With the U.N.I. football team’s season ending, so does the college careers of the seniors. The Panthers are losing 6 of the front 7 on defense, and their starting quarterback.
Head coach Mark Farley says the program is thankful for the seniors that are leaving this year for what they have done through their career. “I know our staff owes a debt of gratitude to them and our program does,” Farley says. He says a corps group of the seniors were in the program for years and made the culture of the team.
Farley says the Panthers recruit to build their athletes, but that the seniors leaving will be tough to lose. “We just recruit here, we don’t worry about who is coming or going, we look at that, but we are going to recruit the best players and when it’s their opportunity to become the redshirt sophomore who is playing, we expect them to become a name and become a player for us too,” Farley said.
Farley says there are a lot of rags to riches stories with the seniors, especially ones that played a major part in the season this year.
Farley says his theory is to get the best players available and fit them in and select the offense to fit what they do.
By Jesse Gavin, KCNZ, Cedar Falls