Northern Iowa Panthers 2024 Football Preview

With Northern Iowa football, there has been one constant for the Panthers in the 21st century: head coach Mark Farley, who is entering his 24th season in charge. He’s the second-winningest active coach in FCS (aka 1-AA) football with a 180-103 record. But after three straight six-win seasons, Farley is shaking things up with four new assistant coaches including new coordinators on both sides of the ball.

With former offensive coordinator Bodie Reeder leaving for Middle Tennessee (and taking former Husker Joe Ganz with him), Farley hired former Washington State All-Pac-12 quarterback Luke Falk as offensive coordinator to implement Mike Leach’s “Air Raid” offense. However, Falk resigned earlier this month due to family issues. It appears that Trey Tinsley, another former Washington State quarterback, is likely to be the new offensive coordinator. Tinsley followed Leach to Mississippi State as an analyst, so expect to see the Panthers running the Air Raid in 2024.

It would appear that Arkansas State transfer Jaxon Dailey (6’2” 209 lbs.) would be the starter at quarterback for the Panthers. Dailey completed 22 of 42 passes for 171 yards at Arkansas State. Also in the mix is junior Aidan Dunne (6’0” 208 lbs.), who’s completed 9 of 11 passes for 95 yards and a touchdown in seven career games.

Senior running back Tye Edwards returns after rushing for 536 yards and five touchdowns last season, averaging 4.9 yards per carry. At receiver, look for senior Sergio Morancy (6’3” 185 lbs.) and sophomore Jaiden Ellis-Lahey (6’3” 205 lbs.) to lead. Morancy has 65 career catches for 1,083 yards and nine touchdowns; he was a third-team All-MVFC honoree in 2022. Ellis-Leahy caught 14 passes as a true freshman for 255 yards and a touchdown.

The offensive line should be solid with senior Jared Penning (6’6” 338 lbs.) , a fourth team All-FCS-American, junior Blake Anderson (6’4” 298 lbs.), an honorable mention All-MVFC honoree, and senior Tristan Roper (6’5” 307 lbs.), a fourth-team All-MVFC honoree last season.

Defensively, the Panthers only have two returning starters from a defense that struggled last season finishing eighth in the 12 team Missouri Valley Football Conference in scoring defense and sixth in total defense. Junior outside linebacker Tucker Langenberg (6’2” 224 lbs.) was the Panthers second leading tackler last season with 71 total tackles. Senior middle linebacker Ben Belken (6’4” 228 lbs.) missed three games but had 40 tackles.

Some FCS schools like North Dakota State or South Dakota State can play with the bigger division schools – especially if the bigger school isn’t respecting the smaller roster school. Northern Iowa doesn’t look like that type of FCS school (at least going into 2024) with new coaches and lots of inexperience, especially on defense.

Unless, of course, Nebraska simply presumes a cakewalk, in which case this game could be uncomfortable. Schools like Northern Iowa won’t have a problem with motivation against a Big Ten foe and can play like they have nothing to lose.