Full Game Notes (.pdf) | UNI Notes (.pdf)

The Basics
South Dakota (1-3, 1-3 MVFC) vs. UNI (3-3, 3-3 MVFC)
Friday, April 2, at 6 p.m. (CDT)
Vermillion, S.D. (DakotaDome)
TV: MidcoSN (Jay Elsen, Andre Fields)
Radio: Coyote Sports Network (John Thayer, Gary Culver, Carter Woodiel)
Watch Online: FREE webcast on GoYotes.com | ESPN+ (subcription required)
Series: UNI leads 30-19-1 ... UNI has won the last three ... UNI won 42-27 last year in Cedar Falls

About the Coyotes: USD is coming off a pair of tough losses after earning a top-25 ranking following game two ... the Coyotes outgained MSU 440-324, but gave up a special teams touchdown and a pick-six ... YSU out-rushed the Coyotes 303-12 last time out ... Carson Camp became the first true freshman QB to start a season opener in recorded history ... WRs Caleb Vander Esch and Carter Bell rank fifth and sixth in receiving yards in the Valley, respectively ... USD is in its second year in coordinator Travis Johansen's 3-4 defense ... LB Brock Mogensen is the Valley's second-leading tackler (9.5 tpg)

About the Panthers: A combination of special teams, injuries and COVID-19 has seemingly derailed UNI's chances of qualifying for the playoffs despite a preseason top-10 ranking and aspirations of winning a Valley title ... the Panthers beat Western Illinois last week to end a two-game skid ... QB Will McElvain is expected to return this week after missings two games due to COVID-19 ... UNI has two touchdown passes in six games ... the McElvain-Isaiah Weston combo hasn't yet been as potent as it was a season ago ... defensively, the Panthers are terrific ... veterans Jared Brinkman and Brawntae Wells wreak havoc on the line while linebacker Spencer Cuvelier leads the Valley in tackles

Quick Hits
-Saturday's game was cancelled due to a positive COVID-19 case amongst NDSU's
-Tier 1 personnel. It will not be made up.
-UNI is USD's third top-25 foe in five games this season
-USD's last win in the series was a 28-25 victory inside the DakotaDome in 2016
-Caleb Vander Esch is coming off his second collegiate 100-yard receiving performance
-RB Kai Henry needs 69 yards to move into the top 10 of the Coyotes' all-time rushing list
-The Coyotes have forced 11 turnovers in four games this season
-Brady Schutt (P), Caleb Vander Esch (WR), Brett Samson (TE) and Jack Cochrane (LB) are returning all-Valley honorees. Schutt is the nation's second-leading punter (46.0 ypp).
-True freshman cornerback Myles Harden ranks fifth nationally in passes defended (2 INTs, 7 PBUs)

The Notes
South Dakota, which has played three of four on the road to start the season, is hosting UNI in a rare Friday night affair inside the DakotaDome. The Coyotes won't have to leave the state of South Dakota the rest of the spring slate. In addition to being home in two of their final three games, the Coyotes' lone remaining road trip is to South Dakota State.

South Dakota is the only Valley team that has played fewer than two home games this season (besides Indiana State).

The Coyotes are playing their first games inside a newly remodeled DakotaDome. The $26 million renovation includes two new entrances, a modern concourse and permanent seating on the west side. It also includes a new football locker room and players lounge on the first level.

A second phase of the DakotaDome renovation was completed within the last few weeks. It included new coach's offices and meeting spaces on the fourth floor of the west side. Coyote coaches will begin a transition into that space following this spring season.

The Coyotes dropped a 27-24 decision to Missouri State in their home opener back on March 13. It was just the second time USD had lost a home opener in its last 18 seasons. Carson Camp passed for a season-high 339 yards, but the Bears returned a kickoff for a touchdown and had a pick-six in pulling the upset.

Austin Simmons passed for 299 yards and two touchdowns and South Dakota took a 24-21 lead into halftime before UNI rallied for a 42-27 win inside the UNI-Dome in last season's matchup between these two teams. Isaiah Weston had 189 yards receiving, Tyler Hoosman ran for 111 yards and Northern Iowa forced six turnovers in the win.

Turnovers were also the difference in a UNI decision the last time these two teams met in Vermillion. Austin Simmons passed for 328 yards and two scores in that one, but three Coyote turnovers quickly turned into UNI touchdowns and the Panthers went on to win 42-28 on an October afternoon in 2018.

