In the FCS Huddle: Coaching at South Dakota re-energizes Glenn

NCAA Football Betting Lines

01/30/2012 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Monday's forecast in Vermillion, S.D., was downright balmy for this time of the year - a high into the 50s. Of course, that's not quite the sunshine and 75 degrees being enjoyed in Phoenix.

Some of the friends whom 62-year-old Joe Glenn left behind in Arizona might be getting a kick over his approach to retirement.

"They're doing a better job of it than I did," the new South Dakota football coach said with a laugh.

Glenn hopes a return to his alma mater in Vermillion lasts much longer than a senior moment. South Dakota athletic director David Sayler handpicked Glenn to be the Coyotes' head coach as they head from the disbanding Great West Football Conference into the rugged Missouri Valley Football Conference this year.

There weren't a lot of head coaches on the open market who already had won a FCS national championship. USD gained just that in Glenn, who led Montana to the 2001 NCAA Division I-AA (now FCS) national crown and went on to coach on the FBS level at Wyoming.

"This is the swan song for sure. I'm exhilarated," Glenn said. "The place has kick-started my heart for football. I was a little beat up after the Wyoming thing (he was fired after his sixth season in 2008), to tell you the truth. I got into some broadcasting for a while living in Phoenix, but I know right now the coaching staff, the players have given me a real sense of belonging. It's wonderful to be at my university. I had no idea I'd feel this great. I'm having a ball."

Known for his positive approach, the 1971 USD graduate jumped right into recruiting and assembling his coaching staff following his hiring on Dec. 5.

The recruiting class, to be announced on national signing day Wednesday, features such commitments as Chris Wiseman, a touted defensive end out of Montana, and appears to be on a higher level now that USD is moving to the Missouri Valley, home of the reigning national champion, North Dakota State.

"I'm having more fun recruiting this year than I have in all my years of coaching," said Glenn, whose 188-100-1 career record includes stints at Doane and Northern Colorado as well as Montana and Wyoming. "I have a bunch of coaches that are cracking and hustling and are great at it, very personable people.

"I was talking to Wesley Beschorner, our offensive coordinator and associate head coach, and I asked him, 'How does this compare with classes of the past?' I've been out of it for a little while and I haven't been at South Dakota, certainly, for a long time. I flat-out felt like this is a special class provided we finish strong. We have won over schools that we haven't won over for a while. If you kind of gauge from that, you feel like you're having success."

The Coyotes' recruiting class includes three junior college transfers, Butler Community College (Kan.) teammates Jasper Sanders, a running back, and Dennis (D.J.) Wakes, a safety, and Palomar College safety Devin Taverna, whom Glenn believes will make immediate contributions.

"You have to have an idea of who you can and can't get," Glenn said. "You can sit here, chase around guys whose visits are at Southern Cal and Washington and Notre Dame - and it's hard to get in those homes - but we are competing at a very high level against other schools that are in FCS Division I. It feels good."

As South Dakota moves into a stronger conference, Glenn is faced with improving on what was a solid eight seasons under head coach Ed Meierkort, whose contract was not renewed after the season despite a 54-35 record. The Coyotes, who were 6-5 this past season, would have shared the Great West title if not for a fourth-quarter meltdown against North Dakota in the finale.

Glenn will use spring practices to open up competition at all positions. The Coyotes are losing an influential senior class, including quarterback Dante Warren and All-America offensive tackle Tom Compton, but will return some key players such as leading running back Marcus Sims, wide receivers Will Powell and Jeremy Blount, and defensive end Tyler Starr.

Starr's production on the edge - a Great West-best 14 sacks - plays right into the multiple 4-3 defensive alignment that the Coyotes will use under new defensive coordinator Jason Petrino.

With Beschorner returning to run the offense, USD will no doubt rely on the run because of the talent in the backfield and the need for a new quarterback.

"We're not going to change much. Things aren't broken here," said Glenn, whose new team won at Big Ten member Minnesota two years ago and defeated 2010 FCS national champion Eastern Washington in the DakotaDome this past season.

"The cupboard isn't bear, that's for sure. When I go into the weight room, we've got some big dudes. There's some big corn-fed Midwestern linemen on the team that kind of tip the dome when they walk in. So we've got good size, good skill people, people that can run. Their jumping ability as far as their athleticism - we measured that a little bit - there's some really fine athletes in the program. I'm anxious to see how spring ball turns out."

It's always sunny in Vermillion.

