UNI keeps rolling with rout of Indiana State

CEDAR FALLS - Among the many highlight-reel and noteworthy plays in Saturday's 59-13 drubbing of No. 23 Indiana State by No. 17 Northern Iowa, one play stood out to serve as the defining play of not only this game, but the three-game winning streak the Panthers are now on.

Sycamores quarterback Matt Adam was flushed out of the pocket by Karter Schult and Isaac Ales, and just before Ales pulled him to the ground, he flung the ball to the middle of the field with his left (non-throwing) hand.

UNI safety Tim Kilfoy plucked it out of the air, zigzagged through INS offensive players-turned-defenders and raced 30 yards for the touchdown. But it was the way his fellow UNI defenders turned and became blockers that stood out. A defense that was reignited against South Dakota State three weeks ago is playing loose and, more importantly, with all-important 'swagger.”

'I love it. All of us just want to see each other make plays, and when you see those kind of efforts - you don't necessarily see it when it happens, but I'll watch film tomorrow and see the guys doing everything they can,” Kilfoy said. 'They're almost doing too much, because we've had plays in the past couple weeks where we've had blocks in the back on interceptions and fumble recoveries. We don't even get mad at them because the effort they're giving - trying to help us get in the end zone, trying to get us farther - it's great. I love it.”

The Panthers (5-4, 3-3 Missouri Valley Football Conference) essentially had decided the game by halftime.

UNI held a 38-0 lead, had intercepted Adam twice, recovered a fumble and sacked Adam three times. The defense and special teams had given the Panther offense an average starting field position at the INS 45 yard-line, and had held the Sycamores to 69 yards of total offense.

That short field position ignited the UNI offense, as well, and quarterback Aaron Bailey finished drives with touchdowns. Bailey rushed 22 times for 54 yards and four touchdowns, and completed 8 of 13 passes for 114 yards and a touchdown.

Though Coach Mark Farley was less than pleased with a third quarter that saw INS score twice and amass 165 yards of offense, he ultimately was still thrilled with a continuation of progress from that SDSU game on. The Panthers finished the game adding a third interception - a second interception return for touchdown, this one a 77-yarder by Jamison Whiting - and a second fumble recovery, and went past the 50-point mark for the first time since beating Central State, 59-0, in 2012.

The light clicked on three weeks ago, and it's shining bright as ever right now for UNI.

'That grit and that heart they showed in that (SDSU) game was kind of multiplied the last couple of weeks,” Farley said. 'The confidence, they're playing with some rhythm now.

'It's that rhythm and playing with a little swagger to them where they know they can make plays - maybe they become a little more aggressive on some plays. Instead of playing just to stop the opponent, they're playing to make a play to swing the game.”

With the benefit of hindsight, it's pretty clear now for Farley to see where his team and his coaching staff have changed from a three-game losing streak to a three-game winning streak.

Not so much in wholesale formation or game-plan changes, but specific things in areas where they see growth and jump on it.

'There's probably a lot of difference,” Farley said. 'I think we know what's important to these guys. I think we know what their talent is and how we can play to it. They had to get to know each other a little bit, too, and how to play within their group - particularly on offense and special teams.

'I know there's a lot of detail and expectation level that maybe changed of what we expect in every play, not just a game.”

Whatever the reasoning or origin, the must-win version of the Panthers has turned the team from one who found ways to lose earlier to one who leaves no doubt.

Farley still wasn't interested in talking style points - he deferred to his 'November in this league” being all the style they need mantra - but there's no doubt a 59-13 result will make people take notice. He said after the game he certainly didn't imagine a win like this - 'No, not at all,” – but the progression week-to-week is the ultimate reason for it.

Schult, the MVFC Defensive Player of the week after the SDSU game, finished with seven tackles, 1.5 sacks, three tackles for loss and a forced fumble. He echoed his coach, and said the defense feeds off itself each week. Whether it's scoring a return touchdown or recovering a fumble, the foot is on the gas and not letting off soon.

'I think we're going on an incline,” Schult said. 'I think the mentality has changed. If we make one more mistake that could be it. We've got a great bunch of seniors and I know we don't want to stop playing.

'We've got that mentality that there's a sense of urgency that we can't lose again. Obviously you see our urgency takes care of a lot.”

l Comments: (319) 368-8884; jeremiah.davis@thegazette.com