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Feb. 13—VERMILLION, S.D. — As Matt Vitzthum took the podium for the first time as the new head football coach at the University of South Dakota, the room inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center fell silent after a loud applause from his peers.
He fought back emotion as he thanked the people who helped him reach this moment — his wife and family seated in the front row, the players who came to support him on his right, and the mentors who shaped his path.
His voice was shaky at times, but his message rang clear: this was about more than a title. It was about responsibility.
"It is truly an honor to be standing in front of you guys," said Vitzthum to start his introductory speech. "This all happened pretty quick, and today, it suddenly feels pretty real. This is a dream come true for me, and I can promise you I am going to do everything I can to make you guys proud. And I have to thank my family. These people sitting right in front of me, I wouldn't be able to do it without you guys."
Vitzthum was announced by USD Athletic Director Jon Schemmel on Friday morning during his introductory press conference as the 32nd head coach in the Coyotes' program history.
Following former USD head coach Travis Johansen's exit to Rutgers University, a Big Ten program, to be its next defensive coordinator, the South Dakota program nearly simultaneously announced that Vitzthum, the co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, would be his successor. The transition unfolded in roughly an hour on Feb. 6, a whirlwind moment that marked the end of one chapter and the swift beginning of another for a program that has become one of the premier contenders at the FCS level.
The Coyotes were the only team last season to advance to the FCS playoff quarterfinal round for the third straight year, a testament to the foundation built under former head coaches Bob Nielson and Travis Johansen before him.
"They've built and we have established a culture here of a chip on the shoulder, blue-collar, hard-working outfit, and that's what you're going to get when you play the Yotes," Vitzthum said. "We're going to prepare and we're gonna bust our tails. You've gotta come for 60 minutes to play us. But again, that's been established here. My goal and my objective is to make sure that the train is still rolling, and that these guys have everything around them that they need to be successful. So, the culture and some of those things, it's established, and we're going to continue to build upon that."
Vitzthum made it clear he isn't interested in overhauling what has already proven successful. Instead, he wants to sustain and elevate it.
"The standard is the standard here, and we're not backing down from that," Vitzthum said. "We have set a pretty high goal here. We have set pretty high expectations, and we won't shy away from that. I will double back on what we were built on here and that is tough, competitive, hard-working people that are going to work and that's what we're about."
For Vitzthum, the promotion represents both a culmination and a beginning. After stops at Division III Wittenberg in Ohio and now-defunct Division II St. Cloud State, Vitzthum was at Grand Valley State in Michigan for 11 years, including the final four seasons as offensive coordinator. That span included seven trips to the NCAA Division II playoffs. It was from there that Nielson hired him to join USD as a receivers coach in 2024.
Vitzthum credits his coaching journey with helping shape the philosophy he now carries into the head role.
"I think as a coach, you're always trying to take bits and pieces of things that can establish who you are and what you want someday," Vitzthum said. "I always say I have a notebook full of things that, like, 'Hey, when you become a head coach, these are the things you want to do, right.' And now it's here. And it's time to implement some of those things, but again, the ultimate goal is to just be me. I believe that I have surrounded myself with great people and we will achieve great things."
Schemmel said that authenticity and connection were central to the decision of promoting Vitzthum.
"I was drawn to Matt the second he walked on this campus two years ago," Schemmel said. "And very quickly over this past year, I kind of had bits in the back of my head as someone potentially down the line. And so, Travis and I had a conversation within the first month or two of him starting, about 'Do we have the next guy here?' I told him I feel like there is somebody, but I am curious about your thoughts. He almost interrupted me to start raving about Vitzthum, and not that that sealed it, but it was just kind of affirmation that what I was seeing was being felt by our current head coach and others.
"But beyond that, Matt was at the top of every list for me," Schemmel added. "I think the things about him that people will start to really know quickly is that he's a player's coach. His genuine care for people and the relationships are real. It's authentic. And I think in today's day and age, there just aren't a ton of people that are that way anymore and I think that's a special thing."
That care for players, Vitzthum emphasized, is his No. 1 priority. Yes, there will be game plans and championship aspirations. But at the core, he wants his players to leave Vermillion better men than when they arrived.
Schemmel believes that people-first approach aligns perfectly with the trajectory of the program.
"We have built a championship culture here and that has really kind of hardened over the last couple of years, but that started years ago and it has really started to come together," Schemmel said. "And for Matt, it's an opportunity he's earned and I know he is ready to guide us in the right direction and sustain what we have built."
For a program that has recently tasted deep postseason success, the expectations are unmistakable. But it goes back to the same thing: standards haven't changed. The end goal for every season at USD is to be competing for a national championship in Nashville.
"I can promise you we're going to do everything we can to bring something to Vermillion and to this university that hasn't been brought here," Vitzthum said. "And ultimately, that's what we all want. We're going to do everything we can to bring that national championship to Vermillion."
