South Dakota Coyotes football

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South Dakota Coyotes football
AmericanFootball current event.svg 2025 South Dakota Coyotes football team
South Dakota Coyotes wordmark.svg
First season 1889; 136 years ago
Athletic directorJon Schemmel
Head coach Travis Johansen
1st season, 0–0 (–)
Stadium DakotaDome
(capacity: 9,100)
Location Vermillion, South Dakota
NCAA division Division I FCS
Conference Missouri Valley
Past conferences NCC (1922–2007), Great West (2008–2011)
All-time record524–500–36 (.511)
National finalist1
(Div. II): 1985
Playoff appearances8
(Div. II): 1973, 1985, 1986, 2006
(Div. I FCS): 2017, 2021, 2023, 2024
Playoff record Div. II: 4–4 (.500)
Div. I FCS: 4–4 (.500)
Conference titles
  • NCC (10)
    1927, 1938, 1939, 1947, 1951, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1978, 2005
  • MVFC (1)
    2024
Rivalries South Dakota State (rivalry)
North Dakota (Sitting Bull Trophy)
North Dakota State
ColorsRed and white [1]
   
Fight song Hail, South Dakota!
MascotCharlie Coyote
Marching bandThe Sound of USD
Website goyotes.com

The South Dakota Coyotes football team represents the University of South Dakota in college football. The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) as a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC). The Coyotes play their home games at the 9,100-seat DakotaDome near the University's campus in Vermillion, South Dakota.

Contents

South Dakota first fielded a football team in 1889, and became one of the charter members of the North Central Conference (NCC) in 1922, where they remained for the next 86 years. During their time in the NCC, the Coyotes won 10 conference titles, qualified for the Division II playoffs four times, and reached the 1986 National Championship game, losing to the North Dakota State Bison 27-7. The Coyotes moved up to the Division I FCS level in 2008, joining the Great West Conference initially, before entering the Missouri Valley Football Conference in 2012. Initially struggling in the Valley, the team found their footing under head coach Bob Nielson, reaching four FCS playoffs from 2017 to 2024. The Coyotes won their first Missouri Valley title and reached their first FCS semifinal in school history in 2024.

Overall, the Coyotes have won 11 conference titles, and have a playoff record of 8-8 (.500).

History

Classifications

Conference memberships

Rivalries

South Dakota State

The Coyotes' main rivals are the South Dakota State Jackrabbits. The two schools have played each other since 1889, with the Jackrabbits currently holding the all-time series 58-52-7.

The series has been played yearly except for a pause between 2003 and 2012, when the Jackrabbits moved their athletic programs from Division II to Division I in 2004. The rivalry resumed in 2012 after the Coyotes joined the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The series is one of the oldest rivalries in college football, and the oldest between two public institutions at the FCS level.

North Dakota

The Coyotes historically shared a rivalry with the North Dakota Fighting Hawks, first meeting in 1903. The Fighting Hawks currently hold the all-time series 63-33-5. The rivalry was interrupted in 2011 after the two schools moved to separate conferences (the Big Sky Conference for North Dakota and the Missouri Valley Football Conference for South Dakota), but the series was renewed when the Fighting Hawks joined the Missouri Valley in 2021.

Both teams formerly fought for the Sitting Bull Trophy (an oak bust of Sitting Bull), but it was retired in 2000 amid an ongoing NCAA controversy over the use of Native American names and symbols by its member institutions. [2]

Championships

Conference championships

The Coyotes have won 11 conference championships.

YearConferenceCoachOverall recordConference record
1927† North Central Conference Vincent E. Montgomery 7–25–0
1938 Harry Gamage 7–15–0
1939†4–54–1
1947†7–24–0
19517–16–0
1972† Joe Salem 9–16–1
1973†8–36–1
1974†8–35–2
1978 Beanie Cooper 7–45–0–1^
2005† Ed Meierkort 9–24–2
2024† Missouri Valley Football Conference Bob Nielson 11–37–1

† Co-champions

^ South Dakota and Nebraska–Omaha split games in 1978, which counted as a tie in the NCC standings. [3]

Playoff appearances

NCAA Division II

The Coyotes appeared in the Division II playoffs four times. Their record was 4–4.

YearRoundOpponentResult
1973 Quarterfinals Boise State L 10–53
1985 Quarterfinals
Semifinals		 Central State (OH)
North Dakota State 		W 13–10 2OT
L 7–16
1986 Quarterfinals
Semifinals
National Championship		 UC Davis
Troy State
North Dakota State 		W 26–23
W 42–28
L 7–27
2006 First Round
Second Round		 Northwood
Grand Valley State 		W 31–28
L 17–35

NCAA Division I-AA/FCS

The Coyotes have appeared in the FCS playoffs four times, with a combined record of 4–4.

YearRoundOpponentResult
2017 First Round
Second Round		 Nicholls State
Sam Houston State 		W 38–31
L 42–54
2021 First Round Southern Illinois L 10–22
2023 Second Round
Quarterfinals		 Sacramento State
North Dakota State 		W 34–24
L 17–45
2024 Second Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals		 Tarleton State
UC Davis
Montana State 		W 42–31
W 35–21
L 17–31

Head coaching history

The Coyotes have had 27 head coaches throughout the program's history. It is not known who coached the team between 1889–1900. South Dakota did not field teams in 1943 and 1944 due to World War II.

