Griz focus on Rennie:Montana Defense knows it can't let slippery UNI QB run wild

 

No. 2 Northern Iowa at No. 5 Montana

Kickoff: 6 p.m. MST.
Venue: Washington-Grizzly Stadium (25,217, SprinTurf)
Forecast: 25 degrees and clear at kickoff.
Tickets: Blocks of tickets remain at $26; as of 5 p.m. Thursday 21,688 had been sold. The Adams Center ticket office opens at 8:30 a.m. Friday.
TV: ESPN, which is channel 35 for Bresnan/Optimum, Ch. 140 for Dish Network and Ch. 206 for DirecTV (Justin Kutcher and Tom Lugenbill).
Radio: KGVO-AM 1290 (Mick Holien, Scott Gurnsey and Greg Sundberg).
On the net: www.espn3.com, montanagrizzlies.com and gogriz.com.
Records: UM is 10-2; UNI is 10-2.
Series history: Montana leads 4-0.
Coaches: Robin Pflugrad is 17-6 in his second season at Montana. Mark Farley is 99-39 in his 11th season at Northern Iowa.

When the lights go on Friday - on the ESPN cameras, on the Musco Lighting trucks, on the "M" - a lot of people are going to get their first real look at Northern Iowa quarterback Tirrell Rennie.
That includes the No. 5-ranked Montana Grizzlies, who host Rennie and the UNI Panthers in a Football Championship Subdivision quarterfinal game at Washington-Grizzly Stadium.
In a matchup of quick and aggressive defensive lines, huge offensive lines, monster middle linebackers and great corners on each team - good thing these guys will sport different colors Friday - Rennie would seem to be the key.
The fleet senior quarterback has thrown for 13 touchdowns and run for nine, and he's the leading rusher for the No. 2-ranked Panthers.
"You look at their line, they're huge," said Caleb McSurdy, UM's answer to UNI middle linebacker L.J. Fort. "They're physical guys. They have great skill people on the perimeter and their tailbacks are awesome.
"And the quarterback makes it all go, and he's a really good passer. He takes care of the ball. He doesn't cough it up running."
Rennie runs a lot more than Montana quarterback Jordan Johnson, who is responsible for 19 TDs for the 10-2 Grizzlies. The closest thing UM has seen to Rennie is Portland State's Connor Kavanaugh.
That was in a 30-24 UM victory in which the Griz trailed 21-10 at halftime. Back then slow starts were the norm, but Montana comes in on a pretty decent four-quarter roll.
UNI coach Mark Farley has noticed.
"I see guys that play hard and I see a unit," said Farley, who guided the Panthers against the Griz in 2001, a 38-0 FCS semifinal loss in Missoula. "They don't make mental errors and they play hard and they look like they really enjoy the game.
"Those are the tough ones to beat. Those are the guys that can line up and sustain winning."
Three current UNI offensive assistants coached in the 2001 game alongside Farley; so, of course, did Montana defensive coordinator Mike Breske.
Farley hopes a good run game will keep Breske's defense from dictating things in front of what will be large and boisterous home crowd.
"When you play at Montana, with the elements and things like that, you need a balanced attack," he said. "You need to be sound in what you do because they'll know how to attack you."
Northern Iowa trailed Wofford 14-7 at halftime last week, but survived 466 rushing yards by the option-based Terriers and won, 28-14. Rennie ran for 88 yards in the second half to spark the Panthers.
"Once we started moving the football I thought we did a good job ... of keeping that balance," Farley said.
He sees that same balance from the Griz.
"They're kind of what I call, ‘Montana good,' " Farley said. "They've got a great running back, a great quarterback. The O-line is big, physical. They're what I envisioned Montana to be when I watched them on film."
Johnson's play has grown consistent while the Grizzlies' running game has flourished. He went 152 passes without an interception before throwing a pair in UM's 41-14 second-round playoff win over Central Arkansas.
Similarities between the teams are everywhere: Jabin Sambrano leads UM with 32 catches and Jarred Herring shares the UNI lead with running back David Johnson at 31.
Sambrano has 13 TDs this season for UM, nine receiving; Jarred Herring has five TD catches this season and 17 for his career.
Houston Roots and All-American Trumaine Johnson man the corners for UM, and Griz coach Pflugrad calls UNI corners Varmah Sonie and J.J. Swain the best Montana has played in 2011.
"And I know we've played Tennessee," Pflugrad said. "One of them (the 5-foot-9 Sonie) is not very big, but I tell you what, he gets around blocks and he blows up the bubble screens."
The Panthers' defensive leaders are Buck Buchanan Award candidates Ben Boothby, a defensive tackle, and Fort.
"Their defensive line is a lot like ours," Pflugrad said. "Not overly big but extremely quick, and they play with great passion. They do a lot of line games, where they're twisting and spinning and crossing, which can cause some havoc as far as your pass protections."
Something would seem to have to give Friday. Both teams are sack-happy, but UM has allowed few. Both teams are way up in turnover margin. Both have spot-on place-kickers - Tyler Sievertsen for UNI, Brody McKnight for the Griz.
So all things being equal, Rennie could be the key.
"He's their guy, and can you stop a guy like that? Probably not," said McSurdy. "But we're going to try to limit him as much as we possibly can on Friday, because he is such a threat running the ball and throwing the ball."

