With shot at playoffs, UNI decides to take red-shirt off QB Colton Howell

CEDAR FALLS — Northern Iowa football coach Mark Farley was asked at Monday's weekly media luncheon exactly how the conversation went last week with quarterback Colton Howell.

The sophomore transfer from Butler County Community College in Kansas had his red-shirt removed so he could start last Saturday's game at Indiana State. Three games remaining in a season is way late to be taking off someone's red-shirt.

'How do you know we only have three games left?' Farley replied.

Three regular-season games, it was corrected.

'There you go,' the coach said.

Farley will not give up on a season in which UNI is not at the .500 mark. The Panthers are 4-5 headed into their game Saturday afternoon at 19th-ranked Western Illinois (6-3).

The belief is Northern Iowa still has a shot at a FCS playoff berth if it wins out because it has the nation's toughest schedule and because all of its losses have been to good teams by six points or less. Hence, the Howell decision.

Starter Eli Dunne couldn't play because of a concussion suffered the previous week in a loss to North Dakota State. Dunne played the entire game, not diagnosed until the following day.

Previous starter Aaron Bailey remains out with an injury. Howell rushed for 45 yards and completed 8 of 21 passes for 112 yards in UNI's 39-6 throttling of Indiana State.

'When I brought Colton in (to talk), I'll leave some of it to the office, but, really the intent was 'Here is why we are doing it. This is what the purpose is,'' Farley said. 'He bought into it because we feel we have as good an opportunity as anybody. Even he said it. That's why we do it. I'm going to take care of every football team, not just certain ones. Every team deserves a chance to win, every team deserves the chance to make it to the playoffs. We'll fight to the bitter end to do so. That's the way the program operates. He bought into it, he stepped up and got us a huge win in a difficult time.'

UNI also broke out the Wildcat offense against Indiana State, with wide receiver Marcus Weymiller running it. He rushed for 171 yards, the best rushing total for a Panther this season.

Farley said he is unsure if the Wildcat will remain against Western Illinois, or who his QB will be. It all depends on if Dunne is able to pass concussion protocol.

'I've got an idea,' Farley said. 'I had an idea last week, but I didn't tell you, either. In all seriousness, Eli's got to go through his protocols, yet, so that has yet to be determined. We know Colton's available now, and (junior) Reggie Schulte also is available.'

Western Illinois is coming off a 31-26 loss at Illinois State. The Leathernecks have the MVC's leading rusher in Steve McShane, second-best receiver in Lance Lenoir and third-leading passer in Sean McGuire.

Kickoff is 1 p.m. in Macomb, Ill. The regular season concludes next week at home against 12th-ranked South Dakota State.

'We've got a good schedule, as far as what's left, to prove a point,' Farley said. 'So we're going to get it done or not get it done.'

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