University of Northern Iowa Athletics
Photo by: Mike Dunlop
Panthers Set for Top-25 Battle Against EWU
9/7/2015 3:19:00 PM | Football
GAME NOTES IN PDF FORMAT
#14 UNI vs. #7 Eastern Washington
Date: Saturday, Sept. 12, 2015
Time: 1 p.m. CT
Where: UNI-Dome | Cedar Falls, Iowa
Live Stats: www.uni-stats.com
TV: Panther Sports Network (CFU Ch. 15/HD415, KCRG Ch. 9.2, WHO Ch. 13 D-2, KMEG Ch. 14 D-2, KGCW Ch. 26 and Comcast SportsNet Chicago)
Radio: Panther Sports Network (1540 KXEL, TuneIn.com)
The Basics: The University of Northern Iowa football program is set to host the No. 6 ranked Eastern Washington Eagles on Sept. 12 inside the UNI-Dome for the Hall of Fame game.
About the Eagles: Eastern Washington opened its 2015 season on the road against FBS powerhouse Oregon, falling 61-42. The Eagles finished the 2014 season 11-3 overall, winning the Big Sky Conference and advancing to the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs. They return 13 starters to the field after leading the nation in scoring (44.1 points per game) last season.
Panther Quick Hits:
• UNI landed at No. 10 in both the Preseason FCS Coaches Poll and the Stats FCS Poll after finishing the 2014 season with an overall record of 9-5.
• UNI made its 17th FCS playoff appearance in 2014, defeating Stephen F. Austin in the first round.
• Head Coach Mark Farley enters his 15th season at the helm with an overall record of 120-57 and 73-31 in conference play, making him the all-time coaching wins leader in the MVFC.
• The 2015 season marks the 40th year in the UNI-Dome. The Panthers are 196-50-1 all-time inside the historic facility.
• The Panthers have 73 wins over top-25 opponents and six 10+ win seasons since 2001.
• Finished the year in the top-25 in 11 of the last 14 seasons after ending 2014 ranked No. 10 in both polls.
• Has had 41 first-team All-MVFC selections since 2007, the most in the league.
Tickets: Fans looking to buy UNI football season tickets can call 319-273-4TIX (4849) or visit www.UNITIX.uni.edu.
How to Tune in: Fans can tune into The Panther Sports Network (1540 KXEL-Flagship) with Gary Rima and Scott Peterson calling the action or to TuneIn.com. The game will also be aired live on PSN on CFU Ch. 15/HD415, KCRG Ch. 9.2, WHO Ch. 13 D-2, KMEG Ch. 14 D-2, KGCW Ch. 26 and Comcast SportsNet Chicago.
Follow the Panthers Online: UNI fans can get all their Panther news and notes on UNIPanthers.com. Fans can also follow UNI on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/UNIAthletics and Twitter at @UNIAthletics. The UNI Football program also has individual accounts on Facebook (UNI Football) and on Twitter (@UNIFootball/@CoachMarkFarley).
Join us at Pepper's: UNI will host a weekly press luncheon at Pepper's in Cedar Falls on Mondays at noon. All of the in-season head coaches will address the media with a weekly recap/preview of their team and then will be open to questions. All media and fans are welcome to attend.
The Series: UNI is currently 5-0 all-time against Eastern Washington. Two of UNI's five wins against the Eagles were in the FCS Playoffs, including UNI's last win against the Big Sky foe in 2005 when the Panthers won 41-38 at home.
Home Openers: Under the direction of head coach Mark Farley, the Panthers are 13-1 in home openers. UNI has now won eight consecutive home openers.
Home Openers under Mark Farley
Top-10 Wins: UNI has 17 wins over top-10 ranked teams since 2001, including four in the last two seasons. Eastern Washington is one of four teams on UNI's schedule this season ranked in the top-10 in both the STATS and FCS Coaches polls.