#CoachYears activeRecordConference titles
1 Bert H. Morrison (manager)1898–18995–2–1No affiliation
2 Ralph Norton 19016–1–1No affiliation
3 Arthur H. Whittemore 1902–1909, 1920-192137–21–6No affiliation
4 Joseph Pipal 19105–2–0No affiliation
5 James Henderson 1911–191315–5–0No affiliation
6 Ion Cortright 1914-19159–4–3No affiliation
7 Blaine McKusick 1916–19173–8–2No affiliation
8 John W. Stewart 1918–19193–8–0No affiliation
9 Stub Allison 1922–192620–19–3
10 Vincent E. Montgomery 1927-193015–16–31927
11 Stanley G. Backman 1931-193311–16–1
12 Harry Gamage 1934-1941, 1946-195582–67–71938, 1939, 1947, 1951
13 Cletus Clinker 19425–3–0
14 Grant Heckenlively 19450–4–0
15 Ralph Stewart 1956-196119–33–2
16 Bob Burns 19621–9–0
17 Marv Rist 1963-19656–21–0
18 Joe Salem 1966–197451–39–21972, 1973, 1974
19 Beanie Cooper 1975-197818–24–11978
20 Dave Triplett 1979–198870–45–0
21 John Fritsch 1989-199124–6–01964, 1965
22 Dennis Creehan 1992-199628-26-0
23 Ron Rankin 1997–19988-14
24 John Austin 1999-200322-32
25 Ed Meierkort 2004-201154-352005
26 Joe Glenn 2012-201512-34
27 Bob Nielson 2016-202453-482024
28 Travis Johansen 2025-present0-0

Facilities

The DakotaDome. USDDakotaDome.png
The DakotaDome.

The Coyotes have played in the DakotaDome since it opened in 1979. Seating 9,100 spectators, the Dome has been home to several Coyote sports teams over its 49 year history; alongside football, the DakotaDome formerly hosted Coyote basketball, volleyball, and swimming & diving. In addition to Coyote football, the Dome also hosts South Dakota's high school state football championships each November.

The DakotaDome has been renovated several times over the building's lifespan, most recently from 2019 to 2021 in a $26 million project that rebuilt the west side of the Dome. Improvements included permanent seating on the west side, new loge boxes and suites, a new locker room covering more than 6,000 square feet with 110 new lockers, new offices and equipment space, and a new concourse. [4] As of 2025, plans are in place to renovate the west side of the Dome.

Before the DakotaDome, the Coyotes played on-campus at Inman Field from 1924 to 1978. The stadium seated 10,000 spectators and was located at the current site of the Knudson School of Law and Beacom Hall. [5]

Notable former players

18 former Coyotes have been selected in the NFL draft. The most recent Coyote selected was Myles Harden in the 2024 NFL draft, who was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the 7th round.

Other notable alumni include:

Record against FBS opposition

The Coyotes have played 16 times against teams from the FBS since moving up to Division I FCS in 2008; they are 2-14 overall.

SeasonOpponentConferenceResult
2010 UCF Conference USA L 7-38
2010 Minnesota Big Ten W 41-38
2011 Air Force Mountain West L 20-37
2011 Wisconsin Big Ten L 10-59
2012 Northwestern Big Ten L 7-38
2013 Kansas Big 12 L 14-31
2014No. 3 Oregon Pac-12 L 13-62
2015 Kansas State Big 12 L 0-34
2016 New Mexico Mountain West L 21-48
2017 Bowling Green MAC W 35-27
2018 Kansas State Big 12 L 24-27
2019No. 4 Oklahoma Big 12 L 14-70
2021 Kansas Big 12 L 14-17
2022 Kansas State Big 12 L 0-34
2023 Missouri SEC L 10-35
2024 Wisconsin Big Ten L 13-27
2025 Iowa State Big 12 TBA

Future non-conference opponents

Announced schedules as of January 7, 2025. [6]

202520262027202820292030
at Iowa State at Northern Colorado at Kansas State at McNeese Idaho at Iowa State
at Lamar Eastern Washington McNeese Portland State
Northern Colorado at Boise State at Eastern Washington at Idaho
Drake

References

  1. ↑ University of South Dakota Graphic Standards and Editorial Guide . Retrieved April 16, 2016.
  2. ↑ "Sitting Bull Trophy will be retired; North Dakota, South Dakota go to battle today in Grand Rapids". Star Tribune . September 16, 2000. Archived from the original on March 29, 2015. Retrieved February 28, 2013.
  3. ↑ "2023 Media Supplement (PDF)" (PDF). University of South Dakota Athletics. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
  4. ↑ "The DakotaDome - Facilities".
  5. ↑ "USD Campus and Historic Buildings Walking Tour" (PDF).
  6. ↑ "South Dakota Coyotes Football Future Schedules". FBSchedules.com. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
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