USD running back Kai Henry has found the end zone in each of the last two games against UNI.

Interesting enough, it's been turnovers gained that has been the biggest headline for the Coyotes through four games. South Dakota's defense has forced 11 of them with six fumbles and five interceptions. Of teams that have logged at least four games this season, only two FCS squads have a better ratio of turnovers forced. Individually, linebacker Jacob Matthew has recovered two fumbles. Myles Harden intercepted two passes in his collegiate debut at Illinois State.

The Coyotes averaged 185 yards on the ground last season, but have mustered an 80-yard average through four games this season, which includes a 12-yard effort on the ground last time out at Youngstown State. Part of the reason is that Austin Simmons was an effective weapon with his legs the past two seasons, much like Chris Streveler the two years before that. Carson Camp is a pocket passer and 20 sacks in four games have subtracted from USD's total.

The Coyotes brought back all five returning starters along their offensive line from last season, a group that helped USD eclipse 300 yards on the ground on three separate occasions. That said, senior team captain Mason Scheidegger was injured early against Missouri State and is lost for the spring. Redshirt freshmen Colton Harberts and Joey Lombard have been featured on the line in recent weeks as the Coyotes seek more consistency.

True freshman Carson Camp is the Valley's second-leading passer through four games. He threw for a season-high 339 yards in his DakotaDome debut against Missouri State. His last game against Youngstown State was his first without tossing a touchdown.

Redshirt freshman Carter Bell was Camp's top receiver in each of the first three games. Senior all-Valley pick Caleb Vander Esch was featured last time out to the tune of nine catches for 102 yards. The nine catches equaled his career high and the 102 yards was a yard shy of his top collegiate performance. Bell, a quarterback at Bettendorf High School, has assumed the role left by the injury of Kody Case, who has reached nearly 1,000 career yards in his Coyote career.

Kai Henry surpassed Tony Higgins for 12th place on the Coyotes' all-time rushing list at Youngstown State. Here is where Henry ranks on the Coyotes' all-time list:
    10.   2,197 - Noah Shepard (2005-09) (+69)
    11.   2,173 - Carl Johnson (1954-56) (+45)
    12.   2,128 - Kai Henry (2017-pres.)

Spelling Henry has been redshirt freshman Travis Theis, who is averaging a team-best 4.1 yards per carry. Theis took a screen pass 45 yards during the last game against Youngstown State, which equals the team's longest play from scrimmage this season.

Defensively, the Coyotes competed without senior defensive tackle and team captain DeValon Whitcomb against Youngstown State and also without sophomore linebacker Jakari Starling. Coach Bob Nielson said both could return this week. Whitcomb had started 20 consecutive games prior to the trip to Youngstown.

Sophomore Ethan Burson filled in admirably for Whitcomb along the defensive line in Ohio. He posted a career-high seven tackles and earned his first collegiate sack. Jackson Coker added three tackles on the line including one for loss.

The Coyotes are in year two of coordinator Travis Johansen's position-less defense. It features the linebacking crew headed by all-Valley pick Jack Cochrane. Sophomore Brock Mogensen, who lines up next to Cochrane, is the Valley's second-leading tackler through four games. Jacob Matthew has thrived as an edge rusher while Jakari Starling serves more in pass coverage.

USD's true freshman at cornerback, Myles Harden, has been fantastic through four games. He picked off two passes in his collegiate debut at Illinois State and has been close on several others. He has seven pass breakups and ranks fifth nationally in passes defended. Opposite Harden is sophomore Tre Jackson who has two pass breakups and is the team's sixth-leading tackler.

With the exception of Camp at quarterback, Harden at cornerback, and now Joey Lombard at left guard, all projected starters on offense and defense are in at least their third collegiate season. Fourteen of 22 are in at least their fourth collegiate season. That goes with upperclassmen at all three special teams positions.

Coyote punter Brady Schutt is a preseason all-American and has performed as one through four games. He was MVFC Special Teams Player of the Week following the team's win at Illinois State, but was even better in game two. He netted 43.7 yards on six punts at North Dakota and pinned three of them inside the 10-yard line. Last time out, he averaged a season-high 49.5 yards including a career-long boot of 64 yards.

Placekicker Mason Lorber had just one blocked kick through his first two campaigns, but has seen two sent back this year. The first was an edge rush that got home against Illinois State. Against Missouri State, it was a bull rush up the middle on a longer attempt that gave him no chance. Lorber rebounded with a season-best make of 37 yards at Youngstown State.