USD Football's New-Look Roster Shines in Opener, But Road Test Looms
VERMILLION, S.D. — The University of South Dakota football team opened its season with a resounding 59-20 victory over Central Connecticut State, and while quarterback Austyn Modrzewski stole the headlines with a record-setting debut, the real story may be the emergence of a revamped roster that finally looks ready to compete at a higher level.
Modrzewski threw for 304 yards and six touchdowns in his first collegiate start, tying a single-game school record and setting a new mark for passing yards in a quarterback debut. He also added 81 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground. But the Coyotes' success wasn't a one-man show. Thirteen players made their first collegiate start or first appearance in a USD uniform, and their collective performance suggests this team has the depth and talent to make noise in the Missouri Valley Football Conference this season.
Can the Coyotes replicate their explosive start?
The Coyotes now face their first road test Saturday against Northern Colorado, a team that pushed USD to overtime last season before the Coyotes escaped with a 24-17 win. That game was nearly an 0-3 start for USD, and coach Matt Vitzthum is glad the first-game jitters are behind his squad.
“I'm very relieved and excited to get into a rhythm and a routine of what it's going to be like every single week, instead of the focus being about me or about Austyn or about the first time of this or first time of that,” Vitzthum said Tuesday. “It was awesome to see some of those first-time guys get that out of the way, including myself. And now we can just kind of carry on and do business as usual.”
New weapons give USD a balanced attack
Modrzewski's six touchdown passes were spread among five different receivers, a sign that this offense won't rely on a single star. Brayden White made his first career start and hauled in five catches for 82 yards and two touchdowns. Keyondray Jones-Logan, returning from a season lost to injury, immediately showcased his big-play ability with two catches for 103 yards, including his first career 100-yard receiving game.
Chris Herrin scored a 23-yard touchdown in his first collegiate action, while Jesse Miller and Tennel Bryant also found the end zone. Tysen Boze, expected to be the top target entering the season, caught just two passes for 13 yards, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. It shows the Coyotes don't need to force the ball to one player to be effective.
USD recorded nine explosive plays of at least 20 yards against CCSU, a mark that took three games to reach last season. That doesn't guarantee the offense will be among the conference's best, but it's a promising sign.
“I was really happy with the way we distributed the football to a lot of different position groups and players,” Vitzthum said. “I think it's going to make us challenging to defend, so we have to keep utilizing the talent that we have.”
Offensive line: The unsung heroes
While the playmakers grabbed the spotlight, the five new starters on the offensive line may have been just as important. None of them started a game for USD last season, yet they looked comfortable against CCSU. Redshirt freshman Lucas Feldkamp handled center in his first collegiate action, and Vitzthum singled him out as the player he was most concerned about entering the opener.
“I think a guy that I was probably most concerned with, even more than Austyn, was Lucas,” Vitzthum said. “He's a redshirt freshman that played every single down for us at center, which is not easy. They're moving the front a lot, doing a lot of different things, and Lucas really did a nice job of getting us on the same page up front.”
The line's performance is critical for a young quarterback like Modrzewski. A clean pocket allows him to focus on making plays rather than worrying about pressure. UTEP transfer Jake Utley earned the conference's first weekly offensive lineman nomination after posting a team-high 76.8 grade.
Rushing attack adds balance
The Coyotes can't expect Modrzewski to throw for 300-plus yards every week. At some point, they'll need to win ugly, and that's where Charles Pierre Jr. and the running game come in. Pierre led USD with 77 yards on 10 carries, while Carson Fletcher added 45 yards and a touchdown. If the offensive line continues to develop, this combination could make USD much harder to defend.
Defense shows promise after slow start
After allowing a touchdown on CCSU's opening drive, the Coyotes' defense settled in, holding the Blue Devils to just 90 total yards in the first half. CCSU finished with only 115 passing yards, an encouraging sign for a unit with several new faces.
Nathan Laperi, John Starman, and Isaiah Wray all earned their first starts on the defensive line. Kansas State transfer Asher Tomasczewski recorded USD's first sack of the season. Jaylen Boehm-Peterson made his first start at cornerback, while Iowa transfer Kael Kolarik started at safety and Minnesota transfer Harrison Brun debuted at outside linebacker.
“In the first drive, I think a lot of those first-time guys did some things that were very uncharacteristic of what I've seen in fall camp,” Vitzthum said. “So some of those young guys, or guys that are new to us, were just settling into the scheme of our defense and understanding of just doing their jobs. When we do things the right way, we can be dominant on that side of the football.”
Special teams also get a fresh start
Bohdie Ing was perfect on all eight extra-point attempts and made his first field goal, a 30-yarder. Transfer punter Brook Honorè Jr. averaged 46 yards on two punts, with one landing inside the 20.
Northern Colorado: A chance to prove it on the road
Northern Colorado opened its season with a tough 30-29 loss to Weber State, missing a potential tying extra point in the final seconds. The Bears will be hungry, and USD will face a hostile road environment. Last year, Northern Colorado held USD to just 99 passing yards in the overtime win, a performance Vitzthum hasn't forgotten.
“They pretty much suffocated us when it came to throwing the football last year, so we have to do a much better job in the game-planning process,” Vitzthum said. “We have to protect, throw, and catch at a much better rate than we did a season ago.”
The Coyotes are searching for their first road-opening victory since 2017. If they can end that drought Saturday, it will be a strong signal that this revamped roster is for real.