
Kael Kolarik, a senior transfer from Iowa, aims to secure a starting safety position at the University of South Dakota after two vacancies opened in the Coyotes' secondary. He brings four years of Big Ten experience and a strong work ethic to the team.
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."
The openings occurred due to Roman Tillmon transferring to Boise State and DeJuan Lewis focusing on the NFL Draft.
Kael Kolarik brings four years of Big Ten experience from his time at the University of Iowa, where he played in every game over the past three seasons.
During his time at Iowa, Kolarik recorded his first collegiate tackle in 2023, finished with four tackles in 2024, and had eight tackles as a junior in 2025, including a career-high three tackles in a bowl victory.
Kolarik's goal is to earn a starting role at safety and make his final season count by improving every day.

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That blend is exactly what the Coyotes and head coach Matt Vitzthum hopes will translate to immediate impact in their secondary that is wide open.
"He has had one of the smoother transitions I have ever seen," Vitzthum said. "We try to do a lot of things the way that the University of Iowa does them. Schematically, there's a lot of crossover between what they do defensively and what we do. So, he has heard a lot of the calls and has heard a lot of the adjustments before. He has kind of seamlessly fit into our team and scheme. I am super proud of where he is at and he's going to be a big contributor for us this fall."
And USD's safety room is suddenly one of the most competitive position groups on the roster. Jaden Brown returns after appearing in all 15 games as a true freshman, recording 13 tackles while gaining valuable experience in sub-packages on defense and on special teams. Kevin Dodard, a transfer from Lafayette College, arrives with strong production after posting 52 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions, and nine pass breakups last season.
There's also Tim White, a veteran Coyote defensive presence but was ruled out for the season last year after a leg injury as a team captain. He was able to retain a year of eligibility. In 2024, he appeared in all 14 games, with two starts and 34 tackles on the season at safety.
All together, it's a unit defined by depth, experience and urgency. Vitzthum believes the competition will elevate the entire defense, pointing to the group as one that could surprise people this fall thanks to its versatility and competition.
"We have a ton of depth there. Last year we got a lot of production, and I think Kael's going to be a big part of that for us this fall," Vitzthum said. "That room is in a really good spot right now."
Kolarik understands exactly what he walked into, and what it will take to separate himself from the other players fighting for a starting spot on the roster.
"I just have to come in and grind every day because nothing is given to you," Kolarik said. "At the end of the day, I'm coming here to play and start, but that is not up to me. It's up to my coaches, and hopefully everyone and my teammates believe in me to go lead this team."