A Day of Evaluation
The USD Coyotes conducted a live scrimmage on August 16, 2026, using the session as a final dress rehearsal before their season opener against Central Connecticut State.
Rookie head coach Matt Vitzthum held out star running back Charles Pierre and several other key contributors, allowing younger players to receive extensive first‑team reps.
The quarterback competition remained unresolved, with Austyn Modrzewski taking the opening snaps but still battling inconsistency under pressure.
Defensively, the unit showed marked improvement, drawing praise from Vitzthum for its energy, physicality and growing confidence during the hard‑fought exchanges.
Offensive execution was described as sloppy, yet the coach characterized the shortcomings as correctable and part of the normal refinement process as the team fine‑tunes its playbook.
Kicker Bohdie Ing stepped up to challenge incumbent Ford Hamilton, delivering clutch field goals that underscored his reliability and added depth to the special‑teams group.
Players expressed enthusiasm about the live game experience, emphasizing that the scrimmage was a crucial step toward building the readiness needed for the upcoming matchup.