South Dakota defensive end Darin Greenfield and kicker Ryan Weese garnered Missouri Valley Football Conference Defensive and Special Teams Player of the Week honors, respectively, announced by the conference office Sunday.
The duo helped the Coyotes earn a 31-28 Dakota Days victory over No. 3 Youngstown State on Saturday inside the DakotaDome. It was South Dakota’s third-straight win against a top-20 team, moving the Coyotes to 5-0 for the first time since 2005.
South Dakota State University tight end Skyler Cavanaugh was honored Sunday as the Missouri Valley Football Conference Newcomer of the Week for his season-best performance in the Jackrabbits’ 49-14 home victory over Southern Illinois a day earlier.
Greenfield, a sophomore from Sheldon, Iowa, had seven tackles including six solo tackles, two sacks and another tackle-for-loss in leading the Coyote defense over the Penguins. Both sacks led to Youngstown State punts. Greenfield and the Coyotes held YSU to 188 yards rushing, 100 beneath its season average, and 3.8 yards per carry. Greenfield leads the FCS with 11.5 tackles-for-loss and ranks seventh nationally with 5.0 sacks.
A senior hailing from Olathe, Kan., Weese drilled a 29-yard field goal with seven seconds remaining to give the Coyotes a 31-28 edge over Youngstown State. It was the first game-winning kick of his collegiate career. Weese also made good on four extra points.
A true freshman from Vail, Arizona, Cavanaugh caught a season-high four passes for 53 yards and his first career touchdown as the nationally ranked Jackrabbits improved to 4-1 overall. Cavanaugh’s touchdown in the first quarter covered 16 yards and he added a season-long 20-yard reception later in the game.