Panthers, Montana prepare for national stage

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Northern Iowa's Ben Boothby celebrates after recording a sack against Indiana State. / BILL NEIBERGALL / REGISTER PHOTO

 

QUARTERFINALS
Friday, Dec. 9
7:00 -- Northern Iowa (10-2) at Montana (10-2), 8 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 10
11 a.m. -- Montana State (10-2) at Sam Houston State (12-0)
1:00 -- Maine (9-3) at Georgia Southern (10-2)
3:00 -- Lehigh (11-1) at North Dakota State (11-1)

SEMIFINALS
Friday, Dec. 16 or Saturday, Dec. 17
-- Northern Iowa-Montana winner vs. Montana State-Sam Houston State winner
-- Maine-Georgia Southern winner vs. Lehigh-North Dakota State winner

CHAMPIONSHIP
Friday, Jan. 7 at Pizza Hut Park; Frisco, Texas
Noon -- Semifinal winners

The Northern Iowa football team normally plays on busy Saturdays when there are dozens of games on television.

Not this time.

The second-ranked Panthers and fifth-ranked Montana Grizzlies will have the national stage all to themselves Friday night when they clash in the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs.

The battle at Washington-Grizzly Stadium is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. (Central time) and will be televised by ESPN. If you want to watch a college football game on TV Friday night, this is the one.

All of the major college teams in the country have the weekend off, and all the other quarterfinal games in the FCS playoffs will be held Saturday.

“It’s great for our program and it’s awesome for our university,” Northern Iowa coach Mark Farley said. “To me, every sports bar in the country will have that football game on, because I believe it’s the only game that night.”

Northern Iowa will get three hours of free exposure on the most prominent sports network in the country.

“For our university and for our program, we can’t simulate that,” Farley said. “That’s why this is not only a great opportunity for our players, but also for us to demonstrate about the University of Northern Iowa. So it’s a neat deal for everybody.”

It also could be a tough deal for the Panthers, because Montana has an imposing 18-1 record in home playoff games in December. Overall, the Grizzlies are 28-6 in home playoff games and 2-8 in road games, which is why the seeding for the FCS playoffs was so important.

Northern Iowa (10-2) is ranked No.2 and No.3 in the major polls, yet drew the No.5 seed for the playoffs. Montana (10-2) is ranked No.5 in the polls, but drew the No.4 seed. The Grizzlies got the home game because they have the higher seed.

Farley has refused to complain, but admitted he found the whole thing “very odd.”

It will be cold in Missoula, Mont. on Friday night, with the temperature possibly dropping into the teens, and the Grizzlies will have a vocal crowd of more than 25,000 fans.

Northern Iowa will be battling the elements, battling the crowd, battling the home-field advantage and battling an extremely good football team. Montana beat then-No.1 Montana State in its final game of the regular season to claim a share of the Big Sky Conference title.

“They’re actually better than I anticipated, and I anticipated a great football team,” Farley said.

Montana linebacker Caleb McSurdy and defensive back Trumaine Johnson were named to the FCS All-America team this week. McSurdy was named the Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year.

Northern Iowa counters with defensive tackle Ben Boothby, who also was named an FCS All-American, and linebacker L.J. Fort, who was named the Defensive Player of the Year in the Missouri Valley Conference.

Montana quarterback Jordan Johnson has passed for 1,927 yards and 17 touchdowns. He likes to spread the ball around, and 11 different Grizzles have caught at least nine passes this season. Peter Nguyen leads their running attack with 768 yards.

Northern Iowa relies heavily on quarterback Tirrell Rennie, who has passed for 1,709 yards and run for a team-best 834 yards. Rennie has accounted for 22 touchdowns with his arm and legs.

The winner of Friday’s game will advance to the FCS semifinals next weekend against Sam Houston State or Montana State. If Northern Iowa wins, it would host Montana State in the semifinals but would travel to Sam Houston State.
Northern Iowa's scores and game stats

Montana's season scores and game stats

FRIDAY'S GAME

WHAT: Northern Iowa (10-2) at Montana (10-2) in quarterfinals of FCS playoffs.