UNI vs. Top-10 Ranked Teams Since 2001
2001 UNI vs. #2 Youngstown St. (Sept. 29) W, 30-11
2001 UNI vs. #6 Western Ky. (Nov. 10) W, 24-23
2001 UNI vs. #3 Eastern Illinois (Dec. 1) W, 49-43
2003 UNI vs. #7 Western Illinois (Oct. 25) W, 38-30
2003 UNI vs. #2 Southern Illinois (Nov. 15) W, 43-40
2005 UNI vs. #6 Western Ky. (Nov. 5) W, 23-20
2005 UNI vs. #4 Southern Illinois (Nov. 12) W, 25-24
2005 UNI vs. #1 New Hampshire (Dec. 3) W, 24-21
2005 UNI vs. #5 Texas State (Dec. 9) W, 40-37
2006 UNI vs. #5 Youngstown State (Oct. 21) W, 31-23
2006 UNI vs. #6 Illinois State (Nov. 18) W, 38-27
2007 UNI vs. #6 Southern Illinois (Oct. 13) W, 30-24
2008 UNI vs. #10 New Hampshire (Dec. 6) W, 36-34
2013 UNI vs. #9 McNeese State (Sept. 28) W, 41-6
2013 UNI vs. #9 Youngstown State (Nov. 9) W, 22-20
2014 UNI vs. #6 Illinois State (Nov. 1) W, 42-28
2014 UNI vs. #1 N. Dakota State (Nov. 8) W, 23-3
Starting Right: UNI saw six players on offense (Aaron Bailey, Daurice Fountain, Tyvis Smith, Jacob Appleman, Bryce Sweeney, Chris Schleuger) and three on defense (Jordan Webb, De'Angelo Jennings,Adam Reth) notch their first career starts against Iowa State (Sept. 5).
Dual Threat: Aaron Bailey made his starting debut for the Panthers against Iowa State (Sept. 5), finishing the game with 114 passing yards and 85 yards on the ground. The junior, a transfer from Illionis, effectivly found holes in the Cyclone defense, leading the team in rushing yards and carries (22).
Back At It: Senior wide receiver Rod Hall played in his first football game since 2011 when the Panthers faced off against Iowa State (Sept. 5). For the past four years, Hall has been the starting point guard for the Clemson Tigers, but with one last year of eligibility left, he decided to go back to the gridiron for one last season of football.
Career-Highs: The Panthers had a trio of starters on the defensive side of the ball notch career-high tackles against Iowa State. Senior Deiondre' Hall led the way with nine tackles and two forced fumbles. Karter Schlut racked up eight tackles and two sacks for a loss of 11 yards while senior De'Angelo Jennings scored a career-high eight tackles in his first start at linebacker.
40 Great Years: The 2015 season will mark the 40th year of the UNI-Dome. With the Panthers currently holding a 196-50-1 record inside the UNI-Dome, just four shy of the 200-win mark, it is safe to say that tradition has thrived in the building that was constructed in 1976. UNI has gone undefeated at home in a season eight times since 1990, including four seasons under the direction of Mark Farley. The Panthers are also 78-14 in home Missouri Valley Football Conference games.
Experience on the Field: UNI returns 14 starters to the roster for 2015, combining for more than 240 starts wearing a Panther uniform. Out of the 14 starters, nine are seniors on the squad.
Back on the Field: The Panthers suffered some critical injuries to the defensive side of the ball during the 2014 season, losing Joe Feldpausch and Ronelle McNeil to season-ending injuries. Both players will return to the field for the 2015 season, wtih both McNeil and Feldpausch being granted redshirt senior years.
UNI against the FBS: UNI has an all-time record of 21-70-5 against FBS opponents. Most of the success has come in the last 27 years, with a 10-27 mark against FBS teams since 1985. Farley is 3-16 against FBS opponents with wins over Ball State (42-39, Sept. 22, 2001) and Iowa State (24-13, Sept. 8, 2007 | 28-20, Aug. 31, 2013).
Season Openers: UNI is 58-52-7 all-time in season openers and 15-11 in the last 22 years. UNI is 7-8 in season openers under Mark Farley. The last time UNI opened the season with a road win over an FBS opponent was in 2013 when UNI defeated Iowa State in Jack Trice Stadium, 28-20.
High Rank: Since 1985, UNI has been the only MVFC teams ranked in a pre-season or regular-season poll every season. The Panthers finished last season 9-5 overall and ranked No. 10 in both the Coaches and Sports Network poll. This year, UNI also landed at No. 10 in both the FCS Coaches and STATS (former Sports Network) in the preseason voting.
