UNI football's Matthew Cook earns special teams POW honors

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - UNI football's placekicker Matthew Cook earned conference honors for his weekend performance that included his career longest kick.

Cook's four field goals and two PATs accounted for 14 points in UNI's 26-17 win over No. 6 South Dakota State.

This week's Missouri Valley Football Conference players of the week include running back Cole Mueller of Illinois State, defensive back JJ Henderson of Indiana State, and Cook.

Special Teams Player of the Week
PK Matthew Cook, UNI
5-11, 180, So., Cedar Falls, Iowa (Cedar Falls HS)
Cook matched a career high with four made field goals as UNI downed No. 6 South Dakota State in Brookings, South Dakota. He was 4-for-4 on his attempts, which included two makes beyond 50 yards. Cook's opening field goal was a career long (topping his first collegiate kick in 2019 against Iowa State). Cook was good from 55 yards, 27 yards, 46 yards and 51 yards. He is the first league player since 2009 to connect on two 50+ yarders in the same game. His 55-yarder was the longest kick made in the FCS this past weekend, the longest in the MVFC this season, and the longest in the league since SDSU's Chase Vinatieri's 57-yarder (against UNI) in 2018. The 55-yarder ties for the 12th-longest kick in MVFC history.

Offensive Player of the Week / Newcomer of the Week
RB Cole Mueller, Illinois State
6-0, 215, Fr., Wentzville, Mo. (Holt HS)
Mueller led Illinois State to its big road win at No. 15 South Dakota as he ran for a career-high 178 yards on 25 carries and scored a touchdown. He averaged 7.1 yards per carry against the Coyotes and scored the game's lone offensive touchdown for ISU on a 69-yard run in the second quarter that put the Redbirds up 10-0. It was his third 100-plus yard effort of the season and he now leads the team with 578 yards on the season and three rushing scores.

Defensive Player of the Week
DB JJ Henderson, Indiana State
5-11, 180, Gr., Tampa, Fla. (T.R. Robinson HS/Stetson)
Henderson hauled in both the second and third Indiana State interceptions over a four-interception fourth quarter by the Sycamores defense this past weekend as ISU shut down the Youngstown State comeback attempt in 28-17 Homecoming win over the Penguins. Henderson's first interception came on a deflected ball near midfield and the graduate transfer returned it 26 yards down to the YSU 19 to set up a short field for the offense. The ensuing defensive possession, Henderson ended a YSU drive at the ISU 16 with his second interception as the Tampa, Fla. native kept both feet inbounds to secure the takeaway. Henderson finished the contest with six tackles and added an additional pass breakup in the win. His two takeaways marked the second time an ISU defensive back came away with a multi-interception game this year, while the team's four interceptions against YSU were one shy of the all-time program single game high set back in 1980.

NEXT UP FOR UNI FOOTBALL
UNI will host No. 4 Southern Illinois (6-1 / 4-0 MVFC) at 4 p.m. Oct. 30. The Salukis are coming off a bye week. UNI is 20-17 against SIU. UNI has won four of the last five matchups. However, the Salukis edged out the Panthers 17-16 in the last meeting, March 13, 2021.

The game will be a Blackout Game, so fans are urged to wear black. In addition to being broadcasted on Panther Sports Radio Network, fans unable to make it to the UNI-Dome can tune into ESPN+.

Calendar

Upcoming Events

UNI football's Matthew Cook earns special teams POW honors

Players Mentioned

Matthew Cook

Upcoming Events

University of Northern Iowa Athletics