Tate Sander has a big role in UNI football’s new defensive scheme

CEDAR FALLS — Northern Iowa football’s 2-7 record reveals a number of struggles the Panthers have, and continue, to face.

A strength of schedule that ranks second in the FCS, and a stretch that included just one home game in seven weeks, has been the Panthers’ biggest struggle.

Beyond its schedule, though, UNI’s typically quality defense has been anything but this season.

Allowing 41 points per game, the Panthers rank 10th in the Missouri Valley Football Conference in scoring defense, and those struggles provoked Coach Mark Farley to change their scheme from a four- to three-man front ahead of last Saturday’s game at No. 1 North Dakota State.

“We were in position on a lot of third downs to get off the field because of that three-man front,” Farley said. “(Against) a very good offense that struggled to really run the ball as effectively as they had been running in previous weeks against other (teams), so, felt good about that (and) how they played.”

Farley said redshirt sophomore safety Tate Sander took big strides against the Bison.

Sander led UNI with a team-high 11 tackles, making his first start of the season in the new scheme’s “Star” safety position.

“The ‘Star’ should get every tackle the way (the defense) is set up,” Sander said. “The two middle linebackers that are in the defense send it to the ‘Star’ pretty much every play.

“I love the ‘Star,’ that’s what my brother (Korby Sander) played (at UNI). Watched him play it for a few years and it’s fun getting tackles and being in on every play.”

While the numbers looked great on paper, Sander did have a critique of his play. He got too aggressive at times — probably by nature of making his first start of the season.

“The play-action kind of took my eyes out of the play and I wasn’t where I needed to be,” he said. “The game moves a lot faster than you think. First time back, too, so just got to get (my) eyes back.”

In taking on the FCS’ top-ranked team and allowing 42 points, it’s easy to think UNI’s defense is as far away from progress as it’s been all season. But Farley and Sander saw important improvement with the scheme change, and are looking forward to putting it back on the field Saturday at home against No. 17 Illinois State (6-3, 3-2). Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. (ESPN+)

“I think we all trusted each other. I think we played as a team really well. There was a lot of communication,” Sander said. “There was less thinking and more just going and playing. I think that really helped a lot. I think this week we need to be a little more disciplined with the (reads) and just keep playing fast.”