WHEN: 7:05 p.m. (Central time), ESPN.

WHERE: Washington-Grizzly Stadium (25,200), Missoula, Mont.

THE MATCHUP: Northern Iowa is 0-4 all-time against Montana, including 0-3 on the road and 0-2 in the playoffs. The Panthers are 7-4 in the FCS quarterfinals, but 1-3 on the road. Northern Iowa linebacker L.J. Fort leads the nation in tackles (167) and is four stops away from setting a school record. The Panthers have been outgained by 450 yards in their last two games, yet managed to defeat Illinois State (23-20 in 2 OTs) and Wofford (28-21). Northern Iowa coach Mark Farley is seeking his 100th victory in 11 years with the Panthers. Montana coach Robin Pflugrad is 16-6 in two years with the Grizzlies and was named the Big Sky Coach of the Year.
Northern Iowa's individual stat leaders

Montana's individual stat leaders

QB Rennie makes difference for Northern Iowa

  

Wofford's Bryan Youman is surrounded and pulled down for no gain by University of Northern Iowa's James Conley (32), L.J. Fort (24), Jordan Smith (46) and Varmah Sonie (4) in the first quarter at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa, last Saturday.

Up next: No. 2 Northern Iowa at No. 5 Montana

Friday, 6 p.m. (MST)
Washington-Grizzly Stadium (25,217, SprinTurf)
Location: Cedar Falls, Iowa. Enrollment: 13,168.
Series history: Montana leads 4-0.
Man in charge: Mark Farley (Northern Iowa 1987) is 99-39 in his 11th season at UNI.
The Panthers continue to recruit, practice hard and win under Coach Farley, who is guiding his alma mater to its seventh postseason in 11 years.
Ones to watch:
10 Tirrell Rennie (6-0, 201, sr., North Lauderdale, Fla.): The Panthers' quarterback and Walter Payton Award candidate has four 100-yard rushing games this season and is responsible for 22 touchdowns, 13 of them through the air.

24 L.J. Fort (6-1, 232, sr., Waynesville, Mo.): The middle linebacker has an FCS-leading 167 tackles - 8.5 for losses - and is the Missouri Valley Football Conference defensive player of the year.
43 Ben Boothby (6-0, 280, sr., Clinton, Iowa): It's hard to find a defensive tackle who gets to the QB more - he has 16 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks and six quaterback hits. Like Fort, he's a Buck Buchanan candidate.


Read more: http://missoulian.com/up-next-no-northern-iowa-at-no-montana/article_0e8a3b8e-209a-11e1-8e7a-0019bb2963f4.html#ixzz1fs6KbRfO