UNI in Non-Conference: UNI has the most victories among league members over top-25 non-conference opponents with 31 since 1985.
Conference Play: UNI currently holds a 145-53 overall record in the MVFC and 73-31 record during the Farley era. Farley's 73 league wins is the most by a head coach in Missouri Valley Football Conference history.
Key Numbers: Out of UNI's 11 opponents this season, five finished the 2014 season ranked in the top-25 with five more receiving votes. Nine of UNI's 10 FCS opponents this season are also either ranked in the polls or receiving votes.
Top Wins: The Panthers currently have 73 wins over top-25 ranked opponents. In the past two seasons, four of those 73 victories were against top-10 ranked foes with wins over No. 9 McNeese State (9/28/13), No. 9 Youngstown State (11/9/13), No. 6 Illinois State (11/1/14) and No. 1 North Dakota State (11/8/14).
Road Warriors: UNI will spend five of the first eight Saturdays of college football on the road this season with six total road games on the docket. Out of those five games, UNI will face one FBS opponent in Iowa State and four teams either ranked in the top-25 or receiving votes.
New Faces, New Talent: UNI fans will see some new faces on the field and the sideline this season, with 14 true freshmen, 14 redshirt freshmen and 13 FBS and junior college transfers all vying for playing time. The Panthers also revamped the sidelines this past offseason, adding five new coaches to the staff.
2015 Coaching Staff
Mark Farley Head Coach (15th Season)
Bill Salmon Assoc. Head Coach/RBs (29th Season)
Joe Davis Off. Coord./QBs (1st Season)
Ben Barkema Offensive Line (1st Season)
Jason Ray Wide Receivers (1st Season)
Nick Danielson Tight Ends/Off. Tackles (1st Season)
Jeremiah Johnson Def. Coord./LBs (9th Season)
Brandon Lynch Asst. Head Coach for Defense/DBs (3rd Season)
Bryce Paup Defensive Line (3rd Season)
Olaitan Oguntodu Safeties (1st Season)
From the Free Throw Line to the End Zone: One of UNI's transfers this season is a senior out of Augusta, Ga., Rod Hall. Hall, a 6-1 wide receiver transplant from Clemson, will lace up his football cleats for the first time since his high school days at Lucy C. Laney. Hall started on the Clemson basketball team as a point guard, and was the only Tiger to start every game during the 2013-14 season. The Georgia native was an all-state receiver in high school.
Familiar Numbers: Panther fans will get to see a familiar number running on the defensive side of the ball this fall, with Jared Farley making the switch from 35 to 46. With the newest number change, Jared is now the third member of the Farley family to wear the coveted 46.
Winning Tradition: Mark Farley currently holds an overall record of 120-57 at the helm, just nine wins shy of tying Stan Sheriff's, UNI's all-time winningest coach record of 129-101-4.
UNI Football is Family: Family has always been important to the Panthers and this year's roster shows the bond between father and son and siblings. There are currently five student-athletes that have followed in their father's footsteps to become a Panther and four sets of siblings on the 2015 roster.
Numbers Speak: UNI is 86-7 in the Mark Farley era (2001-present) when holding the opposition to 20 points or less. The Panthers are 76-6 in the Farley years when scoring 30 or more points in a game. UNI had won 15 consecutive games when holding the opposition to 20 points or less prior to the game against Illinois State in 2013.
Panthers in the Playoffs: UNI made its 17th appearance in the FCS playoffs in 2014 and has one at least one game in 13 of its 17 appearances. The Panthers defeated Stephen F. Austin in the first round, 44-10, the largest margin of victory in UNI's playoff history.
Defense Counts: The Panthers return a strong core of defensive players that will look to capatilize on a successful 2014 season on the line and in the secondary. UNI finished the 2014 season ranked in the top-15 in eight different statistical categories, including a No. 3 rank in the FCS in sacks.