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He fought back emotion as he thanked the people who helped him reach this moment — his wife and family seated in the front row, the players who came to support him on his right, and the mentors who shaped his path.
His voice was shaky at times, but his message rang clear: this was about more than a title. It was about responsibility.
"It is truly an honor to be standing in front of you guys," said Vitzthum to start his introductory speech. "This all happened pretty quick, and today, it suddenly feels pretty real. This is a dream come true for me, and I can promise you I am going to do everything I can to make you guys proud. And I have to thank my family. These people sitting right in front of me, I wouldn't be able to do it without you guys."
Vitzthum was announced by USD Athletic Director Jon Schemmel on Friday morning during his introductory press conference as the 32nd head coach in the Coyotes' program history.
Following former USD head coach Travis Johansen's exit to Rutgers University, a Big Ten program, to be its next defensive coordinator, the South Dakota program nearly simultaneously announced that Vitzthum, the co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, would be his successor. The transition unfolded in roughly an hour on Feb. 6, a whirlwind moment that marked the end of one chapter and the swift beginning of another for a program that has become one of the premier contenders at the FCS level.
The Coyotes were the only team last season to advance to the FCS playoff quarterfinal round for the third straight year, a testament to the foundation built under former head coaches Bob Nielson and Travis Johansen before him.
"They've built and we have established a culture here of a chip on the shoulder, blue-collar, hard-working outfit, and that's what you're going to get when you play the Yotes," Vitzthum said. "We're going to prepare and we're gonna bust our tails. You've gotta come for 60 minutes to play us. But again, that's been established here. My goal and my objective is to make sure that the train is still rolling, and that these guys have everything around them that they need to be successful. So, the culture and some of those things, it's established, and we're going to continue to build upon that."
Vitzthum made it clear he isn't interested in overhauling what has already proven successful. Instead, he wants to sustain and elevate it.
"The standard is the standard here, and we're not backing down from that," Vitzthum said. "We have set a pretty high goal here. We have set pretty high expectations, and we won't shy away from that. I will double back on what we were built on here and that is tough, competitive, hard-working people that are going to work and that's what we're about."
For Vitzthum, the promotion represents both a culmination and a beginning. After stops at Division III Wittenberg in Ohio and now-defunct Division II St. Cloud State, Vitzthum was at Grand Valley State in Michigan for 11 years, including the final four seasons as offensive coordinator. That span included seven trips to the NCAA Division II playoffs. It was from there that Nielson hired him to join USD as a receivers coach in 2024.
Vitzthum credits his coaching journey with helping shape the philosophy he now carries into the head role.
"I think as a coach, you're always trying to take bits and pieces of things that can establish who you are and what you want someday," Vitzthum said. "I always say I have a notebook full of things that, like, 'Hey, when you become a head coach, these are the things you want to do, right.' And now it's here. And it's time to implement some of those things, but again, the ultimate goal is to just be me. I believe that I have surrounded myself with great people and we will achieve great things."
Schemmel said that authenticity and connection were central to the decision of promoting Vitzthum.
"I was drawn to Matt the second he walked on this campus two years ago," Schemmel said. "And very quickly over this past year, I kind of had bits in the back of my head as someone potentially down the line. And so, Travis and I had a conversation within the first month or two of him starting, about 'Do we have the next guy here?' I told him I feel like there is somebody, but I am curious about your thoughts. He almost interrupted me to start raving about Vitzthum, and not that that sealed it, but it was just kind of affirmation that what I was seeing was being felt by our current head coach and others.
"But beyond that, Matt was at the top of every list for me," Schemmel added. "I think the things about him that people will start to really know quickly is that he's a player's coach. His genuine care for people and the relationships are real. It's authentic. And I think in today's day and age, there just aren't a ton of people that are that way anymore and I think that's a special thing."
That care for players, Vitzthum emphasized, is his No. 1 priority. Yes, there will be game plans and championship aspirations. But at the core, he wants his players to leave Vermillion better men than when they arrived.
Schemmel believes that people-first approach aligns perfectly with the trajectory of the program.
"We have built a championship culture here and that has really kind of hardened over the last couple of years, but that started years ago and it has really started to come together," Schemmel said. "And for Matt, it's an opportunity he's earned and I know he is ready to guide us in the right direction and sustain what we have built."
For a program that has recently tasted deep postseason success, the expectations are unmistakable. But it goes back to the same thing: standards haven't changed. The end goal for every season at USD is to be competing for a national championship in Nashville.
"I can promise you we're going to do everything we can to bring something to Vermillion and to this university that hasn't been brought here," Vitzthum said. "And ultimately, that's what we all want. We're going to do everything we can to bring that national championship to Vermillion."
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