UNI rides balanced offense into FCS second round

CEDAR FALLS — The Northern Iowa run game is like a diesel engine.

Give it a little time to warm up and get rolling, and its power and muscle will work wonders.

The Panthers got that diesel engine running at full song on Saturday against Eastern Illinois, and their Panther counterparts couldn't do much of anything to stop them en route to a 53-17 FCS Playoff victory.

'If we run the ball like that, it's going to put up points and run out the clock. It's going to help us in every way possible,' said running back Tyvis Smith, who carried 24 times for 147 yards and one touchdown. 'I just hit the hole my O-line gives me and constantly just stay with the play. Don't doubt myself and don't doubt my O-line. I know they're going to get it done.'

It took until midway through the first quarter for the holes to open up and the running game to find its rhythm.

UNI (8-4) finished with 58 carries for 323 yards and two touchdowns as a team on the ground, with quarterback Aaron Bailey rushing 18 times for 72 yards and Savon Huggins five times for 36 yards and one touchdown.

Coach Mark Farley said the first few drives of every game have a set of plays the team would like to run — i.e. some scripted plays the team wants to start with — but situations dictate most everything. EIU jumped out to a 7-0 lead in that opening stanza after a UNI fumble on the opening play and two subsequent punts from the offense. But after getting into the second quarter, the hometown Panthers were able to adjust to the visiting Panthers' style of play and it was on from there.

The blowout win marked the fourth straight game UNI scored 40 or more points, which tied a school record set in 2004.

'We didn't adapt to their speed offensively or defensively. We came out, I thought, a little sluggish. Their speed was probably better than what we anticipated,' Farley said. 'We missed some tackles, and I think the same thing on (their) defense. They had good speed on defense and were attacking. They were very aggressive. I think the adjustment to the speed after we got settled in (helped), and then we got settled in.'

Once settled in, the UNI passing attack was the biggest help in opening up the run game.

Bailey only threw 11 times, but was 7 of 11 for 162 yards and had three touchdown passes — 32- and 41-yard passes to Daurice Fountain and a 52-yarder to Charles Brown. All three big plays were go routes on the right sideline, and all three balls were placed perfectly for the receivers.

It provided the balance UNI needed to make sure the running game — which is what Farley wants to rely on heaviest — click and carry the Panthers to the second round.

'I was pleased with the balance of (the offense),' Farley said. '(EIU) played so much Cover-1 that we got behind them. Good throws by Aaron (Bailey) and good plays by the receivers, and that opened the run game after we hit a couple of those. That was probably the most balanced game we've had all season, which would then make it the best game we've had all season.'

As good as the offense played Saturday, a UNI win wouldn't be complete without big defensive and special teams plays, and the Panthers got them.

Senior cornerback Makinton Dorleant hadn't had an interception since 2013, but got one in the first quarter off EIU quarterback Jalen Whitlow that answered Michael Malloy's first-play fumble. His was one of three interceptions by the UNI defense, which included a 70-yard interception return for touchdown by Ray Buchanan Jr. and a game-sealing pick by Joe Feldapausch in the fourth quarter.

Dorleant also had a 42-yard punt return and another shot at an interception, but the second fell to the turf. His six tackles (two for loss) and three pass breakups led the team. He's been known to get trash-talk from Deiondre Hall after near-misses on interceptions, but didn't return the favor after he cashed in. That didn't absolve him from some good-natured ribbing from other teammates, though.

'I didn't give (Hall) any trash-talk because earlier in the week, I think I dropped a couple picks in practice. (Hall) came over and didn't talk any junk, he just said, 'You're going to get a pick this game.' And I got the pick and was like déjà vu. We're so confident in each other,' Dorleant said. 'Actually, (Tim) Kilfoy gave me some (Saturday), more than Deiondre, because I dropped that second pick. He came up and I think he said I sucked, and I was like, 'You too, man?' But when you have guys that expect you to make plays and guys are all jumping around, showing a lot of energy, it makes it fun.'

Now UNI heads to Portland, Ore. for its second-round game against Portland State — the team that beat two FBS teams in Washington State and North Texas earlier this season.

The game kicks off at 9 p.m. central time, but that matters very little to Farley and his players.

'I don't care if we play the thing at midnight or 1 o'clock right now,' Farley said. 'We're just glad we're playing the kind of football we know and we've been expecting. We've grown into this. It hasn't just shown up one time, it's been a gradual progression of steady football. I just hope — no, we will, I don't hope. That's what we've worked for.'

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