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Will Ohio State continue to run the table in College Football betting odds?
MySportsbook.com favors Buckeyes, Fighting Irish and Golden Bears in this weekend's big games.

NEW YORK, NY, Sept. 21 - My Sportsbook NCAA football fans: things are beginning to get really interesting on college football's national stage. Following last weekend's "Separation Saturday", which included five teams ranked in the top 15 dropping games, the BCS Championship picture is beginning to take shape - with Ohio State leading the charge. And, according to odds makers at MySportsbook.com, the number-one-ranked Buckeyes will continue their winning ways this weekend.

Revenge will be the name of the game in Columbus this Saturday, as Ohio State looks to even the score following last season's loss to Joe Paterno's Nittany Lions. Although Penn State are listed as 16.5 point underdogs, they are 11-10 all-time versus the Buckeyes. Paterno and the Lions, however, will have to shut down Heisman Trophy favorite Troy Smith who has thrown for 769 yards and seven touchdowns this season.

Speaking of revenge, Notre Dame will be out for some against Michigan State, following last year's 44 - 41 overtime loss to the Spartans in South Bend. The thirteenth-ranked Irish, listed as a 3-point favorite, will also be looking to avenge last Saturday's thrashing from the Michigan Wolverines. The Spartans, meanwhile, have won seven of the last nine match-ups against Notre Dame and are coming off an impressive 38-23 victory over Pittsburgh.

Out west, 22nd-ranked Arizona State will be battling for their first victory over 21st-ranked California since 2000. Although the Golden Bears are listed as 7.5-point favorites, the Sun Devils are 3-0, lead the nation in sacks with 18 and possess the Pac-10's leading passer in sophomore quarterback Rudy Carpenter.

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NCAA Football betting lines (home team in CAPS)
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Date Favorite Opponent Point Spread
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Sept 21 GEORGIA TECH Virginia 17
Sept 22 NEVADA Northwestern 6.5
Sept 23 MICHIGAN Wisconsin 14
Sept 23 Minnesota PURDUE 3
Sept 23 SYRACUSE Miami (Ohio) 6.5
Sept 23 MISSOURI Ohio 21.5
Sept 23 Louisville KANSAS STATE 14
Sept 23 TENNESSEE Marshall 22
Sept 23 CLEMSON North Carolina 16.5
Sept 23 FLORIDA Kentucky 24
Sept 23 Iowa ILLINOIS 20.5
Sept 23 FLORIDA STATE Rice 30.5
Sept 23 AUBURN Buffalo 41.5
Sept 23 BOWLING GREEN Kent 7
Sept 23 NAVY Tulsa 4.5
Sept 23 VIRGINIA TECH Cincinnati 27
Sept 23 BYU Utah State 29
Sept 23 OHIO STATE Penn State 16.5
Sept 23 TEXAS Iowa State 25
Sept 23 Washington State STANFORD 10
Sept 23 CALIFORNIA Arizona State 7.5
Sept 23 UCLA WASHINGTON 3
Sept 23 INDIANA Connecticut 1.5
Sept 23 Central Michigan EASTERN MICHIGAN 4
Sept 23 WYOMING Air Force 1
Sept 23 UTEP NEW MEXICO 9.5
Sept 23 West Virginia EAST CAROLINA 21
Sept 23 Boston College NORTH CAROLINA STATE 7
Sept 23 GEORGIA Colorado 27
Sept 23 ARKANSAS Alabama 1.5
Sept 23 BAYLOR Army 11
Sept 23 WESTERN MICHIGAN Temple 28
Sept 23 MISSISSIPPI Wake Forest 2.5
Sept 23 KANSAS South Florida 5.5
Sept 23 TEXAS A&amp;M Louisiana Tech 23.5
Sept 23 UAB Mississippi State 9.5
Sept 23 LSU Tulane 36
Sept 23 Utah SAN DIEGO STATE 6.5
Sept 23 BOISE STATE Hawaii 15
Sept 23 Notre Dame MICHIGAN STATE 3
Sept 23 USC ARIZONA U 22
Sept 23 Oklahoma State HOUSTON 1
Sept 23 OREGON STATE Idaho 23
Sept 23 OKLAHOMA Middle Tennessee State 29
Sept 23 MARYLAND Florida International 18.5
Sept 23 AKRON North Texas 17.5
Sept 23 SOUTH CAROLINA Florida Atlantic 29.5
Sept 23 NEBRASKA Troy 23
Sept 23 SMU Arkansas State 6

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