Coyotes appreciating the opportunity to face with SDSU

VERMILLION -- Freshman wide receiver Trystn Ducker is new to the South Dakota-South Dakota State football rivalry in a matter of speaking and you could say a senior like Trevor Bouma is plenty familiar with it.

These teammates share an unfortunate common bond, however. Neither of them has ever defeated the Jackrabbits.

It’s not something they’re talking a lot of about this week at USD. They’re talking about facing a top Missouri Valley football team that has an impressive variety of offensive weapons and will be playing in front of a large and boisterous crowd at a new stadium.

It’s the same challenge, regardless.

Jacks/Coyotes: Long drought since USD's last win

“Obviously there is a lot of hype around the school,” said Ducker, who went to Bellevue West High School in Nebraska. “But practice-wise and team-wise, we’re trying to treat it like another week.”

That’s not to say Ducker is unaware of what the Coyotes are stepping into this week. His father, Dontrell, was an all-North Central Conference defensive back at USD in 1996 and the elder Ducker has occasionally shared insight into how things worked two decades ago.

“He doesn’t wear blue to this day at home,” Trystn said. “And every time he sees an SDSU t-shirt, he’ll be sure to make a comment about it.”

You know what they say about old habits. USD seniors, some of whom were redshirted freshmen when the Coyotes and Jackrabbits resumed the rivalry in 2012, would like to break the habit of losing to the neighbors up north. SDSU has won the last seven of these games, bridging the Division I/Division II hiatus with a streak that began in 2001.

“We have talked about it – we can’t go all five years here and not get a win against them,” said Bouma, a four-year starter at tailback whose last two seasons were cut short by injuries. “I think it’s important to the seniors that we come out on top.”

The Coyotes (4-5, 3-3) technically have living, breathing playoff hopes even after losing consecutive conference games in the last seconds but would need to beat SDSU on the road this week and NDSU at home next week to sustain them.

More to the point, the Coyotes are playing a good team at their own stadium and will enter the contest with neither the recent history of this season, nor the history between the two teams, on their side.

Valley football: What if everyone (but NDSU) has five losses?

“You tell the young players to prepare for it like it’s any other game,” said senior tight end Drew Potter. “But the older guys remember we were up 20-10 in the third quarter last year and lost. That stings.”

No reason to make things more complicated than they already are, of course.

“I think players understand rivalry games,” said USD coach Bob Nielson, who presided over a win over SDSU last season as coach of Western Illinois. “I don’t think there is any need to add any additional emphasis on it. It’s an opportunity to play a team where you probably know some of the players on each side and it obviously means a lot to the fans of both places and to the institutions.”

Taylor Lambert, a former Dakota Valley standout, did not grow up watching USD-SDSU games because for a significant portion of his life, the two teams didn’t play. He’s a junior now, though, with four years in the program and a sensitivity to the culture of the schools – his twin brother attends SDSU -- that a lot of the players on both teams probably don’t have.

“Over the years, losing to them probably leaves a little worse taste in your mouth than losing to some other team because it’s more personal,” Lambert said. “But you try to put that aside and just focus on the games week-to-week and practice like you’re playing any other team.”

1986 USD football team makes trip back to Vermillion

The Coyotes had five starters – LT Nick Jensen, DT Jon Maag, LB Tyson Graham, SS Jacob Warner and CB Danny Rambo – sitting out Tuesday’s practice. Several could be ready by Saturday, but their collective status will be uncertain for much of the week.

Sitting out a rival game is never a good habit to get into. Bouma, a two-year team captain, missed SDSU games in 2014 and 2015 SDSU with injuries and he would know.

“The last two years sitting on the sidelines has been rough,” he said. “I really want to take advantage of this opportunity.”

Follow Mick Garry on Twitter at @MickGarry .