South Dakota head football coach Matt Vitzthum has built his career on a simple philosophy: Be where your feet are, embrace your role, and make the most of the opportunity in front of you.
From his Division III playing days at Wartburg College to 11 seasons at Grand Valley State and now the head coach's office at South Dakota, Vitzthum's journey is a reminder that some of the most important work happens when nobody is watching.
Coach Vitzthum reflects on what it means to show up consistently for the young men he coaches, the lessons he's learning as a husband and father, and why chasing professional success should never mean sacrificing the people closest to you.
Vitzthum has spent nearly two decades learning how winning programs are built. After 11 seasons at Grand Valley State, he arrived in Vermillion, where he now leads a South Dakota program with big expectations and one of college football's most passionate fanbases.
In this conversation, we get into:
The Missouri Valley grind: Why there are no easy Saturdays in the FCS's toughest conference.
The South Dakota turnaround: What the Yotes learned from their losses to Boise State and Youngstown State.
Austyn Modrzewski's development: Why consistency, composure, and leadership matter as much as arm talent.
The DakotaDome advantage: How 9,000 raucous fans can make life miserable for visiting offenses.
South Dakota vs. North Dakota: Rivalry stakes, mutual respect, and the 104th meeting between these programs.
Lessons from great coaches: What Matt Mitchell and other mentors taught Vitzthum about building winning teams.
Life beyond football: Leadership, fatherhood, sacrifice, and the advice he'd give his younger self.
One of the most compelling parts of this conversation comes near the end, when Coach Vitzthum reflects on the cost of chasing a coaching career and what he's learned about showing up for his family.
CHAPTERS
00:00 — Meet South Dakota HC Matt Vitzthum
01:34 — Lessons from a lifetime around winning programs
05:06 — Matt Mitchell and the coaches who shaped his career
06:36 — Vermillion, South Dakota, and the Yotes fanbase
08:57 — Why the DakotaDome is such a tough place to play
10:36 — South Dakota's resilience and midseason growth
12:51 — Austyn Modrzewski's leadership and development
15:14 — South Dakota vs. North Dakota: The 104th meeting
17:38 — The unexpected challenges of becoming a head coach
19:26 — What Vitzthum wants his players to remember
21:09 — The advice he'd give his younger self
22:37 — Supporting South Dakota football
JOIN THE CONVERSATION
Is the Missouri Valley Football Conference the SEC of FCS football? And what makes the DakotaDome one of college football's best home-field advantages?
Tell us in the comments.
#SouthDakotaFootball #FCSFootball #collegefootball
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The Preferred Walk-On is the people's college football show. Hosted by Seth Saunders, with James Kehm joining as featured co-host, the show covers college football's full Division I landscape: every Power Four conference, every Group of Six matchup, and every corner of the FCS.
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