Running game continues to produce for UNI football

CEDAR FALLS — Despite a win at St. Thomas that was much closer than anticipated, Northern Iowa football coach Mark Farley was pleased with the poise his team displayed in its first road game of the season.

“What I was pleased about is that was one of those games (where) you have to have perseverance and poise, because if you lost your head in that deal you’d have lost the game,” Farley said Monday during his weekly news conference.

One of the biggest difference-makers in UNI’s 17-10 win against the Tommies was another impressive showing from its run game.

Running backs Tye Edwards and Amauri Pesek-Hickson ran for 141 and 86 yards, respectively, with Pesek-Hickson scoring the game-winning touchdown on a 10-yard run in the fourth quarter.

After two games, Edwards has racked up 315 yards rushing — the most since recent UNI Hall of Fame inductee David Johnson’s 2013 season.

“This guy is running hard and every run he’s running hard whether it’s a one-yard gain or a 20-yard gain,” Farley said. “That guy is hitting the hole the way he’s supposed to (and) he’s seeing the field (well). He’s been really productive because of his vision along with some of the blocks that are above and beyond, too, from Layne (Pryor) and Derek (Anderson) and the rest of the o-line.”

While UNI’s run game put together a second straight big game on Saturday, its passing game again fell short of the reputation of the “Air Raid” offense.

In just his second career start, quarterback Aidan Dunne finished 11 of 25 with 99 yards and no touchdowns or interceptions.

“We need growth there,” Farley said. “Aidan (Dunne) is directing the offense (well). Where he needs to get better now is some of the decisions that he’s making. There’s a lot of growth for (Dunne). He’s got two starts under his belt. He’s a 100-snap quarterback.”

Up next for the Panthers (2-0) is a road trip to Lincoln, Neb., to take on the 23rd-ranked Cornhuskers (2-0) at Memorial Stadium.

In many recent seasons, UNI’s nearly annual matchup against an FBS opponent has come in Week 1. However, this season’s comes in Week 3 — something Farley thinks is of benefit to his team.

“Playing these two games that we played — even if you played one and then an FBS (team), then another one — I think is a good game plan,” Farley said. “It’s hard playing that first one (against FBS teams) out of the gate because you don’t know what you are.”

Kickoff at Nebraska is at 6:30 p.m. Saturday (BTN).