Kael Kolarik brings Big Ten experience into battle for starting safety role at USD

Apr. 17—VERMILLION, S.D. — At the University of South Dakota, two starting spots at safety opened almost overnight.

Roman Tillmon transferred to the FBS level at Boise State, while DeJuan Lewis turned his attention toward the NFL Draft, leaving a pair of vacancies in the Coyotes' secondary heading into the 2026 season.

Into that open spot steps Kael Kolarik, a 6-foot, 210-pound senior transfer from the University of Iowa, bringing with him four years of Big Ten experience and a clear objective: earn a starting role and make his final collegiate season count.

"I am just going to bring that mindset and discipline every day, you know, it's not given to you and you have to go earn it," Kolarik said. "Every day waking up and knowing that this is your day to get better. This is your day to dominate and do what you can to get better every single day is what I am going to do."

His path to Vermillion has been rooted in patience. During his time at Iowa, he appeared in every game over the past three seasons, carving out a consistent role on special teams while gradually increasing his defensive contributions. He recorded his first collegiate tackle in a 13-10 win over Nebraska in 2023, finished with four tackles in 2024, and posted eight tackles as a junior in 2025. His most productive outing came on a big stage, tallying a career-high three tackles in Iowa's ReliaQuest Bowl victory over No. 14 Vanderbilt to close last season.

Still, the reality of limited defensive snaps in a loaded Big Ten program ultimately led to his decision to transfer. And that decision has also been supported by a familiar face in the position room. USD safeties coach Josh Manchigiah spent the 2024 season at Iowa as a defensive graduate assistant, working closely with the Hawkeye secondary, including Kolarik, before returning to Vermillion as a safeties coach last season.

"Really the schemes and the coaches here are what drew me to this place," Kolarik said. "The scheme are a lot similar to Iowa, so it made it an easier transition on defense for me. And then coach Manchigiah being from Iowa and also being a great coach really stuck out to me to want to make that decision."

That schematic familiarity has been key for Kolarik. At Iowa, he developed under defensive coordinator Phil Parker, widely regarded as one of the top defensive minds in all of college football. Since 2012, Parker's defenses have finished outside the top-25 nationally in total defense just twice, a level of consistency that has defined the Hawkeyes' identity.

"Yeah, Phil Parker gives you that great mindset and really that controlled rage that he teaches which can translate anywhere you go," Kolarik said. "He has made it easier on me to be able to come here and it has been a really smooth transition so far."