Mark Farley
Northern Iowa coach Mark Farley says he is cautiously optimistic as the Panthers get set to visit South Dakota State. At 7-3 thew Panthers are ranked fifth in the FCS Coaches Poll and with two wins to close the regular season could get a top four seed in the playoffs.
“You want to get excited about it and you feel like you are in good position but we know what we are up against this week”, said Farley. “You want to take a step back and take a breath but if you do it is going to cost you.”
Farley lists star receiver Isaiah Weston as questionable for the game after he was injured in a win over Indiana State. Farley says it is not a repeat of the knee injury that forced Weston to miss last season.
“It was just a football injury that happened and I am not overly concerned”, added Farley. “I would like to have him play this weekend but IU can’t says for sure that he will.”
South Dakota State has dropped two of three games since losing quarterback J’Bore Gibbs to a knee injury early in an October 26th loss to top ranked North Dakota State. The Jackrabbits have fallen to ninth in the coaches poll.