Bowling Green State University Athletics
Know The Opponent: South Dakota
July 13, 2017 | Football
Over the course of the next six weeks, BGSUFalcons.com will break down the 12 opponents that BGSU Football will face during the 2017 season. The Falcons host South Dakota in week two for the team's home opener. The game is slated to be broadcast on ESPN3 with a 6:00 pm kick-off under the lights at Doyt L. Perry Stadium.
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SEASON TICKET INFORMATION
SEASON TICKET BENEFITS (SPARK PAGE)
ROAD GAME TICKET PRICES/SALES INFORMATION
FOOTBALL TICKETS PAGE
FROM OFFENSE TO DEFENSE AND BACK AGAIN
South Dakota senior Brandt Van Roekel has played a lot of roles on the football field. In high school, he shined on both sides of the ball, throwing passes at quarterback and picking them off as a defensive back. He was ultimately recruited by USD as a defensive back due to his being selected all-district defensive back three times. Upon arrival in Vermillion, however, there did not seem to be room for him. Growing impatient he decided to jump back over to the other side of the ball and play a position entirely new to him: wide receiver. The change was worth it. In nine starts in 2015 he racked up a team-leading 518 receiving yards on 33 receptions. His touchdown total of six – also the top number on the team – put him fourth in the Missouri Valley Football Conference and 54th in the country. He followed that up with 298 receiving yards on 15 receptions for two touchdowns in 2016. The senior's nine career touchdowns place him first in Coyote history and he ranks second all-time in receiving yards with 950. Von Roekel returns with a wide receiver core that lost just one player to graduation last year. Including him, six of the twelve returners are upperclassmen.
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PREVIOUS KNOW THE OPPONENT FEATURES
MICHIGAN STATE
FROM OFFENSE TO OFFENSE AND BACK AGAIN
Another Coyote whose position change has benefitted him is senior Chris Streveler. The Crystal Lake, Ill., native signed on to play with Minnesota coming out of high school. After redshirting a year, he saw playing time as the team's quarterback. His 161 rushing yards in a 2014 win over San Jose State counted for the third-most all-time by a Minnesota quarterback. With playing time dwindling he, like Von Roekel, used a position change to try to change that. However, after moving over to wide receiver in 2015 he became lost in the mix and decided to explore transfer options. When he found his way to South Dakota last year, he decided to hang up the receiver gloves and try his hand at QB once more. Like Von Roekel, the change paid its dividends. Starting all but one game, Streveler completed 164 passes for 1947 yards with his touchdown total of 22 ranking him 22nd in the nation. His ground game was just as good: he ran for 823 yards and nine touchdowns on 161 attempts. The Coyotes averaged 29.9 points per game with Streveler being responsible for 18.6 of them – a mark that ranks him fourth in the country. The MVFC honored him as the Newcomer of the Year.
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YET ANOTHER SWITCH!
When playing time is scarce, a switch to another position – no matter how foreign – can prove helpful to the player and the team as a whole. Junior Danny Rambo, also known as "Cowboy," made the switch to cornerback from wide receiver last season. It sure paid its dividends, as he led the team with three interceptions and nine pass break-ups. Rambo has quite the coach to work at defending passes with, as his older brother, Bacarri, is a safety for the Miami Dolphins.
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A PROMISING YOUNG COACH
Team recruiting coordinator and receivers coach Matthew Middleton attended the 2017 NCAA and NFL Coaches Academy in February. Hosted by the American Football Coaches Association and NCAA, the conference invites the top 34 young coaches in the country to learn effective methods of coaching and mentoring their players at both the collegiate and professional levels.
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FIRING AT THE FBS
South Dakota is not afraid to pack their schedule with difficult schools from the Football Bowl Subdivision. Having their team go up against FBS schools allows the players to get experience taking on that upper echelon of college football talent. In recent years, they have played the likes of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Kansas, Kansas State, and Oregon, their big win coming in 2010 when they knocked off the Golden Gophers. Bowling Green will serve as their FBS challenge this season, and they will follow with Kansas State (2018), Oklahoma (2019), Iowa State (2020), and Kansas (2021) in the coming years.
