USD quarterback race remains open at close of spring football

Apr. 25—VERMILLION, S.D. — For the first time in four seasons, the University of South Dakota will take the field without Aidan Bouman as its unquestioned leader under center.

The departure of the program's longtime starting quarterback has brought in a new era for the Coyotes that is defined less by certainty and more by competition and development.

Saturday's final spring practice, held as part of the team's annual Family Day inside the DakotaDome, served as both a celebration and a checkpoint. After roughly 45 minutes of work — highlighted by a few 7-on-7 periods for the fans in attendance to watch — players and coaches shifted into a youth clinic, inviting the next generation of Coyotes onto the field.

But beneath the lighthearted finish was a clear reality: the most important position on the field remains unsettled after spring ball. And that's exactly how USD intends to leave it heading into summer.

Redshirt senior Nevan Cremascoli, transfer Jackson Proctor and redshirt freshman Austyn Modrzewski have spent the spring locked in a three-way battle that has produced flashes of promise, moments of inconsistency and, perhaps most importantly, no definitive winner. Yet.

"It has been fun to watch, and obviously, we're in a new era of developing and trying to find a new starting quarterback which is a new territory for us," USD offensive coordinator Tim Morrison said. "We have had some highs and lows with each of those kids. They all have really unique skill sets, and it has been fun to watch them compete and work through the ebbs and flows. We will carry this thing on into fall camp and I am excited to watch those guys finish this battle out."

Cremascoli is the steady presence who has spent the last two seasons behind Bouman. His familiarity with the system has shown at times this spring, particularly in his command of the huddle as a natural leader for the guys and the coaches know what he can bring to the offense.

Proctor arrives with perhaps the most varied career. After four seasons in the Ivy League at Dartmouth and a stop at Northern Illinois last year, he enters his final collegiate season with experience in multiple systems. That experience has translated into flashes of poise, though consistency has been a work in progress as he adapts to the Coyotes' offensive scheme, according to head coach Matt Vitzthum.

Modrzewski, meanwhile, represents the future, and possibly the highest ceiling. The former two-time Colorado Gatorade player of the year spent last season learning behind Bouman and has shown growth in both confidence and decision-making during his first spring competing for the job. And the new quarterbacks coach Heath Parling has seen that development firsthand from each of his guys.

"First of all, I just love the approach all three have had this spring and just the intent to get better on a daily basis," Parling said. "The quarterback room already had a pretty good base set in place with Vitzthum being their position coach last year, so I have been just impressed overall with the mindset that all three of them have had."

Parling, who joined the staff on March 3 after spending the last four seasons in Division II at Upper Iowa, has quickly learned that coaching this group requires flexibility.

"They have all improved over the course of the spring and they all have their own strengths and weaknesses," Parling said. "That has been the fun part about coaching them, you know, you try to coach your guys all the same but at the same time you have to coach them all a little bit different because of those strengths and weaknesses.

"We have a huge summer ahead of us, and we have to get in rhythm with our routes with our receivers and tight ends," he added. "And then, gaining a better understanding schematically of what we are trying to do before we go into fall camp, and that's the next stage."

Vitzthum echoed that same statement, emphasizing that the evaluation process is as much about fit as it is about each player's talent. And with summer workouts and fall camp looming, the competition is far from over.

"As a staff, I think one thing we're still figuring out is what does each quarterback do well and can we morph our offense into their strengths to help us be successful," Vitzthum said. "This has probably been one of the more rejuvenating springs I've had just watching those three battle it out. Great people, great players and they all bring something different."

Replacing Bouman is not just about finding a new starter; it's about adjusting to a new offense without a quarterback who often made things right in chaotic moments.

"Even for me, just understanding those guys aren't Aidan Bouman," Morrison said. "When you have Aidan out there, you can do a lot of things offensively. He was able to make us right a lot, so we just have to focus on, as a coaching staff, holding up our end of the bargain where those three kids can focus on playing and not putting them into situations they're not ready for."

Vitzthum pointed to the characteristics and abilities that separated Bouman — details that don't always show up in highlight reels.

"It means we have to be great around our new quarterback," he said. "The thing that we have really started to notice as a staff is that we have guys that have talent, we have guys that can lead but just that situational awareness and those little things that Aidan did that maybe even us as a staff probably took for granted is the biggest difference. Such as, watching the play clock, making sure guys are in the right motions and getting us in the right play. Those are the things that Aidan was so elite at."

Developing that level of command is difficult to simulate in practice, but the Coyotes have made it a priority throughout the spring. And while the quarterback remains unsettled, one thing is not: South Dakota 's offensive identity.

The Coyotes' identity will remain rooted in physicality up front, with a strong commitment to establishing the run and creating opportunities for downfield shots through the air. Regardless of who wins the quarterback job, USD plans to stay true to its approach of playing big, aggressive football and building the passing game off their ground attack that averaged 189.1 yards per game compared to its 192 yards per contest through the air.

That philosophy begins with the offensive line, a unit Vitzthum believes is trending upward.

"If you know anything about us offensively, we're going to be built up front," he said. "I know everyone wants to talk about the skill guys, but I really like where we're at up front. I think we're molding our way into the top five or seven guys that are going to play together."

From there, the Coyotes will lean heavily on what could be one of the deepest running back rooms in the FCS, even after the departure of All-American L.J. Phillips Jr., who moved on to the University of Iowa.

"I think our running back room is going to be elite and one of the top rooms in the country," Morrison said. "We really expanded their roles here in the spring of pushing the envelope in terms of what they learn and really trying to make our offense even more positionless."

Charles Pierre Jr. returns after battling back from an ACL injury, while Keyondray Jones-Logan is expected to be fully healthy after setbacks of his own. Add in returning contributors Carson Fletcher and Reid Watkins from a season ago alongside Phillips, and the Coyotes believe they have both depth and versatility.

The goal, Morrison said, is to create an offense that can adapt week-to-week while maintaining its physical foundation.

"We can have multiple personnel groupings on the field, line up in multiple formations, multiple plays, so I am really pleased at where that group is right now," he said.

The passing game will also feature new faces in larger roles. With last season's top receivers no longer on the roster, with Larenzo Fenner transferred to the University of Cincinnati and Jack Martens graduated, Tysen Boze and Tennel Bryant are expected to emerge as primary targets. Boze showed flashes last year, recording a reception in every game and finding the end zone twice in the FCS playoffs. Bryant, a transfer from Arkansas State, contributed key moments, including a touchdown in the postseason against Mercer.

They'll be joined by Brayden White and Andre Jacobs, forming a group that coaches believe can grow alongside whichever quarterback ultimately wins the job. That growth, however, is intertwined with the development of timing and chemistry with the three guys under center. And as spring transitions into summer and slowly into fall camp, the Coyotes remain in evaluation mode. No starter has been named, and none appears as the clear leader yet.

"All of them have had ups and downs through the spring, so I think coming out of that fall camp, the guy that's really going to win the job for us is the guy that can develop that consistency. I am excited to watch it unfold," Vitzthum said.