UNI football cracks HERO Sports FCS Preseason Top 25

Photo by: Tyler Meyers

UNI football cracks HERO Sports FCS Preseason Top 25

5/18/2022 1:17:00 PM | Football

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - UNI football made its 22nd appearance in the NCAA Division I Football Championships last fall and return on the 2022 HERO Sports FCS Preseason Top 25

Five Missouri Valley Football Conference teams cracked the preseason poll. The Panthers wrapped up its 2021 season with its 16th top-25 finish under head coach Mark Farley. Farley tops the MFVC for most career conference wins with 106.

The Panthers return a lot of experience, including All-American placekicker Matthew Cook.

UNI set two records in the fall with 12 sacks in a single game, and Dom Williams recorded the longest touchdown run with 99 yards. In addition to Williams, UNI will see a strong defensive corps return.

Caden Houghtelling finished the fall ranked third in the nation and second in Missouri Valley Football Conference for fumbles recovered. The defensive lineman grabbed three last season. He will be joined on the line by Khristian Boyd, Jack Kriebs, Devin Rice, Reed Snitker and Sean Wendel, who all got playing time last year.

Returning linebacker Spencer Cuvelier was right behind Houghtelling with two fumbles recovered for 14th in the nation. This fall, Cuvelier was third among Panthers for total tackles, despite missing part of the season for injury.

Cuvelier leads a strong linebacker crew that includes Bryce Flater, who notched the team's fifth-most tackles (70), including five tackles for a loss of 30 yards this last season. Jace Andregg, Ben Belken, also saw playing time.

UNI was fourth in the nation and second in MVFC for turnovers gained with 27 in the fall. Benny Sapp III returns as the interception leader for the team. His four interceptions ranked him 28th in the nation and third in the conference. UNI returns a deep defensive backfield with Stefan Black II, Jevon Brekke, Edwin Dearman, Woo Governor and Korby Sander.

UNI's defense cracked the top-20 national list in multiple categories:

3rd in nation / 1st in MVFC for fumbles recovered: 13
1st in MVFC for kickoff return defense - 17.65 (29th in nation)
18th in nation for passes intercepted - 14 (4th in MVFC)
6th in nation / 2nd in MVFC for rushing defense 87.1
13th in nation / 2nd in MVFC for scoring defense 18
14th in nation / 2nd in MVFC for team sacks: 2.92
1st in MVFC for team tackles for loss: 6.4 (30th in nation)
14th in nation / 2nd in MVFC total defense: 305.3
9th in nation / 2nd in MVFC for 3rd down conversion pct defense with 30.5%
5th in nation / 1st in MVFC for 4th down conversion pct defense with 28.6%

On the offensive side, UNI returns quarterback Theo Day, who was on the watch list for CFPA FCS National Performer of the Year Trophy in the fall. He led the nation in passing yards per completion with 14.9 yards. He was 13th in the nation and first in MVFC for yards per pass attempt with 8.37 yards.

The competition for quarterback remains strong with the return of Day, Aidan Dunne, Cael Loecher, Nate Martens and Matt Morrisey, who stepped in to play two games this fall.

Protection for that QB group sees nearly a full line returning with Panthers who got playing time like Hayden Amos, Chase Arends, Nick Ellis, Justin Peine, Jared Penning, Tristan Roper, Erik Sorensen, Nate Timmons, Matthew Vanderslice and Jordan Van Meer.

The Panthers were sixth in the nation and second in MVFC for passing yards per completion with 14.21 yards, and UNI returns eight of its top-10 receivers from last year. Quan Hampton, Deion McShane, Sam Schnee and Sergio Morancy return to lead the receiving corps that includes veterans and some Panthers who made a big impact late in the season like Tysen Kershaw.

Dom Williams led the Panthers in all-purpose yards and rushing with an average of more than 60 yards a game. He joins running back veteran Vance McShane and Terrance Kamara, who scored a touchdown in one of just the two games he played.

Rounding out the offensive options is an experienced group of tight ends that includes Alex Allen, Tate Storbeck and Jayden Scott.

UNI also returns a scoring machine in All-American kicker Cook, who was seventh in the nation for field goals per game with 1.58. He was 12th in the nation and second in MVFC for field goal percentage at 86.4%. He was named to HERO Sports' FCS All-America Second Team Special Teams and the Stats Perform FCS Team while also earning a spot on Phil Steele's FCS All-America Second Team for Special Teams. He was the only FCS player to notch two field goals beyond 50 yards in a single game the week he earned MVFC honors. He was perfect on PATS on the season, going 33-for-33. He averaged 58.3 yards on kickoff.

The early ranking was formed by combining the point totals of my Top 25 and FCS correspondent Daniel Steenkamer's Top 25.

2022 HERO Sports FCS Preseason Top 25
T25. UC Davis
T25. Richmond
24. UNI
23. Dartmouth
22. Harvard
21. South Dakota
20. Southeastern Louisiana University
19. Jackson State
18. Eastern Washington
17. Holy Cross
16. Chattanooga
15. Delaware
14. UT Martin
T12. Southern Illinois
T12. Incarnate Word
11. Stephen F. Austin
10. Sacramento State
9. Villanova
8. Kennesaw State
7. Sam Houston
6. Missouri State
5. East Tennessee State
4. Montana
3. Montana State
2. South Dakota State
1. North Dakota State
Received votes (alphabetical order): Eastern Kentucky, Mercer, Weber State

THE MVFC

The Missouri Valley Football Conference is the benchmark for FCS football, producing 11 national champions and five additional national runners-up in the league's history. Most recently, MVFC teams have produced nine of the last 11 national champions and have placed at least one team in the championship game in an FCS-record 11-straight seasons (every year since 2011). Murray State will join the league in 2023.