SDSU’s Minett the focus of North Dakota State

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FARGO — South Dakota State running back Kyle Minett has been collecting 100-yard games for four years like a kid collecting sports cards. There’s been a new one almost every week.

He’s currently on a streak of eight straight and is second in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision players in career rushing yards with 4,202. He’s also second in career touchdowns among active players with 45.

You don’t have to tell North Dakota State that; the Bison have seen it for three years and they’ll see him again Saturday afternoon at the Fargodome.

Stopping Minett “is probably the most important thing we have to do,” said NDSU defensive end Coulter Boyer. “He’s patient but he also runs hard. Stopping him will be our first goal.”

Minett had 34 carries for 164 yards last year. He was held to 85 yards two years ago and was part of a one-two punch in 2007 with Cory Koenig with Minett getting 60 yards on 10 carries and Koenig 131 yards on 22 attempts.

He became the first SDSU player to rush for over 1,000 yards in three consecutive seasons. He had 1,289 as a sophomore, 1,304 and 16 touchdowns last season and heads into the NDSU game with 1,133 yards and 10 touchdowns.

“He’s a complete back,” said SDSU head coach John Stiegelmeier. “He’s so respected and when he talks and leads the verbal way, everybody listens. He’s such a special young man and he’s meant so much to us.”

— Kolpack is a reporter for The Forum, which, along with The Daily Republic, is owned by Forum Communications Co.

Tags: college football, sports, jacks