3 keys for UNI football to reach its potential in 2023

CEDAR FALLS — Ahead of Northern Iowa football’s annual media day it’s time to look at three keys for the Panthers to reach higher than usual expectations this season.

Of course, repeat performances — if not better production than last season’s — from the returnees of what became a difference-making offense in 2022 should go without saying.

All-Missouri Valley Football Conference quarterback Theo Day has been challenged by Coach Mark Farley to sharpen his intangibles after demonstrating outstanding physical skill last season. Meanwhile, Day’s experienced, returning receivers — Sam Schnee, Sergio Morancy, Logan Wolf, Desmond Hutson, Layne Pryor and Alex Allen — will also be counted on to produce another outstanding season collectively.

That said, here’s what’s most unknown and therefore most key for UNI to reach its high potential in 2023.

1. Offensive line

Four starters graduated from last year’s offensive line that kept Day quite clean, allowing 21 sacks in 11 games. Offensive line coach Ryan Clanton also departed, leaving for the same position at Iowa State. That consequently left Farley with a formidable roster and staff challenge to tackle this offseason.

Farley responded by bringing back former longtime offensive line coach Rick Nelson, who previously spent 2000-2015 in Cedar Falls.

A crop of sizable talent that Clanton had recruited and was developing in his five-year tenure at UNI is now battling it out in fall camp, looking to prove they can protect Day and also create space for a run game that averaged 156.5 yards per game and 4.5 yards per carry last season.

Junior Jared Penning is the only returning starter. The spring game’s starting lineup (from left to right) of Tristan Roper, Blake Anderson, Chase Arends, Hayden Amos and Gunnar Kilen didn’t seem at all indicative of a settled lineup.

Farley has told The Gazette that 6-foot-7 redshirt freshmen Gavin Proudfoot and Ben Kuehnast, along with Iowa transfer Josh Volk, are also in the thick of the competition.

Seeing who starts in the season-opener at Iowa State and whether or not any non-starters rotate in will be the first chapter of the proverbial book to be written on whether or not UNI’s 2023 season reaches its potential.

2. Defensive line

A down season from UNI’s defensive line in 2022 — 17 total sacks, its lowest since 2012 — provoked Farley and position coach Bryce Paup to inject the position with talent from the transfer portal.

Seniors Devin Rice, Caden Houghtelling, Khristian Boyd and Cordarrius Bailey all had their moments a season ago, but appeared set back by a lack of depth that raised their snap counts and consequently limited their effectiveness.

Transfers Warren Peeples (Memphis), Cartez Crook-Jones (Kansas State) and Malik Stewart (Butler CC) are now poised to combine with returning rotational linemen Cannon Butler and Jack Kriebs to create the depth necessary to return the pass rush back into one of the MVFC’s best. Anything short of that could prove to be the type of shortcoming that stunts the season’s high expectations.

3. Back seven of the defense

Most notably among the back seven of UNI’s defense are new starters at all three linebacker spots. Ben Belken (middle), Tucker Langenberg (weakside) and Jahsiah Galvan (nickel/slot) started the spring game and appeared more locked into those spots than the aforementioned offensive linemen.

Farley’s linebacker expertise will be critical for such an inexperienced group, but he’s said those in competition have the athleticism and skill necessary to thrive.

Beyond the return of preseason all-conference honorees Woo Governor and Edwin Dearman, defensive coordinator Jeremiah Johnson must find another starting cornerback and safety by the end of fall camp.

Redshirt freshman Mo Olowo and Central Michigan transfer Rolliann Sturkey started the spring game, but a number of other returnees with limited experience were a part of a competition that Johnson said in the spring was impossible to predict.

UNI’s poor start defensively in 2022 has since been considered the culprit for missing the playoffs, so the entire unit will be under unusual scrutiny.