It is rolling the way the Black Hills State football team always seems to get rolling. New head coach and new players, but the formula stays the same and so do the results.
The Yellow Jackets opened up the season with a 55-10 loss to Southwest Minnesota State University, but since that setback BHSU has reeled off four straight victories, giving up a total of 47 points to the opposition.
"Defensively, we have found the right guys and for three or four weeks they are making the big plays and playing very physical," BHSU head coach Jay Long said.
Long gave a lot of credit for the defense's turnaround to preseason all-American Wacey Coleman on the line, linebacker Forest Sainsbury, who returned this season from injury, and defensive back Darrell Neiman.
"Wacey is just a tough football player who was a preseason all-American and has certainly played up to that level," Long said. "Forest brings intensity to the defense and Darrell has raised the level of his play."
Long believes the team's 13-hour, one-way trip to Oklahoma in the second game of the year, which resulted in a win over Northwestern Oklahoma State University, was a big step forward.
"Coming back our team was confident and realized they could beat good football teams," Long said. "Anytime you spend that much time together you are going to bond, and playing on the road for four of our first five games has made us that much better."
The success has come with Long directing the team in his first year as head coach and several new faces on the coaching staff. However, the transition has seemed to go seamlessly for the Yellow Jackets.
"We have a good mix of young and experienced guys and they have gelled really well," Long said. "The older guys have led and the younger guys really don't know any different."
Long and the Yellow Jackets have gotten to this point in the season by refusing to look ahead anymore than one game at a time, but now the schedule is turning decidedly more difficult. It is a challenge the Yellow Jackets are looking forward to.
Last year's Dakota Athletic Conference champion, Dickinson State, comes to Spearfish on Saturday for a match-up between two of the three undefeated teams in conference play.
"Out of the past four years both schools have won two conference titles," Long said. "We know when we play Dickinson State it is going to be a physical fight and it usually comes down to execution.
"I hope both sides of the ball are ready to step up to the challenge and rise to it."
Intensity is the word that Long uses multiple times in describing what his team must have in order to compete with the Blue Hawks. Intensity and physicality seems to be what the Yellow Jackets thrive on. From the punishing running game to the dominating defense BHSU appears ready for this type of game.
Dickinson has won 11 straight conference games coming into Saturday, but it will face a team that is confident and happy to be back in Lyle Hare Stadium.
"We are ready to play at home because there is nothing like being on your home field," Long said. "We have great fans and great support which motivates our guys."
