South Dakota Coyotes football

South Dakota Coyotes football
Teamname	South Dakota Coyotes
Stadium	DakotaDome
Location	Vermillion, South Dakota
Conference	Missouri Valley Football Conference
Firstyear	1889
Athdirector	Justin Sell
Headcoach	Bob Nielson
Outfitter	Under Armour

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South Dakota Coyotes football is the intercollegiate American football program representing the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, competing in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision as a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The program traces roots to the 19th century with early contests against regional institutions such as South Dakota State University and has transitioned through multiple athletic associations and conferences while developing rivalries with institutions like North Dakota State University and South Dakota State Jackrabbits. The Coyotes have produced professional players who reached the National Football League and cultivated coaching figures who moved among programs including University of Minnesota and University of Northern Iowa.

History

The program began in 1889 with matchups against regional colleges such as South Dakota State University, Morningside University, Northwestern University (then Northwestern Confederation opponents were common), and Augusta College rivals, progressing through the early 20th century with schedules featuring Iowa State University and University of Nebraska squads. In the 1920s and 1930s the Coyotes competed in conferences that included North Dakota State University and University of North Dakota, with coaches recruiting from institutions like University of Iowa and University of Minnesota. Post-World War II developments saw games against programs such as University of South Dakota School of Law opponents and participation in NAIA and later NCAA Division II competition, producing matchups with South Dakota Mines and Wayne State College. The late 20th century brought conference realignment, postseason appearances in lower divisions, and eventual advancement to the Football Championship Subdivision in the 21st century under administrators who had ties to Big Ten Conference and Summit League athletics offices.

Throughout its history the Coyotes have been members of regional conferences including the North Central Conference, the Great West Conference, and later the Missouri Valley Football Conference. Conference championships were contested against rivals like South Dakota State University and North Dakota State University, and conference play featured opponents from University of Northern Iowa, Illinois State University, Youngstown State University, and Western Illinois University. The transition into the Missouri Valley aligned the program with institutions such as Northwestern State University and traditional MVFC members, leading to competitive seasons against Southern Illinois University Carbondale and Indiana State University. Championships at various levels were influenced by coaches with backgrounds at University of Wisconsin–Madison and University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

Home games are played at the DakotaDome, a multi-purpose venue on the University of South Dakota campus that has hosted events involving NCAA Division I athletics and regional tournaments featuring schools like South Dakota State University and University of North Dakota. The complex has undergone renovations influenced by facility projects at Fargodome and UNI-Dome and includes practice fields comparable to those at Iowa State University and University of Missouri. Training facilities and weight rooms share design elements with programs at University of Minnesota and Colorado State University, and recruiting showcases have involved visits from scouts associated with the National Football League and the Canadian Football League.

Primary rivalries include the series with South Dakota State University—often packaged in statewide media alongside matchups with North Dakota State University—and competitive regional rivalries against North Dakota Fighting Hawks and former conference foes such as Morningside University. Games against South Dakota State Jackrabbits have drawn attention comparable to rivalries at institutions like University of Iowa versus Iowa State University and have impacted recruiting battles involving high school pipelines from Sioux Falls and Sioux City. Trophy traditions and rivalry branding have been shaped by regional sports media and comparisons to historic rivalries like Nebraska Cornhuskers versus Oklahoma Sooners in terms of local significance.

Notable players include alumni who signed with National Football League franchises and international leagues, joining rosters such as those of the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, and Kansas City Chiefs. Prominent Coyotes coaches have included figures who later worked at University of Minnesota, University of Northern Iowa, and Oregon State University, and assistant coaches who progressed to staffs at Iowa State University and University of Wisconsin–Madison. The program has produced award-winning student-athletes recognized by organizations such as the Walter Camp Football Foundation and the STATS Perform FCS awards, and administrators have collaborated with executives from the NCAA and the Missouri Valley Conference.

Season records span from the program's 19th-century beginnings through NCAA Division II competition and into the FCS era, with yearly schedules featuring opponents such as South Dakota State University, North Dakota State University, Northern Iowa, and Illinois State University. Postseason appearances and playoff berths in the FCS have matched the Coyotes against nationally ranked programs like James Madison University and Montana State University, while earlier postseason play occurred under NAIA and Division II formats against teams including Augustana University and Sioux Falls Cougars. Yearly results reflect coaching tenures that intersected with careers at Ohio State University and University of Nebraska–Lincoln athletic departments.