Insides On Coyote Countdown: Get Ready for the Showdown Against the Salukis!

The Coyotes are set to open conference play against the Salukis on Saturday.

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS (2-2) AT SOUTH DAKOTA (2-1)

WHEN/WHERE: 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 28, at the DakotaDome in Vermillion

TV: Midco Sports Two

RADIO: KQSF-FM 95.7 (Sioux Falls), Coyote Sports Network

STREAMING: ESPN+

LAST YEAR’S RECORD: USD 10-3; SIU 8-5

SERIES HISTORY: USD leads 5-4

LAST MATCHUP: South Dakota triumphed over Southern Illinois 14-7 in Carbondale in 2023

RANKINGS: USD is No. 5, SIU is No. 17

COACHES: USD — Bob Nielson (ninth year, 44-46); SIU — Nick Hill (ninth year, 44-48)

South Dakota aims to kick off the Missouri Valley Football Conference season positively against Southern Illinois this Saturday in Vermillion.

The Coyotes are coming off their best performance of the season, a dominant 42-3 victory over Drake on September 21. In contrast, the Salukis are looking to bounce back from a 38-21 loss to regional rival Southeast Missouri State.

Bob Nielson expressed satisfaction with last week’s game, but noted there are areas for improvement, particularly the 14 penalties and two turnovers late in the match. He emphasized a need for better offensive consistency, particularly in the run game, as the Coyotes prepare to face a different challenge from the Salukis.

“While we did okay, ‘okay’ isn’t good enough in the Valley,” Nielson said. He highlighted the importance of executing better against Southern Illinois, who presents a tough matchup with their talented and physical team.

“They have exceptional perimeter players and have been leaning more toward the passing game recently, making it essential to defend both horizontally and vertically,” Nielson explained.

Defensively, Nielson noted that the Salukis are physically imposing and adept at using man-to-man coverage with various pressures, adding more complexity to the Coyotes’ game plan.

An important factor for Southern Illinois is their quarterback situation. DJ Williams, who started the first three games and was a dual-threat with impressive stats, is sidelined after undergoing hand surgery. This leads to Hunter Simmons getting his second consecutive start against USD. In last week’s loss, Simmons managed to throw for 341 yards and a touchdown.

Regardless of the quarterback, Nielson stressed the need for the Coyotes to be ready to defend against a strong passing game.

“[Even with the injury], they haven’t slowed down their passing offense,” Nielson noted. “They have skilled players on the outside, and figuring out how to utilize that talent is key to their offensive strategy.”