VERMILLION, S.D. — The University of South Dakota football team wrapped up the third week of Fall Camp with a scrimmage Friday night, spending most of the week inside the DakotaDome on the new turf.
Rolling with the punches from Mother Nature, and the scheduled scrimmage, the Yotes continued to break in the new playing surface and prepare for the home game environments inside the Dome.
Head coach
Bob Nielson commented on the opportunity to be inside more this week, getting acclimated on the new playing surface ahead of the Northern State game. "We're trying to get a little bit more work inside than we normally have done, just because the surface is new. It's a little different from a footing standpoint than the (old) turf. It's a beautiful facility, you know. The new (turf) is definitely an improvement from the old turf. I know our guys feel it's a lot better on their bodies than the old (turf)."
USD heads into the final week of camp next week. Nielson noted the final week prior to came week will focus on "putting your polish on all the things that you need to get ready to play again."
The coordinators again spoke about the third week of camp, practicing on the new turf, and the scrimmage to wrap up the week. See the full comments below.
Associate HC/DC Travis Johansen
On how the new turf has been for practice and the defensive squad
"It's certainly much better than before. I think the guys are incredibly appreciative of it. I mean, what a heck of an investment by our administration getting us (the new turf), but it's been great. Our players can practice on it longer and more often, because it does provide a little bit more of a feel like regular grass. So, yeah, it's been great. And I think our guys have taken to it. Love playing on look forward to playing on it the 29
th in front of Coyote Nation."
On the scrimmage opportunity to wrap up the week
"The more we can just free, flow, and compete in an open setting, it just helps us get prepared for the for the regular season. You know, every day we're doing something situationally, but when you actually line it up and play full quarters and things like that."
"The guys, you know, see if they're going to make some of the some of the mistakes they might make in a game setting, just with focus and attention to detail: can they do that when everything's live? We look forward to seeing that more second opportunity to kind of correct some of the mistakes in a more game-like atmosphere. I know all our guys are looking forward to compete live."
Summarizing the third week of Fall Camp
"I think we've got a comfort in what we're doing right now. I think we're going to aim our stuff more towards game weeks and game prep. The people that we're going to go compete with, you know, here in the in the early part of the season, all the calls that we need prepared for those, those number of weeks, we've kind of got in and settled. We look forward to just sharpening those up and getting our eyes, pointed towards the 29th (home- and season-opener against Northern State)."
OC Josh Davis
On how the offense is looking through three weeks of fall camp
"You know, game week is inching closer, and you can feel it. Our guys are excited about getting to game week, but our focus is one day at a time, maximizing every opportunity that we get out here.
"I thought today in a helmets practice (
middle of the week), Coach Nielson shortened down the number of reps that we took, but I thought it was really good. I look forward to our meeting this afternoon already to coach some things up."
On getting to be on the turf more this week
"It's more just our athletes' comfortability out here. It really is just becoming comfortable in our home environment on the (new turf), getting our guys comfortable with it, that's the most important thing."
Comments on the opportunity to end the week with the scrimmage
"It's important that we execute the scrimmage atmosphere at a high level. We got (the first scrimmage) in a handful of practices ago, and I think the defense kind of got the best of us just looking for better performance, better ball security, and better execution in our run game - we'll be good."
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