South Dakota Sets Spring Practice Schedule Under New Head Coach Vitzthum

Matt Vitzthum's first spring at the helm of South Dakota football has a start date. The University of South Dakota announced its 2026 spring practice schedule, with the Coyotes set to begin 15 NCAA-allowed practice sessions on March 25.

The announcement, made March 10, gives Vitzthum his first structured opportunity to put his stamp on the program since taking over as head coach. Spring ball represents the clearest early signal of how a new staff intends to build a roster, establish depth charts, and install systems, and South Dakota has now locked in both a starting point and a closing showcase for that process.

The Coyotes will run the full allotment of 15 sessions permitted under NCAA rules, closing the spring slate with the program's spring game. A specific date for that final scrimmage was not immediately released with the announcement.

For Vitzthum, the spring schedule sets the stage for what figures to be a closely watched transition in the Missouri Valley Conference. Taking over an established FCS program mid-cycle means inheriting another staff's roster and recruiting relationships, making these 15 practices especially significant for evaluating personnel and beginning to shape the culture he intends to build in Vermillion.

South Dakota has been a consistent presence in the FCS landscape, and how Vitzthum uses this spring window will offer the first concrete look at where he intends to take the Coyotes heading into the 2026 season.