University of Northern Iowa Athletics

Three Panthers Set to Take the Field with the AAF
1/23/2019 5:28:00 PM | Football
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The Alliance of American Football is looking to disrupt the market of professional football with an eight-team league highlighted by underserved markets, big-name coaches and a league office that is loaded with former NFL players and recognizable faces from front offices.
The initial rosters are now out for the teams and there are three big names from the history of UNI.
Ray Buchanan Jr. (Atlanta Legends), Elijah Campbell (Birmingham Iron) and Karter Schult (Salt Lake Stallions) are all currently listed on rosters for teams in the new league.
Schult is the highest profile player of the trio. The former Buck Buchanan Award Winner led all of Division I with 17 sacks his senior year in 2016. Schult completed a career at UNI that saw him rank first all-time with 56 tackles for loss and second with 36 1/2 sacks. He recorded a sack in 10 of 11 games as a senior and tied the school record with 5 1/2 tackles for loss against Montana.
He played for the Browns during the preseason in 2017 and notched 11 tackles and 1.5 sacks, but didn't make the final 53-man roster. He then played the Spring League in 2017, a developmental league that sent a handful of players to the NFL and CFL.
He is currently on the Salt Lake roster. The team is coached by College Football Hall of Famer Dennis Erickson.
Campbell also caught on with the Browns in the preseason, but again did not make the 53-man roster. He finished his career at UNI with 86 tackles and eight interceptions, including five his senior season.
He is currently on the roster of the Birmingham Iron under veteran NFL assistant Tim Lewis.
Buchanan transferred to UNI from the University of Arkansas. He closed his career with 36 total tackles and an interception returned for a touchdown.
He is on the roster of the Atlanta Legends. The head coach for the Legends is former NCAA and NFL assistant Kevin Coyle who took over as head coach after former Vikings coach Brad Childress stepped down.
The league begins play on Feb. 9 and will play a 10-week season. CBS is scheduled to broadcast the AAF's Opening Day, while CBS Sports Network will then carry one AAF game each week throughout the season.
The initial rosters are now out for the teams and there are three big names from the history of UNI.
Ray Buchanan Jr. (Atlanta Legends), Elijah Campbell (Birmingham Iron) and Karter Schult (Salt Lake Stallions) are all currently listed on rosters for teams in the new league.
Schult is the highest profile player of the trio. The former Buck Buchanan Award Winner led all of Division I with 17 sacks his senior year in 2016. Schult completed a career at UNI that saw him rank first all-time with 56 tackles for loss and second with 36 1/2 sacks. He recorded a sack in 10 of 11 games as a senior and tied the school record with 5 1/2 tackles for loss against Montana.
He played for the Browns during the preseason in 2017 and notched 11 tackles and 1.5 sacks, but didn't make the final 53-man roster. He then played the Spring League in 2017, a developmental league that sent a handful of players to the NFL and CFL.
He is currently on the Salt Lake roster. The team is coached by College Football Hall of Famer Dennis Erickson.
Campbell also caught on with the Browns in the preseason, but again did not make the 53-man roster. He finished his career at UNI with 86 tackles and eight interceptions, including five his senior season.
He is currently on the roster of the Birmingham Iron under veteran NFL assistant Tim Lewis.
Buchanan transferred to UNI from the University of Arkansas. He closed his career with 36 total tackles and an interception returned for a touchdown.
He is on the roster of the Atlanta Legends. The head coach for the Legends is former NCAA and NFL assistant Kevin Coyle who took over as head coach after former Vikings coach Brad Childress stepped down.
The league begins play on Feb. 9 and will play a 10-week season. CBS is scheduled to broadcast the AAF's Opening Day, while CBS Sports Network will then carry one AAF game each week throughout the season.
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