University of Northern Iowa Athletics
Big Plays Lead to Panther Win
10/19/2019 11:46:00 PM | Football
In Saturday's win over South Dakota, the Panthers scored a season-high 42 points and racked up a season-high 417 yards, but had a season-low 11 first downs. How can the big offensive production amount in such a small number of first downs? The answer comes on the big play. Of UNI's five longest plays of the season, four of them came against USD on Saturday.
The plays electrified the UNI-Dome crowd and helped the Panthers outscore the Coyotes 21-3 in the second half en route to the 15-point victory.Â
South Dakota didn't shy away from the big play either. The Coyotes tallied big plays to help them build a 21-14 lead early in the second quarter.Â
Big plays were a theme throughout the game for both sides and had a big effect on the momentum for the contest. South Dakota was able to score on two of their first three drives, quieting the UNI-Dome crowd. After the Coyotes had jumped out to a 7-0 lead, a 62-yard pass from UNI quarterback Will McElvain to wideout Isaiah Weston set up an 8-yard pass to Weston.
The second score for USD came on a 56-yard touchdown pass from Council Bluffs native quarterback Austin Simmons to wide receiver Billy Conaway.Â
The Panthers answered when McElvain broke off a 70 yard run down to the USD 8-yard line, the longest play of the season so far for UNI, to set up another Panther score.
South Dakota carried a three-point lead into halftime. The Panthers turned around the game after the break and it again the momentum hanged came in chunk plays. On the first drive in the third quarter, McElvain would again find Weston for a 65-yard touchdown on a deep shot downfield. Later in the third quarter, McElvain found his most productive target for yet another long touchdown, a 54-yard strike. Weston made the catch, eluded his defender with a juke to open up the field ahead of him and walked into the end zone.Â
Along with the outstanding production in the passing game, the long ball opened windows for running back Tyler Hoosman who recorded 111 yards rushing and a pair of touchdowns.Â
Look for the Panthers to continue attacking downfield to open up the offense in the remaining five games of the regular season.
The plays electrified the UNI-Dome crowd and helped the Panthers outscore the Coyotes 21-3 in the second half en route to the 15-point victory.Â
South Dakota didn't shy away from the big play either. The Coyotes tallied big plays to help them build a 21-14 lead early in the second quarter.Â
Big plays were a theme throughout the game for both sides and had a big effect on the momentum for the contest. South Dakota was able to score on two of their first three drives, quieting the UNI-Dome crowd. After the Coyotes had jumped out to a 7-0 lead, a 62-yard pass from UNI quarterback Will McElvain to wideout Isaiah Weston set up an 8-yard pass to Weston.
The second score for USD came on a 56-yard touchdown pass from Council Bluffs native quarterback Austin Simmons to wide receiver Billy Conaway.Â
The Panthers answered when McElvain broke off a 70 yard run down to the USD 8-yard line, the longest play of the season so far for UNI, to set up another Panther score.
South Dakota carried a three-point lead into halftime. The Panthers turned around the game after the break and it again the momentum hanged came in chunk plays. On the first drive in the third quarter, McElvain would again find Weston for a 65-yard touchdown on a deep shot downfield. Later in the third quarter, McElvain found his most productive target for yet another long touchdown, a 54-yard strike. Weston made the catch, eluded his defender with a juke to open up the field ahead of him and walked into the end zone.Â
Along with the outstanding production in the passing game, the long ball opened windows for running back Tyler Hoosman who recorded 111 yards rushing and a pair of touchdowns.Â
Look for the Panthers to continue attacking downfield to open up the offense in the remaining five games of the regular season.
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