University of Northern Iowa football coach Mark Farley met the media today as his team starts fall practice. Farley says the noteworthy thing off the top is that they have 14 seniors who will play a lot. A group that has started for two or three years. Farley says the veterans brings a good feeling into camp.

Farley says there’s optimism because the starters have experience the 2005 season in which they were national runner-up, and the 2006 when they didn’t make the playoffs. He says that will have them ready to play in the big games against top competition. Farley says the experience means a lot for a team that’s the preseason pick to win the Gateway conference.

Farley says the experienced players understand that there are big plays in the first game and the last game that determine how the season goes, and that’s the experience they will rely on. Farley says a lot of the experience is on offense. He says it starts with the offensive line, as the quarterback is hopeless without the line. Farley says the four returning starters have grown into the size they need and the knowledge.

Quarterback Eric Sanders begins his final season after being pressed into duty as a freshman and starting ever since. Farley says they didn’t even take Sanders to the conference media day, there’s no question he’s the cover of what the football team represents. From here on out Farley says Sanders is ready and he’s excited to see what Sanders will do in his senior season. UNI opens the season August 30th at home against Minnesota State.