Expectations are high for QB Theo Day and the UNI offense

CEDAR FALLS — While there have been many in Mark Farley’s 23-year tenure at Northern Iowa, there wasn’t a hint of a quarterback competition for the Panthers ahead of their 2023 season.

Theo Day — who transferred to UNI from Michigan State prior to the 2021 season — continued his development in 2022 with a breakout campaign that ended with first team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference honors.

Day led the MVFC in passing yards (3,121), touchdowns (26) and efficiency (169.0). He displayed top-shelf arm strength, an uncanny ability to navigate in the pocket, the ability to throw his receivers open when coverage was tight, as well as the occasional ability to scramble and keep defenses honest.

His junior season was impressive enough to catch the eyes of NFL Draft analysts, and enough to make Iowa State defensive coordinator Jon Heacock say, “I think he’s obviously an NFL quarterback.”

The praise from Day’s own coach couldn’t have been much higher this preseason as Farley compared him to the only UNI quarterback to lead the program to an FCS championship game.

“Through experience and through his play he’s only catapulted himself to the top quarterback that I’ve had and the only exception to that may be Eric Sanders,” Farley said. “And Eric Sanders was the best because of the intangibles. That presence of a quarterback probably carries more weight toward your production than maybe the physical part does. Where Theo has come a long way, and what his challenge is this year, is to show those intangibles.”

Farley acknowledged that some of those intangibles only come with time spent in a program, but said Day has improved in those areas this offseason.

Day himself said on media day that after earning more trust and respect from his teammates as a junior, he’s felt more comfortable assuming leadership and being more vocal.

“It started with the offense — I was more outspoken with them and I was really trying to lead that group from the front and vocally as well — and then it’s kind of starting to become more of me leading this team,” Day said. “So, it’s something that I’ve constantly worked on, and it’s something that I’ve not always been good at. But, as I grow up and as I get a little more mature it becomes easier and easier.”

Expectations are understandably high for Day and the UNI offense this season, which should stand to benefit from the familiarity of a second season with offensive coordinator Bodie Reeder.

“The main goal of this offseason, obviously, was to go out there and win more games and get in the playoffs and do all that,” Day said. “But, specifically, it was really just trying to master the offense and trying to understand exactly where I’m going every single play so I can play a little faster.”

Three quarterbacks have competed to be Day’s backup this preseason and the competition seems unsettled.

Redshirt sophomore Aidan Dunne and redshirt freshman Matthew Schecklman are listed as “or” on the Panthers’ two-deep ahead of Saturday’s season opener at Iowa State. Junior college transfer Jake Wolff may be poised to redshirt this season and maintain two years of eligibility entering 2024.

Comments: nathan.ford@thegazette.com