SIOUX FALLS – Excitement is certainly filling the air as the nationally-ranked University of Sioux Falls Football Team, under the direction of second-year head coach Jon Anderson, opens fall practice at 8:10 a.m., on Monday, August 6 at Bob Young Field at the USF Sports Complex.

USF, which has been ranked #15  by Street and Smith magazine in the preseason, return 11 starters and 35 letter winners, including preseason All-American offensive tackle Trey Pipkins and All-Northern Sun defensive end Logan Dykstra. The returnees include six starters on offense and five starters on defense.

For the majority of the fall camp, the Cougars will practice at 8:10 a.m., at Bob Young Field. A schedule is listed below. The Fall Media Day has been set for 2:30 p.m., Wednesday, August 15 at the Suite-Level at Bob Young Field. USF will open the 2018 season on Thursday, August 30 against Concordia-St.Paul at Bob Young Field.

"We are excited that fall camp has arrived," said Anderson, who begins his second season leading the tradition-bound program. "We had an excellent off season of preparation. The effort the players and our staff have put in will be evident as we began our fall camp and work toward our opener on August 30," he said. "
 
The University of Sioux Falls Football Team (9-3), which advanced to the postseason for the fourth straight season a year ago, has been picked to finish third overall in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC), according to the NSIC Preseason Coaches Football Poll released by the league office Thursday, July 26.
 
USF, which was 9-3 overall, including 9-2 in the league for third overall in 2017, earned 195 points overall in the poll, finishing just two points from second-place Winona State. USF received 24 more points (171) than a year ago when the Cougars were selected to finish fifth overall. In the South Division Poll, the Cougars were picked third with 37 points or two more than a year ago (35).
  
USF, which has posted 24 consecutive winning seasons and ranked in 48 straight national polls, was picked to finish third in the league, accumulating 195 points, edging ahead of North Division favorite Minnesota Duluth with 194 and Bemidji State, 165. 

Led by the return of All-NSIC end Logan Dykstra (57 career tackles, three sacks, two fumble recoveries, 11.5 tackles for loss), who is among five starters and 13 players who saw action a year ago, USF will again field one of the league's top defenses. A year ago, USF had the league's top defense while ranking second nationally in total defense (244.3 yards per game), and defensive scoring (12.5 ppg) and third in DII in rushing defense (67.8 yards per game) while sitting ninth in sacks (3.3 per game or 40 total).
 
USF, which has been ranked nationally 48 consecutive weeks, led the NSIC in all four categories. Two-time All-NSIC and preseason All-American OT Trey Pipkins, who has 147 career knockdowns and a 91 percent career grade, and NSIC Player to Watch Ty Smith (34 rec., 496 yards, 3 TDs) leads a veteran offense that ranked fifth in the NSIC in total offense.

USF returns six starters on offense and 16 players who saw action in 2017. Smith was among a deep receiving corps for USF while Pipkins leads a veteran offensive line with four-of-five starters back. Smith had a pair of 100-yard receiving games, including a career-best 110 yards and a TD against Minnesota State. He caught a pass in al l12 games with four or more catches five times.

USF Fall Practice Schedule
Monday, August 6 -- Practice #1 – 8:10-10:30 a.m. (helmets)
Tuesday, August 7 -- Practice #2 – 8:10-10:30 a.m. (helmets)
Wednesday, August 8 -- Practice #3 – 8:10-10:30 a.m. (shells)
Thursday, August 9 -- Practice #4 – 8:10-10:30 a.m. (shells)
Friday, August 10 -- Practice #5 – 8:10-10:30 a.m. (full)
Saturday, August 11 -- Practice #6 – 8:10-10:30 a.m. (full)
Sunday, August 12 -- Practice #7 – 1:00-3:15 p.m. (scrimmage)
Monday, August 13 – No practice
Tuesday, August 14 -- Practice #8 – 8:10-10:30 a.m. (full)
Wednesday, August 15 -- Practice #9 – 8:10-10:30 a.m. (full) – Media Day
Thursday, August 16 -- Practice #10 – 8:10-10:30 a.m. (full)
Friday, August 17 -- Practice #11 – 8:10-10:30 a.m. (full)
Saturday, August 18 -- Practice #12 – 8:10-10:30 a.m. (full)
Sunday, August 19 – No Practice
Monday, August 20 -- Practice #13 – 8:10-10:30 a.m. (full)
Tuesday, August 21 -- Practice #14– 8:10-10:30 a.m. (full)
Game Week
Wednesday, August 22 -- Practice #15/CSP #1 – 2:30-4:45 a.m. (full)
Thursday, August 23 -- Practice #16/CSP #2 – 8:10-10:30 a.m. (full)
Saturday, August 25 -- Practice #17/CSP #3 – 8:10-10:30 a.m. (full)
Sunday, August 26 -- Practice #18/CSP #4 – 6:00-8:00 p.m. (full)
Monday, August 27 -- Practice #19/CSP #5 – 7:0o-9:30 p.m. (full)
Tuesday, August 28 -- Practice #20/CSP #6 – 3:00-5:30 p.m. (full)
Wednesday, August 29 -- Practice #21/CSP #7 – 3:00-5:30 p.m. (full)
Thursday, August 30 – Game Day – 6 pm, Bob Young Field