This offseason has been a whirlwind of change for our two South Dakota-based FCS college football programs.

Both Jimmy Rogers and Bob Nielson left their posts at their respective schools, and we have two new coaches now in place to guide both the Jacks and Yotes into 2025 and beyond.

Coach Travis Johansen was immediately tabbed as the successor of Bob Nielson down in Vermillion, and now he's rounding his staff into place.

KXRB logo
Get our free mobile app

This morning, USD announced that Johansen has made a hire for the vacant defensive coordinator post and also made a promotion on the defensive coaching staff.

Per GoYotes.com:

University of South Dakota head football coach Travis Johansen has solidified his defensive staff with the announcement of Billy Kirch as the program's next Defensive Coordinator and the promotion of Miles Taylor to Co-Defensive Coordinator on Thursday morning.

Kirch comes to Vermillion after 10 seasons on staff at Northwestern College (Iowa), spending the last nine seasons as the Defensive Coordinator. He was named the 2022 Footballscoop.com NAIA Coordinator of the Year after helping to guide the Red Raiders to their first NAIA national title since 1983.

He was a four-year linebacker at South Dakota State under John Stiegelmeier from 2002-05. He helped lead the Jackrabbits into their NCAA Division I era, playing his final two seasons (2004, 2005) in the Great West Conference. Kirch led the team in tackles in his senior season (2005) with 78 on the year.

Johansen has also announced the promotion of defensive backs coach and defensive pass game coordinator Miles Taylor to the position of Co-Defensive Coordinator. Taylor originally joined Nielson's staff back in the summer of 2020 and has been on staff the last five seasons.

During his five seasons, Taylor coached now NFL defensive back Myles Harden (2020-23) who is on the active roster for the Cleveland Browns.

Joining the Coyotes staff under Nielson in 2020, Taylor's first season with South Dakota would be cut short due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In his second season – first full season – Taylor helped lead the Coyotes to the program's second-ever FCS Playoffs (2021) and helped spearhead a defense that 20 points per game.

Source: GoYotes.com

South Dakota Born NFL Players of this Century

While not a traditional powerhouse Nation Football League feeder, South Dakota has produces a fair number of football players that went on to the big time in the NFL.

Here are some that have played on various teams over the last couple of decades.

7 Famous Athletes from South Dakota

South Dakota may have a small population, but our state's contributions to sports have been pretty big.

People born in the 605 have gone on to be in the NFL, Major League Baseball, the NBA, WWE, WNBA, and in the Olympics.

Meet seven of the most famous:

Recent Dakota Marker History Between NDSU and SDSU

Gallery Credit: Bert Remien

 

More From KXRB