UNI football announces coaching hires, including former Washington State QB Luke Falk as offensive coordinator

CEDAR FALLS — Northern Iowa football coach Mark Farley has had an offseason that’s been busier than usual.

The transfer portal has increased the offseason’s workload. The departures of offensive coordinator Bodie Reeder, wide receivers coach Joe Ganz, defensive coordinator Jeremiah Johnson and cornerbacks coach Keelon Brookins made for many early mornings and long nights.

Farley announced Thursday the hiring of three new assistants, headlined by former Washington State quarterback Luke Falk, who was named the Panthers offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

Falk comes to UNI after spending the 2023 season as quarterbacks coach at Wingate University, an NCAA Division II program in North Carolina. He enjoyed a decorated collegiate career at Washington State under coach Mike Leach, earning All-Pac 12 honors three times while setting the conference record for career passing yards (14,486) and career touchdowns (119).

Falk also spent two seasons in the NFL with the Tennessee Titans, Miami Dolphins and New York Jets.

At age 29 he’ll be one of the youngest play-callers in college football. In his one season at Wingate, quarterbacks experienced a rise in completion percentage, touchdown-to-interception ratio and passing efficiency.

“What stood out with (Falk) was his detail, his teaching capability on the field — I don’t look at the stats they had at the last place as much as what have they produced and what have they taught and what will they teach our guys to fit us,” Farley said. “The first thing that stood out was the guys that recommended him to me. I didn’t even know he was an ‘air raid’ (coach).

“Sounds like we’re going to throw the football, (but) we were throwing it before. Production is what matters.”

Trey Tinsley named receivers coach

Another former Washington State quarterback — Trey Tinsley — was announced the Panthers’ new wide receivers coach. Tinsley spent two seasons backing up Falk in Pullman, Wash., and began his coaching career following Leach to Mississippi State, first as a graduate assistant before becoming a quality control assistant.

Tinsley spent 2023 as an offensive graduate assistant at USC, another offense that featured elements of the “air raid” scheme made famous by Leach at Iowa Wesleyan in the early 1990s.

“These guys (Tinsley and Falk) are in the same makeup,” Farley said. “I could go out and get the established (coaches) forever and I’ve done that. I’ve had a lot more success with those guys that got goals, they got aspirations and they got energy, they got momentum.

“All they need is some guidance and some opportunities like we all did one day.”

Bryce Jones named cornerbacks coach

Bryce Jones will join the staff as cornerbacks coach. Jones spent the past two seasons at Penn State as an assistant cornerbacks coach. He played collegiately at Boston College and Akron.

Farley indicated a fourth hire will be announced next week. Sources told The Gazette it will be a position coach for safeties and that Farley will assume the role of defensive coordinator and play-caller.

“I’ve always coordinated the defense with the help of assistants,” Farley said. “We weren’t as good as we should have been last year or could have been for whatever reason. Also, when I look at defensive guys, I want them to bring something to us. I want to learn. If you’re not learning, you’re losing.”

Former Southeast Polk QB Jaxon Dailey among notable transfers

Farley revealed that running backs Amauri Pesek-Hickson and Harrison Bey-Buie will be non-contact participants in spring practices after both had shoulder surgery this offseason.

Farley said all seven transfers that were part of the 2023 signing class are on campus and will take part in spring drills that begin March 20 and wrap up with a spring game April 19.

Notable among UNI’s seven transfers is former Southeast Polk quarterback Jaxon Dailey, who spent the first two seasons of his college career at Arkansas State.

Dailey appeared in seven games while he was with the Red Wolves, completing 23 of 42 pass attempts for 171 yards.

“I couldn’t be more excited to have him,” Farley said of Dailey. “He’s everything that I’ve told you about being a competitor. He studies the game. He’s going to make the (quarterbacks) room better. He’s going to make the team better. Whether he’s a starter — he’s going to have to battle for it. Jaxon is a definite fit coming out of Southeast Polk.”