#8 SOUTH DAKOTA COYOTES

THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH DAKOTA will begin their final season of Division II football this fall and the team looks to improve on their 9-4 record and playoff appearance last year. The Coyotes won their first playoff game in 20 years but will begin transitioning to the NCAA Football Championship Series (formerly I-AA) in 2008. They are led by head coach Ed Meierkort who is in his fourth season at USD. He has turned around the program with a record of 27-8 in his first three seasons. With its nine wins in 2006, USD recorded its third straight nine-win season which is a school record. Last fall, USD finished with the nation’s fifth-ranked offense in DII at 427.5 yards per game, which is the second straight season that USD has been among DII’s top five offensive squads. In addition, the Coyotes owned the nation’s fourth-ranked rushing offense at 253.4 yards per game while ranking fifth in rushing defense at 73.8 yards per game. USD, the DII scoring leader in 2005, finished 15th in 2006 with 32.3 points per contest. During Coach Meierkort’s tenure, the Coyotes are averaging 39.04 points per game. On the field, the offense returns nine starters including All-American and Dave Remington Award recipient center Christian Morton. The defense returns seven starters and are led by All-NCC linebacker Blake Hojer. One large question is the play at running back after All-American Stefen Logan’s graduation. Dion Foster, a heavily recruited high school standout in 2005, has transferred from FBS (formerly I-A) Wisconsin and will help fill that void. He has been named ‘Newcomer of the Year’ by Lindy’s Magazine. The Coyote schedule, however, will not be easy. They play three conference champions and five playoff teams. Most notably, FCS McNeese State won the Southland Conference last season and competed in the I-AA playoffs. They are ranked in several pre-season polls. Division II opponents include LSC Champion and playoff competitor, West Texas A&M and NCC Co-Champions Nebraska-Omaha and North Dakota. The Coyotes will also play NSIC playoff representative Winona State.