BROOKINGS — Dennis Shorter has laid plenty of huge hits on opposing defenders for South Dakota this season, but his biggest and most significant one came at a critical time in a 20-17 overtime loss against South Dakota State.
It was a dire situation for the Coyotes. With just under five minutes to play in the matchup, USD trailed 14-7 and hadn’t scored since its opening drive of the game. The offense also just gave the ball away when a trick play went horribly wrong with running back Travis Theis throwing an interception on the SDSU 10-yard line. If the Jacks could pick up a few first downs, they likely could have run the clock out in regulation.
But on the first play of the ensuing SDSU offensive series, Shorter made the biggest play of the game up to that point. Angel Johnson took the handoff and didn’t even get three yards upfield before Shorter came up and put his helmet directly on the football. It flew out of the arms of Johnson and took one bounce before Mi’Quise Grace grabbed it and took it to the endzone to tie the game.
In the end, the play wasn’t as consequential as it could have been as the Jacks went on to win the first-ever overtime Interstate Series matchup, but it was the best play from possibly Shorter’s best performance of the season. He finished the day with a team-high 12 total tackles, two pass breakups, a tackle for loss and the forced fumble.
Shorter was so focused on making the tackle in the first place that it took him a few moments to grasp the significance of the play he just made.
“Honestly, I didn’t even know he fumbled,” Shorter said. “I was just in the moment. I trusted our front seven. Then it was just seeing the hole and making the play.”
The senior safety has been one of the Coyotes’ best and most consistent players on defense this season. He is second on the team in total tackles with 47 and leads the team in interceptions and forced fumbles with two each. He also leads the team with nine pass breakups as well.
But he’s not just been one of the best players for USD, he’s been one of the best players in the entire Missouri Valley Football Conference. His 47 tackles are 20th-best, the two interceptions are tied for second-best, his two forced fumbles are tied for the best mark and his nine pass breakups are the best mark in the conference. Those pass breakups are also the 10th-best mark in the entire FCS.
He’s also been the catalyst for one of the best secondaries in the conference. USD is first in the conference in passing yards allowed (1,447) and in passing touchdowns allowed (five).
USD head coach Bob Nielson said Shorter has hovered under the radar all year and said he’s cemented himself as one of the best defensive players in the country.
“Dennis has played great all year,” Nielson said. “I think he's one of the most under-publicized defensive players in our league, quite frankly. I think he's one of the best defensive players in our league, and he showed that on Saturday against a really good football team.”
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