Coyote seniors reflect on their final game inside the DakotaDome against SDSU

Saturday marks the final time the band of University of South Dakota football seniors will take the field in the DakotaDome when the go head-to-head with in-state rival South Dakota State University.

Head coach Joe Glenn said a victory on Senior Day would be big for the seniors but also for the program.

“It’s the last game in the DakotaDome, and we want to send our senior’s out on a winning note,” Glenn said. “It would be a big win for us. We need it.”

While poised to be an important game for the team and it’s graduating seniors, a win during Saturday’s match-up would also secure a winning home record for the Coyotes.

Senior tight end Tyler Wilhelm said the gravity of the match-up would only make a win that much sweeter.

“It’s our last home game, and we always want to finish with a win in the Dome,” senior Tyler Wilhelm said. “The fact that it’s our rival, SDSU, would mean a lot to us seniors, this team, and the city of Vermillion. We want to go out and get a win in the Dome for everybody.”

During his career at USD, Wilhelm made 27 receptions for 405 yards and one rushing touchdown.

Senior offensive lineman Marc Murtha said that not only would help both the school and the team.

“It’s really an important game,” Murtha said. “We win this game it helps not only our school, but our morale. This week everyone is psyched and pumped up and ready to go. It shouldn’t be more than others but every week is different.”

For Coyote fans, it has been ten years since the Jackrabbits took the field against USD in Vermillion, leaving a generation of students not seeing the game for themselves.

Senior Tyler Starr, whose 27 sacks ties a USD record, said that getting a win against SDSU would be the highlight of his Coyote career.

“It would be one of my most memorable moments here if we do come out with a victory,” Starr said. “It would mean so much to the community and to the program to get a win.”

The Coyotes have lost three-straight games— including two at home, but a win against SDSU would right the wrong for the Coyotes’ season.

Murtha said getting a victory against the Jacks could mean better support from the University and the boosters.

“It will bring more kids to school here, and bring more boosters to the program,” Murtha said. “For our USD, it will help the program out. You can only go north not south by getting a victory this weekend.”

It has been a decade since Coyote players have had the chance to beat SDSU at home and to improve the series record, which the Coyotes lead 52-49-7.

“It’s two really good teams in South Dakota coming up and stepping up their game, and have been doing well in the Missouri Valley Conference,” Starr said. “It’ll be an all-around fun game and even better win if we get it.”