Taking it Back: UNI's defense forced at least one turnover in 13 of the 14 games in 2014, whether it be a fumble or an interception. The Panthers had at least one interception in eight consecutive games prior to the game against Missouri State (11/22/14). UNI finished third in the league in interceptions with Deiondre' Hall and Tim Kilfoy ranking No. 1 and No. 2 in the MVFC in the category to end 2014.
It is a Special Team: UNI's defense and special teams excelled during the 2014 season, scoring 177 of UNI's 452 total points. Michael Schmadeke went 27-of-29 from field goal range and 51-53 on PATs. UNI's defense scored four touchdowns, while special teams added a blocked punt for a score and a kickoff return for a touchdown.
Auto-Schmadic: In his first season as the starting placekicker and kick off specialist, Michael Schmadeke quickly asserted himself as one of the strongest kickers in the FCS. He led the team with a school record 132 points (27-29 FG, 51-53 PATs) while leading all FCS kickers in points. He was just two points shy of leading the FCS and the FBS in points by a kicker, trailing only Jaden Oberkrom of TCU (135 points). Due to his outstanding performance in 2014, Schmadeke was named to seven different All-America teams and was named the College Football Performance Awards National Placekicker of the Year.
Record Breaking: UNI broke 26 school records during the 2014 season, wtih 15 records coming at the hands of former UNI running back and current Arizona Cardinal, David Johnson.
#14 UNI vs. #7 Eastern Washington
Date: Saturday, Sept. 12, 2015
Time: 1 p.m. CT
Where: UNI-Dome | Cedar Falls, Iowa
Live Stats: www.uni-stats.com
TV: Panther Sports Network (CFU Ch. 15/HD415, KCRG Ch. 9.2, WHO Ch. 13 D-2, KMEG Ch. 14 D-2, KGCW Ch. 26 and Comcast SportsNet Chicago)
Radio: Panther Sports Network (1540 KXEL, TuneIn.com)
The Basics: The University of Northern Iowa football program is set to host the No. 6 ranked Eastern Washington Eagles on Sept. 12 inside the UNI-Dome for the Hall of Fame game.
About the Eagles: Eastern Washington opened its 2015 season on the road against FBS powerhouse Oregon, falling 61-42. The Eagles finished the 2014 season 11-3 overall, winning the Big Sky Conference and advancing to the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs. They return 13 starters to the field after leading the nation in scoring (44.1 points per game) last season.
Panther Quick Hits:
• UNI landed at No. 10 in both the Preseason FCS Coaches Poll and the Stats FCS Poll after finishing the 2014 season with an overall record of 9-5.
• UNI made its 17th FCS playoff appearance in 2014, defeating Stephen F. Austin in the first round.
• Head Coach Mark Farley enters his 15th season at the helm with an overall record of 120-57 and 73-31 in conference play, making him the all-time coaching wins leader in the MVFC.
• The 2015 season marks the 40th year in the UNI-Dome. The Panthers are 196-50-1 all-time inside the historic facility.
• The Panthers have 73 wins over top-25 opponents and six 10+ win seasons since 2001.
• Finished the year in the top-25 in 11 of the last 14 seasons after ending 2014 ranked No. 10 in both polls.
• Has had 41 first-team All-MVFC selections since 2007, the most in the league.
Tickets: Fans looking to buy UNI football season tickets can call 319-273-4TIX (4849) or visit www.UNITIX.uni.edu.
How to Tune in: Fans can tune into The Panther Sports Network (1540 KXEL-Flagship) with Gary Rima and Scott Peterson calling the action or to TuneIn.com. The game will also be aired live on PSN on CFU Ch. 15/HD415, KCRG Ch. 9.2, WHO Ch. 13 D-2, KMEG Ch. 14 D-2, KGCW Ch. 26 and Comcast SportsNet Chicago.
Follow the Panthers Online: UNI fans can get all their Panther news and notes on UNIPanthers.com. Fans can also follow UNI on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/UNIAthletics and Twitter at @UNIAthletics. The UNI Football program also has individual accounts on Facebook (UNI Football) and on Twitter (@UNIFootball/@CoachMarkFarley).
Join us at Pepper's: UNI will host a weekly press luncheon at Pepper's in Cedar Falls on Mondays at noon. All of the in-season head coaches will address the media with a weekly recap/preview of their team and then will be open to questions. All media and fans are welcome to attend.
