Happy Hour with John Gaskins

South Dakota's two Div. I teams went 1-0 on Saturday. 
 
While No. 10-ranked USD turned a seven-point lead after three quarters into a 31-10 win by outscoring No. 25 Southern Illinois 14-0 in the fourth quarter, No. 1 SDSU experienced a stress-free day with its first non-gameday Saturday since Aug. 21, and last until Thanksgiving weekend. That is, if the 5-1 Jackrabbits earn a first-round playoff bye, which seems like a safe bet at the moment.
 
The Coyotes (5-2) also appear to be trending in that direction, given their home dominance (4-0, with an average score of 44-16). However, they still face SDSU, No. 15 North Dakota (Oct. 24), No. 25 Northern Iowa (Nov. 7) and No. 13 Illinois State (Nov. 14).
 
The Jacks are at UND on Saturday, host USD on Oct. 31, and finish at UNI (Nov. 7) and SIU (Nov. 14).
 
As always, both coaches joined for their weekly Monday visit with Happy Hour.
 

USD's Matt Vitzthum
 
So, what did Vitzthum learn about the Coyotes that we didn't know before they beat the Salukis? 
 
Why are we starting to see an uptick from former All-American running back Charles Pierre, who has rushed for 100 yards in back-to-back games for the first time this season?
 
What is subtly progressing in freshman quarterback Austyn Modrzewski's game?
 
What has gone into the rapid rise of redshirt freshman Lucas Feldkamp at center? 
 
Feldkamp is from Brandon Valley, a sign USD does, indeed seriously recruit and occasionally land an in-state talent. Vitzthum understands SDSU has more South Dakota players on the roster, but he is tired of the narrative that USD ignores or cannot sign them. It is nuanced. Listen to Vitzthum's nuance.
 
What about 1-5 Murray State — picked to finish last in the MVFC and heading there fast — will be most challenging for the Yotes on Saturday?
 
 
SDSU's Dan Jackson
 
How does the coach of the No. 1 FCS team in the country spend a bye weekend? Football watching and flat tire fixing. (Well... sort of.)
 
Which former fellow SDSU assistant coach-turned someone else's head coach did Jackson chat with while watching games on Saturday? 
 
After seeing UNLV beat NDSU, how well does Jackson feel SDSU would compete in the FBS Mountain West Conference?
 
Will quarterback Chase Mason — who Sioux Falls Live reported last week is returning and starting at UND after missing the last 2.5 games — need a different kind of plan considering his nearly four-week absence from game reps? 
 
Will SDSU have plans for two different quarterbacks after UND's Jerry Kaminsky had to leave the Fighting Hawks' loss at Northern Iowa?
 
How much will the possible return of UND pass rusher Lance Rucker increase the challenge the Jacks' offense will face?

The Happy Hour host walks through Nebraska's 31st consecutive loss to an AP Top 25 opponent, which appeared closer to an actual win than any of the other 30.
But does this close, but no cigar mean? A cigar? The smell of a cigar?

So, what did Vitzthum learn about the Coyotes that we didn't know before they beat the Salukis? 
Why are we starting to see an uptick from former All-American running back Charles Pierre, who has rushed for 100 yards in back-to-back games for the first time this season?

What is subtly progressing in freshman quarterback Austyn Modrzewski's game?

What has gone into the rapid rise of redshirt freshman Lucas Feldkamp at center? 
Feldkamp is from Brandon Valley, a sign USD does, indeed seriously recruit and occasionally land an in-state talent. Vitzthum understands SDSU has more South Dakota players on the roster, but he is tired of the narrative that USD ignores or cannot sign them. It is nuanced. Listen to Vitzthum's nuance.

What about 1-5 Murray State — picked to finish last in the MVFC and heading there fast — will be most challenging for the Yotes on Saturday?

How does the coach of the No. 1 FCS team in the country spend a bye weekend? Football watching and flat tire fixing. (Well... sort of.)
 
Which former fellow SDSU assistant coach-turned someone else's head coach did Jackson chat with while watching games on Saturday? 
 
After seeing UNLV beat NDSU, how well does Jackson feel SDSU would compete in the FBS Mountain West Conference?
 
Will quarterback Chase Mason — who Sioux Falls Live reported last week is returning and starting at UND after missing the last 2.5 games — need a different kind of plan considering his nearly four-week absence from game reps? 
 
Will SDSU have plans for two different quarterbacks after UND's Jerry Kaminsky had to leave the Fighting Hawks' loss at Northern Iowa?
 
How much will the possible return of UND pass rusher Lance Rucker increase the challenge the Jacks' offense will face?

Singer covers high school football for Sioux Falls Live. John call play-by-play of Metro Conference games every week. So, the two (mostly) know what they're talking about when they describe how the season has shaped out so far and what to expect between now and one month from now when the 11AAA state championship game is staged in the DakotaDome.