Communication is key for UNI defense featuring multiple new linebackers and defensive backs

CEDAR FALLS — Along with the offensive line, the back seven of Northern Iowa’s defense features considerable turnover.

Four new players will start on UNI’s offensive line in Saturday’s 1 p.m. season opener at Iowa State, and at least four new starters will line up at linebacker and in the secondary against the Cyclones.

At linebacker, junior Ben Belken and redshirt sophomore Tucker Langenberg are poised to start at middle and the will (weakside), while redshirt freshman Jahsiah Galvan will start at nickel.

Belken — who played in nine games last season, largely on special teams — started for an injured Spencer Cuvelier in the 2022 season finale at South Dakota and recorded a team-high nine tackles. Langenberg — who played in 10 games last season, largely on special teams — had 10 tackles last season, six of them coming in the season opener at Air Force when forced into action for an injured Bryce Flater.

Galvan is the most unknown of the trio. The West Liberty native played in just two games last season, but has impressed enough to win a spot at a position of particular importance in UNI’s scheme.

“That’s a position to keep an eye on, too, is the linebacker corps,” UNI Coach Mark Farley said. “There’s a lot of youth there. There’s experience there, just not game experience with the guys they’ve been (practicing) with and that’s a very vocal position.”

In the secondary, the Panthers are able to count on the return of preseason All-Missouri Valley Football Conference honorees Woo Governor at cornerback and Edwin Dearman at safety.

Governor tied for second in the MVFC in interceptions last season with four, while Dearman intercepted one pass and finished fourth on the team with 63 tackles.

The new guys poised to start in the secondary are redshirt freshman Dalesean Staley at free safety and Eastern Michigan transfer Corry Thomas Jr., a senior, at cornerback.

“(Corry’s) adapted to the way we do things here and what we ask of that position,” Farley said. “If he can remain in that zone of how we do it with the techniques that we use, he fits everybody else around him. Sometimes that’s hard to do with a transfer.

“(Dalesean) was another one that stepped up. There was hope that he’d step into that position after last year. He came into camp and really worked hard. There has to be talent, that’s obvious, but you better be where you belong within the system among the other 10 playing the free safety spot. I know when I go to sleep at night that he’s going to be where he’s taught to be.”

An important commonality between UNI’s offensive line and the defensive back seven is the importance of pre-snap communication.

Linebackers must communicate with all levels of the defense and its safeties and cornerbacks also must communicate among themselves.

“Linebackers have to communicate with the secondary and the defensive line and you have to do it within seconds of the opponent getting lined up,” Farley said. “So there’s a lot of thought, there’s a lot of urgency and there’s a lot of communication that goes on there that is probably the challenge of any young player.

“The learning curve has to skyrocket for those players because they’ll be in the game, they’ll be excited to be in the game, they just got to get in rhythm with the game.”