The Series: UNI is currently 5-0 all-time against Eastern Washington. Two of UNI's five wins against the Eagles were in the FCS Playoffs, including UNI's last win against the Big Sky foe in 2005 when the Panthers won 41-38 at home.
Home Openers: Under the direction of head coach Mark Farley, the Panthers are 13-1 in home openers. UNI has now won eight consecutive home openers.
Home Openers under Mark Farley
| Year | Opponent | Result |
| 2001 | Wayne State | W, 34-14 |
| 2002 | Wayne State | W, 34-0 |
| 2003 | Northern Michigan | W, 62-0 |
| 2004 | Minnesota State | W, 40-0 |
| 2005 | Drake | W, 57-17 |
| 2006 | North Dakota | L, 35-31 |
| 2007 | Minnesota State-Mankato | W, 41-14 |
| 2008 | South Dakota | W, 24-13 |
| 2009 | South Dakota | W, 66-7 |
| 2010 | North Dakota State | W, 16-9 |
| 2011 | Western Illinois | W, 38-10 |
| 2012 | Central State | W, 59-0 |
| 2013 | Drake | W, 45-14 |
| 2014 | Northern Colorado | W, 46-7 |
Top-10 Wins: UNI has 17 wins over top-10 ranked teams since 2001, including four in the last two seasons. Eastern Washington is one of four teams on UNI's schedule this season ranked in the top-10 in both the STATS and FCS Coaches polls.
UNI vs. Top-10 Ranked Teams Since 2001
2001 UNI vs. #2 Youngstown St. (Sept. 29) W, 30-11
2001 UNI vs. #6 Western Ky. (Nov. 10) W, 24-23
2001 UNI vs. #3 Eastern Illinois (Dec. 1) W, 49-43
2003 UNI vs. #7 Western Illinois (Oct. 25) W, 38-30
2003 UNI vs. #2 Southern Illinois (Nov. 15) W, 43-40
2005 UNI vs. #6 Western Ky. (Nov. 5) W, 23-20
2005 UNI vs. #4 Southern Illinois (Nov. 12) W, 25-24
2005 UNI vs. #1 New Hampshire (Dec. 3) W, 24-21
2005 UNI vs. #5 Texas State (Dec. 9) W, 40-37
2006 UNI vs. #5 Youngstown State (Oct. 21) W, 31-23
2006 UNI vs. #6 Illinois State (Nov. 18) W, 38-27
2007 UNI vs. #6 Southern Illinois (Oct. 13) W, 30-24
2008 UNI vs. #10 New Hampshire (Dec. 6) W, 36-34
2013 UNI vs. #9 McNeese State (Sept. 28) W, 41-6
2013 UNI vs. #9 Youngstown State (Nov. 9) W, 22-20
2014 UNI vs. #6 Illinois State (Nov. 1) W, 42-28
2014 UNI vs. #1 N. Dakota State (Nov. 8) W, 23-3
Starting Right: UNI saw six players on offense (Aaron Bailey, Daurice Fountain, Tyvis Smith, Jacob Appleman, Bryce Sweeney, Chris Schleuger) and three on defense (Jordan Webb, De'Angelo Jennings,Adam Reth) notch their first career starts against Iowa State (Sept. 5).
Dual Threat: Aaron Bailey made his starting debut for the Panthers against Iowa State (Sept. 5), finishing the game with 114 passing yards and 85 yards on the ground. The junior, a transfer from Illionis, effectivly found holes in the Cyclone defense, leading the team in rushing yards and carries (22).
Back At It: Senior wide receiver Rod Hall played in his first football game since 2011 when the Panthers faced off against Iowa State (Sept. 5). For the past four years, Hall has been the starting point guard for the Clemson Tigers, but with one last year of eligibility left, he decided to go back to the gridiron for one last season of football.
Career-Highs: The Panthers had a trio of starters on the defensive side of the ball notch career-high tackles against Iowa State. Senior Deiondre' Hall led the way with nine tackles and two forced fumbles. Karter Schlut racked up eight tackles and two sacks for a loss of 11 yards while senior De'Angelo Jennings scored a career-high eight tackles in his first start at linebacker.
