BEMIDJI — The Bemidji State football team will play its first game of the season without its head coach.

The university has confirmed coach Jeff Tesch has been placed on leave because a complaint has been filed against him. BSU communications director Scott Faust would not disclose the nature of the complaint or how long Tesch might be on leave.

Minnesota Public Radio News says assistant coach Brent Bolte will take over in the interim, beginning with a game Thursday against Upper Iowa.

Under Tesch, the Bemidji State Beavers have compiled 126 victories in the past two decades, which is more than the team managed in the 30 years before he took over.