AT 
Date/Time: Saturday, October 29 at 2 PM
Location: USD’s DakotaDome in Vermillion, SD
Weather Forecast (as of 10/25): Doesn’t really matter, it’s in a dome, but for anyone planning on being there and driving, flying, or doing any tailgating outside the stadium before the game, Saturday is supposed to be a high of 61, mostly cloudy, no rain.
TV: Like all MVFC matchups this season, available on ESPN3/WatchESPN.com
Links:
- Stat Tracking for the game: http://www.sidearmstats.com/usd/football/
- USD’s Message Board (remember, don’t be a troll): http://usdcoyotesports.proboards.com/board/12
- USD’s Football Website: http://www.goyotes.com/index.aspx?path=football
- USD’s Football Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/USD-Football-140329722701013/
- USD’s Athletics Twitter: https://twitter.com/SDCoyotesFB
The Coyotes are currently 4-3 overall, 3-1 in the MVFC.
They have wins over:
- Weber State (52-49 2OT)
- Northern Iowa (28-25)
- Indiana State (33-30 2OT)
- Illinois State (27-24)
- FBS New Mexico (48-21)
- North Dakota (47-44 2OT)
- Youngstown State (30-20)
The History
We’ve only been playing USD regularly for a few years now, since they joined the conference in 2012. We have an overall 4-2 record against USD, although our two losses were back in our DII days in ‘76 and ‘77. We’ve won the last 4 straight against the Coyotes.
Team Stat Analysis
To start off with,here’s the full stat comparison between the two teams.
Overall, it looks like we’re fairly evenly matched in most areas. Our rushing defense is better than theirs, but their rushing offense is better than ours. Our passing offense is better than theirs, but their passing defense is better than theirs (most team’s are, actually, we’re 114th by that metric). However, when the rushing and passing is combined (total yards), our defense and offense are both a bit better than theirs. We’re better at limiting sacks on our own QB, but they’re better at sacking their opposing QBs. They have a much better kicking game (one of the best in the FCS)....we have a much better time of possession.
Key Opposition Players
QB Austin Simmons - Redshirt Freshman who didn’t start but was put in for most of their last game against IL State. Simmons threw for 205 yards and 2 TDs in that game, but also threw an interception. He also ran for 36 yards.
RB Trevor Bouma - averages slightly under 80 yards per game and has 3 TDs.
DB Jacob Warner - 44 tackles, but also 3 interceptions and a fumble recovery.
LB Jet Moreland - leads the team with 66 tackles and has a fumble recovery
K/P Miles Bergner - 2nd in the FCS in Field Goal Percentage including a 50 yarder, 4-5 in the 40-49 range, 5-5 from the 30-39 range, and 2-2 from the 20-29 range, and perfect 27-27 for XPs. If he’s within 40 yards...he won’t miss...not in the dome. Oh, and he’s also #1 in the country in punting average, with 43 punts averaging 46.6 yards.
The Game
So...nothing special about this game...just a couple of teams playing a game of football
Yea...right. This one’s big. In case you happened to be living under a rock for the last 11 months, after the season ended last year, our head coach, Bob Nielson, went to South Dakota and took most of his coaching staff with him. Personally, I think it worked out for the best, since we ended up with a great coach (and staff) with Coach Fisher (and his guys), but that doesn’t change the fact that the majority of the Leathernecks on the field today were recruited to come to Western by the guys who now make up slightly more than half of the USD coaching staff. So, that, combined with the way that the whole transition “went down” has meant that for a lot of the guys on the team, they’ve had this Saturday’s date circled on their calendars all year as THE game that they have to win….it’s like with the Bears...if you have only 1 win this season, beat the Packers...well...if Western had only 1 win this season (thankfully not the case)...they need to beat the Coyotes. This one’s personal.
I think that in general, just from the stats and abilities of the teams, I think we have a very slight advantage. Intellectually, the USD staff knows most of our players very well...their tendencies, weaknesses, etc. But, Western will have emotion on their side. It’s personal for us...but not so much for the USD players. Emotion can be a good motivator, but you have to temper that with doing what you know...doing your “job” and not trying to push to overdo it...don’t want guys getting overly excited and overthrowing receivers or having a DB over-persue a receiver (any more than they already do). I think that it’ll stay fairly close, but at some point we’ll trade a TD for a USD FG and we’ll end up winning by about 4 points.
Scott Lawson - Board Admin
on all three injuries. My source A+