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Grand Forks Herald
5 things you might've missed in UND's 26-23 OT loss at South Dakota
- Story byGrand Forks Herald
- 5 things you might've missed in UND's 26-23 OT loss at South Dakota
Oct. 24—VERMILLION, S.D. — In a Top 10 FCS matchup, the UND football program overcame a 20-3 halftime deficit but lost in overtime 26-23 on Saturday in the DakotaDome.
Here are five things you might've missed in the game.
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UND's 17-0 deficit at the end of the first quarter has become a negative trend for the Fighting Hawks. UND trailed Northern Iowa 24-7 early in the second quarter earlier this season in a loss in Cedar Falls and even trailed Murray State 21-0 at the Alerus Center before coming back to blow out the Racers.
"Early on in the game, once again not complementing each other," UND head coach Eric Schmidt said. "Turn the football over and just not doing enough on the defensive side to make it hard on them. I just felt like we were out of sorts in the first half, and it probably could have been down worse. To our guys' credit, they regrouped at halftime and found a way to get that thing to overtime."
It was a stark contrast to last week where the Hawks led South Dakota State 21-3 at halftime.
"I don't think there's one thing you could point to," UND safety Tyler Erkman said of poor starts. "I think it's a bunch of things and a combination of stuff. We know we have to get off to a better start. You want to compete in the Valley, you want to win the Valley and go on and win big playoff games ... you have to start better against teams like this."
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UND finished with five sacks of South Dakota quarterback Austyn Modrzewski, who entered the game leading the FCS in passing efficiency and leading the No. 1 scoring offense in the Missouri Valley Football Conference.
UND received sacks from Logyn Eckheart, Grant Tylutki, Braden Mohr and Kylyn Macklin. Lance Rucker and Kaden Vig were credited with a share of a sack.
"We brought four today more than we have in the past," Schmidt said. "Just feeling like we want to let (Rucker) go. Just let him go, be him and let him get off the rock. He's tough with his second and third efforts. That's his superpower is to be able to do those things. He's hard to block. He keeps breathing on guys. He keeps going in toward the quarterback, and I think a lot of that was just him making the quarterback feel uncomfortable in the pocket."
Rucker was playing in his second game back from injury. He missed the first half of the season with a foot injury suffered in fall camp.
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UND was unable to turn over South Dakota, and the turnover drought has become a theme, despite the strong defensive performances during long stretches across the last three games.
The Hawks only have three interceptions this season and one across the last seven games — the lone pick coming late against Murray State. The Hawks haven't forced a fumble the last two weeks, either.
"We have to play with a little bit more violence on the football," Schmidt said. "We've got to do a better job getting more hats to the football. I feel like sometimes instead of running through tackles and knocking people back, we're holding on to guys a little too much. You've got to be able to jar some balls loose. I think it's getting more body on body in our tackling, finishing on top of people."
UND's first offensive play of the game was a bad omen for the half in general.
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The Hawks started with a handoff to wide receiver Cameron Weir, who was injured on the play and was attended to on the field by UND's medical team. Weir, who was a major difference-maker as a punt returner and receiver against South Dakota State the previous week, eventually walked off on his own power.
Without Weir, UND utilized Korey Tai as a punt returner at times.
Weir eventually returned to return a punt late in the first half and played consistently on offense in the second half. Weir finished the game with two catches for 5 yards.
UND's schedule doesn't get easier. After facing then-No. 1 South Dakota State last Saturday, then traveling to No. 8 South Dakota, the Hawks will visit Youngstown State for Halloween.
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The Penguins were on a bye week this weekend.
"Welcome to the Missouri Valley," Schmidt said. "Every week is going to be a battle. Our guys will respond. They understand what it takes every single week. We know that we'll have an opponent that's ready to go for us."
The Penguins are 6-2 overall and 4-1 atop the MVFC.