40 Great Years: The 2015 season will mark the 40th year of the UNI-Dome. With the Panthers currently holding a 196-50-1 record inside the UNI-Dome, just four shy of the 200-win mark, it is safe to say that tradition has thrived in the building that was constructed in 1976. UNI has gone undefeated at home in a season eight times since 1990, including four seasons under the direction of Mark Farley. The Panthers are also 78-14 in home Missouri Valley Football Conference games.
Experience on the Field: UNI returns 14 starters to the roster for 2015, combining for more than 240 starts wearing a Panther uniform. Out of the 14 starters, nine are seniors on the squad.
Back on the Field: The Panthers suffered some critical injuries to the defensive side of the ball during the 2014 season, losing Joe Feldpausch and Ronelle McNeil to season-ending injuries. Both players will return to the field for the 2015 season, wtih both McNeil and Feldpausch being granted redshirt senior years.
UNI against the FBS: UNI has an all-time record of 21-70-5 against FBS opponents. Most of the success has come in the last 27 years, with a 10-27 mark against FBS teams since 1985. Farley is 3-16 against FBS opponents with wins over Ball State (42-39, Sept. 22, 2001) and Iowa State (24-13, Sept. 8, 2007 | 28-20, Aug. 31, 2013).
Season Openers: UNI is 58-52-7 all-time in season openers and 15-11 in the last 22 years. UNI is 7-8 in season openers under Mark Farley. The last time UNI opened the season with a road win over an FBS opponent was in 2013 when UNI defeated Iowa State in Jack Trice Stadium, 28-20.
High Rank: Since 1985, UNI has been the only MVFC teams ranked in a pre-season or regular-season poll every season. The Panthers finished last season 9-5 overall and ranked No. 10 in both the Coaches and Sports Network poll. This year, UNI also landed at No. 10 in both the FCS Coaches and STATS (former Sports Network) in the preseason voting.
UNI in Non-Conference: UNI has the most victories among league members over top-25 non-conference opponents with 31 since 1985.
Conference Play: UNI currently holds a 145-53 overall record in the MVFC and 73-31 record during the Farley era. Farley's 73 league wins is the most by a head coach in Missouri Valley Football Conference history.
Key Numbers: Out of UNI's 11 opponents this season, five finished the 2014 season ranked in the top-25 with five more receiving votes. Nine of UNI's 10 FCS opponents this season are also either ranked in the polls or receiving votes.
| Team | STATS/COACHES POLL |
| North Dakota State | 2/2 |
| Illinois State | 4/5 |
| Eastern Washington | 7/7 |
| South Dakota State | 9/10 |
| Indiana State | 21/21 |
| Cal Poly | 18/20 |
| South Dakota | None/RV |
| Southern Illinois | RV/RV |
| Western Illinois | RV/RV |
Top Wins: The Panthers currently have 73 wins over top-25 ranked opponents. In the past two seasons, four of those 73 victories were against top-10 ranked foes with wins over No. 9 McNeese State (9/28/13), No. 9 Youngstown State (11/9/13), No. 6 Illinois State (11/1/14) and No. 1 North Dakota State (11/8/14).
Road Warriors: UNI will spend five of the first eight Saturdays of college football on the road this season with six total road games on the docket. Out of those five games, UNI will face one FBS opponent in Iowa State and four teams either ranked in the top-25 or receiving votes.
New Faces, New Talent: UNI fans will see some new faces on the field and the sideline this season, with 14 true freshmen, 14 redshirt freshmen and 13 FBS and junior college transfers all vying for playing time. The Panthers also revamped the sidelines this past offseason, adding five new coaches to the staff.
