One simple, totally accurate term describes UNI football under Mark Farley: Winner

It’s unclear what the future of Northern Iowa football is likely to be, but that’s a subject for tomorrow and beyond.

For today, the UNI story is Mark Farley retiring as the head coach after 24 years, a remarkably long run for a coach in one place anywhere in college sports.

The present, a 2-8 season in which the Panthers are winless in Missouri Valley Conference Football play, is an true outlier. It’s a million miles from Farley’s body of work at UNI and everyone knows it.

Farley said he made his announcement six days before his team’s final game only because the early signing period for football starts Dec. 4 and the NCAA transfer portal opens Dec. 9. He said he wanted to be honest with recruits, and this gives UNI more time to position itself for the future.

He has been, you know, UNI football. He was the walk-on from Waukon who became the linebacker who led the Panthers in tackles for three straight years. He was a team captain, and was the then-Gateway Conference’s Co-Defensive Player of the Year.

Then, he became a UNI assistant football coach. He went to Kansas with Terry Allen for four years, then returned to Cedar Falls in 2001 to become the Panthers’ head coach. What followed a lot more of the winning that had occurred when Allen was the coach.

Seven conference titles. Eight finishes of No. 6 or higher in the national rankings. A berth in the 2005 national-championship game, and two other trips to the national semifinals. Thirteen playoff appearances. A 116-65 record within the best FCS conference in the country.

There were three wins and a three-overtime loss at Iowa State. There was the oh-so-close 2009 game at Iowa, a last-second 17-16 defeat. There were seven seasons of 10 or more victories.

Like I said, body of work.

Things got a lot harder in the second half of Farley’s tenure. North Dakota State, ranked No. 1 today, has cast a huge shadow with nine national-championships since 2011. Keeping up with the Bison has been hard work for everyone else in the MVFC.

South Dakota State, ranked No. 3 presently, was up to the task in winning the last two national titles. South Dakota is ranked fifth. Missouri State and Illinois State are in the Top 16.

On the whole, it’s a league with commitment and resources for strong football. That’s not feasible for everyone in FCS these days. Going forward, UNI will have to decide if it is willing and able to compete in the MVFC. But again, that’s for tomorrow.

Today, remember that Farley sustained and grew a program that had a lot of wonderful players, made a lot of good memories for fans, and was branded by a simple term: Winner.

Comments: (319) 398-8440; mike.hlas@thegazette.com