#10 South Dakota

South Dakota will need to improve on defense to be
more successful in 2013.
(Photo: USD Athletics)

The Coyotes had a disappointing first year in the Missouri Valley Football Conference last year. They
ended up 1-10 and didn't win a game in the conference. South Dakota will be a team to keep a close eye on the next couple years; they get good talent, but the inconsistent coaching--i think--has been what is keeping them down the last couple of years.

Last year they started a freshman quarterback, Josh Vander Maten, who is a dual-threat quarterback that can turn the burners on. Vander Maten struggled at times during the season, making costly mistakes that  restricted the Coyote offense from getting in a grove. If Vander Maten can limit his turnovers and become more efficient leading the offense, the 'Yotes could get hot. Vander Maten will not have standout receiver Will Powell this year, and also it looks like he might be without impact senior RB Jasper Sanders; Sanders injured his wrist in the gym recently. The Coyotes will need to find their niche' early in the season and if they desire to get out of the bottom of the MVFC there will need to be multiple players who have breakout seasons in 2013.

South Dakota Coyotes Schedule 2013

The Coyote defense is lead by All-American LB Tyler Starr. South Dakota needs to improve on defense--6 times last year the Coyote defense allowed more than 30 points--if they want to rack up some wins. South Dakota returns DB's Aaron Swift & Devin Taverna. Taverna led the Yotes in interceptions last year with 3 INT's returned for 37 yards. The secondary should be a strength for South Dakota. Kyle Guziec will provide some support alongside of Tyler Starr at Linebacker. However, both will need to be in overdrive to help out with the lack of experience on the defensive line. Drew Iddings returns the most experience up front--last year Iddings had 35 tackles (6 TFL) and .5 sacks.

South Dakota also has a very tough non-conference schedule (UC Davis, @ Kansas, @ Northern Arizona, & Montana). It will be important for the Yotes to get a solid win against UC Davis at the beginning of the season; if they don't there is a good chance that South Dakota will start 0-3 (assuming Northern Arizona will be as formidable as last year) and it will be a hard climb out of the hole the rest of the season. On the other hand, their first two conference games are against fellow bottom dwellars, Western Illinois & Missouri State. If the Coyotes can establish themselves with two conference wins, they'll be able to climb out from the bottom.