2015 Coaching Staff
Mark Farley Head Coach (15th Season)
Bill Salmon Assoc. Head Coach/RBs (29th Season)
Joe Davis Off. Coord./QBs (1st Season)
Ben Barkema Offensive Line (1st Season)
Jason Ray Wide Receivers (1st Season)
Nick Danielson Tight Ends/Off. Tackles (1st Season)
Jeremiah Johnson Def. Coord./LBs (9th Season)
Brandon Lynch Asst. Head Coach for Defense/DBs (3rd Season)
Bryce Paup Defensive Line (3rd Season)
Olaitan Oguntodu Safeties (1st Season)
From the Free Throw Line to the End Zone: One of UNI's transfers this season is a senior out of Augusta, Ga., Rod Hall. Hall, a 6-1 wide receiver transplant from Clemson, will lace up his football cleats for the first time since his high school days at Lucy C. Laney. Hall started on the Clemson basketball team as a point guard, and was the only Tiger to start every game during the 2013-14 season. The Georgia native was an all-state receiver in high school.
Familiar Numbers: Panther fans will get to see a familiar number running on the defensive side of the ball this fall, with Jared Farley making the switch from 35 to 46. With the newest number change, Jared is now the third member of the Farley family to wear the coveted 46.
Winning Tradition: Mark Farley currently holds an overall record of 120-57 at the helm, just nine wins shy of tying Stan Sheriff's, UNI's all-time winningest coach record of 129-101-4.
UNI Football is Family: Family has always been important to the Panthers and this year's roster shows the bond between father and son and siblings. There are currently five student-athletes that have followed in their father's footsteps to become a Panther and four sets of siblings on the 2015 roster.
| Father | Years at UNI | Son (Current Athlete) |
| Mark Farley | 1982-86 | Jared Farley (LB, So.) |
| Andre Allen | 1991-94 | A.J. Allen (LB, RFr.), Trevor Allen (RB, Fr.) |
| Willie Beamon | 1989-92 | Willie Beamon (DB, RFr.) |
| John Hill | 1984-87 | Barkley Hill (LB, Jr.) |
| Older Brother | Younger Brother |
| A.J. Allen (RFr.) | Trevor Allen (Fr.) |
| Dalton Ferch (Jr.) | Duncan Ferch (RFr.) |
| Xavier James (So.) | Jaylin James (Fr.) |
| Justin Putney (Jr.) | Tyler Putney (RFr.) |
Numbers Speak: UNI is 86-7 in the Mark Farley era (2001-present) when holding the opposition to 20 points or less. The Panthers are 76-6 in the Farley years when scoring 30 or more points in a game. UNI had won 15 consecutive games when holding the opposition to 20 points or less prior to the game against Illinois State in 2013.
Panthers in the Playoffs: UNI made its 17th appearance in the FCS playoffs in 2014 and has one at least one game in 13 of its 17 appearances. The Panthers defeated Stephen F. Austin in the first round, 44-10, the largest margin of victory in UNI's playoff history.
Defense Counts: The Panthers return a strong core of defensive players that will look to capatilize on a successful 2014 season on the line and in the secondary. UNI finished the 2014 season ranked in the top-15 in eight different statistical categories, including a No. 3 rank in the FCS in sacks.
Taking it Back: UNI's defense forced at least one turnover in 13 of the 14 games in 2014, whether it be a fumble or an interception. The Panthers had at least one interception in eight consecutive games prior to the game against Missouri State (11/22/14). UNI finished third in the league in interceptions with Deiondre' Hall and Tim Kilfoy ranking No. 1 and No. 2 in the MVFC in the category to end 2014.
It is a Special Team: UNI's defense and special teams excelled during the 2014 season, scoring 177 of UNI's 452 total points. Michael Schmadeke went 27-of-29 from field goal range and 51-53 on PATs. UNI's defense scored four touchdowns, while special teams added a blocked punt for a score and a kickoff return for a touchdown.
Auto-Schmadic: In his first season as the starting placekicker and kick off specialist, Michael Schmadeke quickly asserted himself as one of the strongest kickers in the FCS. He led the team with a school record 132 points (27-29 FG, 51-53 PATs) while leading all FCS kickers in points. He was just two points shy of leading the FCS and the FBS in points by a kicker, trailing only Jaden Oberkrom of TCU (135 points). Due to his outstanding performance in 2014, Schmadeke was named to seven different All-America teams and was named the College Football Performance Awards National Placekicker of the Year.
Record Breaking: UNI broke 26 school records during the 2014 season, wtih 15 records coming at the hands of former UNI running back and current Arizona Cardinal, David Johnson.
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