first collegiate sack…
"I got hit by like three of four offensive linemen, and then he tried to put the moves on me and that wasn't happening. So when I got him to the ground, the first thing I said was 'no, sir, no sir'. It felt good to get that first one."
 
On the play of the defense…
"We played okay. There are certainly some things we need to get corrected, we need to do a better job of tackling, but I thought we stayed in the moment. We didn't look back on a previous play, and we didn't look too many plays ahead. In the end, we got to get better. It wasn't enough."
 
Junior safety Elijah Reed
On the defense…
"I was the proud at the way we fought for every play. We didn't give up. There were some explosive plays they made that we need to eliminate, but there was a lot of fight in us and that was important.
 
"They ran a lot of the same stuff that they ran last year, but they executed at a higher level. We stopped the run, and that was a big focus for us because their quarterback likes to take off a lot, but he improved in the passing game."
 
On his role in the new defense…
"I like to play everywhere and anywhere the team needs me. I'm always going to want to be the player who steps up and makes the big play anywhere I can. I like this new position and I'm trying to execute the best I can.
 
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 sideline for the Coyote Sports Network and Jay Elsen, who called the game live for Midco Sports Network, breaks down the season opener.