Coyote Football Runs Past Drake

The USD Coyote football team was in action against the Drake University Bulldogs on Saturday. In a 42-3 winning effort, the team wrapped up nonconference play for the 2024 season with a record of 2-1.

The Coyotes started fast, and remained steady throughout the game in the scoring department. On the first play of scrimmage Keyondray Jones-Logan took the opening kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown. The return marked the second kickoff return for a touchdown this season, as well as making it the school’s second longest return in its history.

Following the opening score, the Coyotes stopped Drake, and later in the opening quarter of play, scored again. On a five-play, 58-yard drive, Travis Theis took the handoff 25 yards for the touchdown, and Will Leyland made it 14-0 in favor of USD.

The second quarter of action was penalty-filled and slow-moving. Drake would take the ball 62 yards in six plays, and cap off the drive with its only points of the contest, a field goal by Shane Dunning. 

The Coyotes then began to dominate in the later part of the second quarter. Going on a seven-play, 71-yard drive, capped off by a Carter Bell rushing touchdown. They followed up with a seven play, 46-yard drive, which was capped off by a Charles Pierre Jr. 1-yard touchdown run.

The Coyotes went to the locker room at halftime with a comfortable 28-3 lead. Straight out of the intermission, cornerback Mike Reid recorded his first interception as a Coyote. The Coyotes then found the end zone midway through the third quarter, scoring on a six play, 52 yard drive that ended in a Travis Theis 4-yard touchdown run. 

The Coyotes began to cycle their second and third rotations beginning late in the third quarter. Fifty-six different Coyotes saw the field on Saturday. However early in the final quarter of action, Charles Pierre Jr. took a 20-yard pass from Aiden Bouman to the end zone for the final score of the game.

In Front of a crowd of 6,529, the Coyotes ended non-conference play in dominating fashion. In the series against Drake, USD now trails by two games in the 20th all-time matchup.

Next Saturday, the Coyotes will take on No. 17 Ranked Southern Illinois, opening up Missouri Valley Football Conference play. The game is scheduled to kickoff at 1:00 p.m.

Photo Credit: Charlie Prien