Offense was the name of the game for the University of Sioux Falls football team a year ago. In their 2014 home opener, the offense again shined and the Cougar defense joined the party in a 41-14 season opening win over Minot State at Bob Young Field on Saturday.
USF (1-0), which will travel to Bemidji State on Sept. 13, rolled up 497-to-182 total yards advantage, including a 212-to-24 margin in rushing yards.
“We were pretty pleased with how well the team was prepared to go today in all three phases,” said USF head football coach Jed Stugart, who is 34-12 in his fifth season and picked up his 60th career win. “The team didn't have a lot of concentration lapses which proved that they were mentally prepared. It was great to see how they answered any momentum shifts. We feel good about the win and now we go to week two, 1-0, which was our goal,” he said.
In the win, USF had solid play at quarterback behind the guidance of sophomores Luke Papilion and Matthew Young. Papilion, who started the game, completed 8-of-9 passes for 117 yards and two TDs in one quarter of action. In the second quarter Young took over and completed 18-of-22 passes for 163 yards and a TD. In his first career start at H-back, Brady Rose stepped up with seven receptions for a career-best 99 yards while Garrett Shutt had seven receptions for 67 yards and a TD in his first career start. On the ground, Nephi Garcia had 22 carries for 89 yards and two TDs. He has rushed for at least 80 yards for the ninth straight game dating back to the season opener a year ago.
While the offense shined with nearly 500 yards in total offense, the Cougars defense, which struggled a year ago, also played a big role in USF winning a season opener for the 10th time in the last 11 games. The Cougars held Minot State to 24 net rushing yards in 25 carries and allowed just 158 yards through the air. In allowing just 24 yards rushing, the USF defense recorded its best performance in three plus years of DII football. The 182 yards allowed to Minot State in total offense ranks second to the 70 yards allowed to SD Tech on Oct. 11, 2011. Furthermore, the defense held an opponent under 100 yards rushing for the 10th time in the DII era.
USF defensive coordinator Tremaine Jackson was pleased with the effort. “We flew around pretty well,” said Jackson, who is in his first year as coordinator with the Cougars. “Without having seen the tape, it appeared we didn't have a lot of missed tackles. We also brought the pressure although we have a few things to clean up,” said Jackson, whose team had five sacks, an interception and fumble recovery.
Stugart also had praise for his defense. “Really, defense is a mindset. If you believe and trust each other, you can have success. After last year, they came into this season wanting to bring back the Cougar tradition. They came to play today,” he said.
After both teams failed to move the ball on their opening possessions, the Cougars revved up their offense with touchdowns on the ensuing three possessions. Papillion connected on a pair of 1st quarter TD passes while also rushing for 24 yards.
Papilion connected with redshirt freshman tight end Nick Stanke on a 17-yard TD strike to open the scoring at 6:32 of the first quarter. Four minutes later (2:40), junior wide receiver Garrett Shutt hauled in a 16-yard TD pass from Papilion as USF built a 14-0 lead after a six play-85-yard scoring drive.
Young, the grandson of legendary USF head coach Bob Young, took controls in the second quarter and promptly led the Cougars on a seven-play, 59-yard scoring drive with Garcia taking the ball the final 10 yards to pay dirt for a 21-0 lead.
Minot State answered when junior quarterback Zach Cunha, who was 7-of-17 for 105 yards with a TD and a pick, connected on a 52-yard scoring pass play to Glyn Borel with 5:49 left in the second quarter. I
n the final minute of the half, USF scored 13 points to build a 34-7 lead. First, USF went on a nine-play 72-yard drive with Garcia scoring on a three-yard TD run with 1:01 to play in the second quarter. On the ensuing Minot State possession, USF junior cornerback Solomon St. Pierre intercepted Cunha's pass which set up the final score of the half. After a sack and a completed pass, Young hit Rose on a clutch 18-yard TD pass with 12 seconds to play.
In the first half, Young and Papillion led USF on five scoring drives.
The Minot State defense scored the only points of the third quarter. After Minot State's Claude Richards sacked Young, Beavers defensive end Thomas Bryson, who had two sacks and two TFLs, took the ball 63 yards to the end zone as the Beavers cut USF's lead to 34-14.
USF finished off the scoring as junior Joseph Hlushak scored his second career TD on a 32-yard run with 11:22 left in the game.
