COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – This is the moment Vincent Pyne has been working toward for years now. 

And he's determined to make the most of it. 

The 6-foot, 185-pound cornerback from Rosemount High School has finally earned a spot in the Johnnie starting lineup this fall, and through the season's first two games, he led his team in tackles with 14. 

"I've imagined this moment for so long, and now that it's here, it's a pretty incredible feeling," Pyne said. "This is why I've hung in there the past few seasons when I wasn't seeing a lot of playing time. This is why I've put in all the work in practice and in the offseason. It's all coming together now and I don't want to take any part of it for granted. 

"I'm trying to soak in everything, even small things like when my name is introduced in the starting lineup. That stuff may not seem a big deal. But when you've been in my shoes, and you've devoted all that time toward making this a reality, it matters a lot." 

Growing up in Rosemount, Pyne looked up to Jackson Erdmann, who led the Irish to a berth in the Class 6A state title game as a junior in 2013 before going on to become a multi-time All-American at SJU. His father Jeff remains the Rosemount head coach. 

"Those years he was playing were a special time in Rosemount history, and he and the other players on those teams were so great to the younger kids in the community," Pyne recalled. "He made me want to play quarterback too." 

Pyne did just that, earning the starting quarterback job himself and passing for 1,898 yards and rushing for 494 as a senior in 2021. He was an all-district selection, and his speed helped him capture all-state honors in track and field as well. 

But most of the colleges recruiting him wanted Pyne to play defensive back. He preferred to remain at QB, which is why he chose Division II Southwest Minnesota State, where he redshirted in the fall of 2022. 

"They offered me a chance to play quarterback and that's what I was looking for at the time," he said. 

Pyne enjoyed his team in Marshall, but the school didn't seem like the right fit. And when he decided to transfer, SJU was the first school to reach out. 

"I'd always heard about what a special place Saint John's was, and I knew they liked Rosemount guys because Jackson had such an amazing career here," he said. "When they reached out to me, I checked it out and really liked what I saw." 

Pyne remained at quarterback in 2023, but decided the time was right to switch to defensive back the following year, when he had five tackles in spot action. 

He began to see a little more playing time a year ago, but his play was hampered by an injured knee. This year, though, there was an opening at cornerback and he was determined to seize it. 

"He might have been one of our better cornerbacks coming into fall camp last year, but he had that knee injury," said James Herberg, who coached the SJU defensive backs in 2025 and took over as the team's defensive coordinator when Brandon Novak accepted the head coaching job at Loras (Iowa) this past offseason. 

"It didn't sideline him, but it bothered him more than he was letting on and it limited him somewhat. After the season, though, we sat down and I challenged him to be the guy. I told him he was capable of being the starter this season and he responded to that. He worked really hard and came into the start of practice ready to answer the call." 

As the lone newcomer in a talented and veteran secondary, Pyne knows opposing teams will make a point of challenging him. But that's a challenge he welcomes. 

"That gives me a chance to go out and prove myself every week," he said. "I'm a lot smarter as a player than I've been in years past. My football IQ is way up and so is my physicality. I came into this year knowing I was going to be tested. But I'm ready to make plays whenever they come my way." 

A football aptitude runs in the Pyne family. His twin brother Vicar was one of Vincent's top receivers at Rosemount and started his own collegiate career at Division II Bemidji State. He then transferred to Bethel, before moving on to Loras where he is playing for Novak this season. 

"He asked me a lot of questions about what to expect since I'd been playing for Brandon the past few years here," Vincent said. "I told him Novy was a great coach and a great person to be around. I said he was going to enjoy the experience. 

Just as Pyne is now enjoying his own as a Johnnie starter. 

"I'm becoming a better and better player every game," he said. "I want to keep building on that momentum week-to-week. If I do that, I know good things are will continue to happen."