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SEASON TICKET INFORMATION
SEASON TICKET BENEFITS (SPARK PAGE)
ROAD GAME TICKET PRICES/SALES INFORMATION
FOOTBALL TICKETS PAGE
FROM OFFENSE TO DEFENSE AND BACK AGAIN
South Dakota senior Brandt Van Roekel has played a lot of roles on the football field. In high school, he shined on both sides of the ball, throwing passes at quarterback and picking them off as a defensive back. He was ultimately recruited by USD as a defensive back due to his being selected all-district defensive back three times. Upon arrival in Vermillion, however, there did not seem to be room for him. Growing impatient he decided to jump back over to the other side of the ball and play a position entirely new to him: wide receiver. The change was worth it. In nine starts in 2015 he racked up a team-leading 518 receiving yards on 33 receptions. His touchdown total of six – also the top number on the team – put him fourth in the Missouri Valley Football Conference and 54th in the country. He followed that up with 298 receiving yards on 15 receptions for two touchdowns in 2016. The senior's nine career touchdowns place him first in Coyote history and he ranks second all-time in receiving yards with 950. Von Roekel returns with a wide receiver core that lost just one player to graduation last year. Including him, six of the twelve returners are upperclassmen.
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PREVIOUS KNOW THE OPPONENT FEATURES
MICHIGAN STATE
FROM OFFENSE TO OFFENSE AND BACK AGAIN
Another Coyote whose position change has benefitted him is senior Chris Streveler. The Crystal Lake, Ill., native signed on to play with Minnesota coming out of high school. After redshirting a year, he saw playing time as the team's quarterback. His 161 rushing yards in a 2014 win over San Jose State counted for the third-most all-time by a Minnesota quarterback. With playing time dwindling he, like Von Roekel, used a position change to try to change that. However, after moving over to wide receiver in 2015 he became lost in the mix and decided to explore transfer options. When he found his way to South Dakota last year, he decided to hang up the receiver gloves and try his hand at QB once more. Like Von Roekel, the change paid its dividends. Starting all but one game, Streveler completed 164 passes for 1947 yards with his touchdown total of 22 ranking him 22nd in the nation. His ground game was just as good: he ran for 823 yards and nine touchdowns on 161 attempts. The Coyotes averaged 29.9 points per game with Streveler being responsible for 18.6 of them – a mark that ranks him fourth in the country. The MVFC honored him as the Newcomer of the Year.
Â
YET ANOTHER SWITCH!
When playing time is scarce, a switch to another position – no matter how foreign – can prove helpful to the player and the team as a whole. Junior Danny Rambo, also known as "Cowboy," made the switch to cornerback from wide receiver last season. It sure paid its dividends, as he led the team with three interceptions and nine pass break-ups. Rambo has quite the coach to work at defending passes with, as his older brother, Bacarri, is a safety for the Miami Dolphins.
Â
A PROMISING YOUNG COACH
Team recruiting coordinator and receivers coach Matthew Middleton attended the 2017 NCAA and NFL Coaches Academy in February. Hosted by the American Football Coaches Association and NCAA, the conference invites the top 34 young coaches in the country to learn effective methods of coaching and mentoring their players at both the collegiate and professional levels.
Â
FIRING AT THE FBS
South Dakota is not afraid to pack their schedule with difficult schools from the Football Bowl Subdivision. Having their team go up against FBS schools allows the players to get experience taking on that upper echelon of college football talent. In recent years, they have played the likes of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Kansas, Kansas State, and Oregon, their big win coming in 2010 when they knocked off the Golden Gophers. Bowling Green will serve as their FBS challenge this season, and they will follow with Kansas State (2018), Oklahoma (2019), Iowa State (2020), and Kansas (2021) in the coming years.
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