Northern Iowa football coach Mark Farley knew of Tirrell Rennie when Rennie was in high school in Florida, and learned more when he attended Ellsworth Community College in Iowa Falls, Iowa.
But even when Rennie signed with UNI in 2010, Farley wasn't sure he'd found his QB.
"We thought he had the ability to be quarterback," said Farley. "But we felt also if he could not play quarterback, he could be a receiver for us.
"But when he came in here he was determined, and worked his way into that starting role. He did everything he needed to become the starter and gain the respect of his teammates."
The result has been another standout season for the UNI Panthers, who bring a No. 2 ranking into Missoula for a Football Championship Subdivision quarterfinal playoff game against No. 5 Montana on Friday at 6 p.m.
Rennie has been a difference maker for the 2011 Panthers, who again have a stingy defense and confidence bred from a tough schedule. They're in the FCS playoffs for the 17th time, which puts them in the neighborhood of the Grizzlies (a record 21).
Their QB has run for more than 100 yards four times this season and came close two other times, including a 95-yard performance in UNI's 28-21 home playoff win over Wofford last week.
Farley has a nice mix of young and old, brawn and skill. But UNI also trailed 14-7 at halftime last week, before Rennie ran for 88 yards after intermission. Rennie also rushed for 127 yards while the Panthers lost 20-19 to the team that beat Oklahoma State: Iowa State.
Farley didn't spend a lot of time on Rennie during a Tuesday teleconference (UNI also didn't make players available to the Missoulian), because he has a truly balanced team.
Two Buck Buchanan Award candidates, linebacker L.J. Fort and tackle Ben Boothby, lead the defense. Both are seniors and Fort is the Missouri Valley Football Conference defensive MVP.
Fort was on the radar of the Big 12 schools but his grades needed work; UNI won out over schools like Central Michigan and Arkansas State.
"It was a battle," said Farley. "But I think what really sold him was the opportunity to win and the opportunity to be in the playoffs, and be in a national championship hunt.
"The difference was UNI offers the track record or the potential to play at the national level, if (players) perform week in and week out during the season."
That's what the Panthers have done, while working through some scrapes. Rennie twisted an ankle late in their lone league loss, 27-19 at North Dakota State, but backup Jared Lanpher filled in nicely the next week, when UNI beat Youngstown State 34-21 in Cedar Falls.
"I think the difference in this team is it's a nice mix of experienced players," said Farley, the renowned "Walk-on from Waukon" who became a star linebacker at UNI in the early 80s. "They're a great group, senior-leadership-wise, and there's a great mix of youth.
"There was one game we played with five freshmen on offense and we ended up beating Youngstown."
One freshman, running back David Johnson, is among the best in the country. At 754 yards (and nine TDs) he is the second-leading rusher behind Rennie, who has 834 yards and another nine touchdowns on the ground.
The offensive line is fairly young, though anchored by 6-foot-7, 328-pound senior Jay Teply at left tackle.
Defensively the Panthers have speed, size and a certain way of doing things. Safety Garrett Scott and linebacker Jordan Smith each have four of UNI's 18 interceptions; all-MVFC corner Varma Sonie has three.
The Panthers haven't been to Missoula since 2001, when the MVFC was the Gateway Conference and Farley was in his first year as a head coach.
That team probably over-achieved, advancing to the FCS semifinals before losing 38-0 at Montana. This team just achieves: It's the sixth UNI squad since '01 to make the playoffs, including a run to the 2005 title game.
The formula remains the same.
"We really are more concerned with how we play and how we prepare than with who we play," Farley said. "We say that because we feel like you get in our league, everybody is good. Everybody's got a chance to beat us.
"We're just trying to put a program together where the players are responsible for their assignments and are responsible to prepare. We have a vision of where we want to be, and we just try to work toward that."
It's tough to do every year. In 2010 the Panthers went 7-5 (including a playoff loss), with a quarterback who threw eight TD passes but 11 interceptions.
It was Rennie, who this year has thrown 13 TDs and just two picks - and the Panthers are 10-2.

UNI Tops Wofford 28-21, Advances to Quarterfinals

 
Jarred Herring

The University of Northern Iowa football team used 21 second-half points to overcome a halftime deficit and defeat Wofford 28-21 in an NCAA Football Championship Subdivision second round playoff game on Saturday evening in the UNI-Dome.
With the win, UNI will travel to Montana on Dec. 9 or Dec. 10 to make its 12th appearance in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division I Football Championship.
The Panthers took advantage of three Wofford fumbles, including one in the endzone recovered for a touchdown, to overcome a 478-238 deficit in total offense.
UNI senior quarterback Tirrell Rennie rushed for 95 yards on 19 carries. He was 7-of-12 passing for 67 yards and had two touchdown passes to senior receiver Jarred Herring. Herring caught four passes for 54 yards on the night. Junior running back Carlos Anderson gained 52 yards on 11 carries.
Senior linebacker L.J. Fort posted 16 tackles to run his season total to 167 and move into No. 2 on UNI's all-time list for tackles in a season. Fort also jumped to fifth on UNI's career tackles leaderboard.
Jordan Smith had 14 stops for the Panther defense, and defensive tackle Ben Boothby and safety Wilmot Wellington each tallied a career-high 12 tackles.
Wofford (8-4) gained 457 of their 478 total yards on the ground, rushing 73 times for 6.3 yards per carry. Wofford quarterback Mitch Allen had 156 yards rushing and fullback Eric Breitenstein added 131 yards and three touchdowns.
UNI (10-2) received the opening kickoff and drove 72 yards on six plays to score first. Rennie found Herring over the middle for a 23-yard scoring strike, and UNI led 7-0 with 12:09 left in the first quarter.
Wofford responded with a 16-play, 81-yard drive that resulted in a three-yard touchdown run by Breitenstein to tie the contest at 7-7 with 3:30 left in the first quarter.
Breitenstein broke loose for a 46-yard touchdown run with 5:45 left in the second quarter that gave the Terriers a 14-7 lead at halftime.
With Wofford driving into UNI territory on the opening drive of the second half, Panther linebacker James Conley forced a fumble by Terrier wide receiver Brenton Bersin, and Wellington scooped it up for a 12-yard return. From there, Rennie led the Panthers down the field and hit Herring once again for a seven-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 14-14 with 10:21 left in the third quarter.
UNI scored on the first play of the fourth quarter with a one-yard touchdown run by David Johnson, taking a 21-14 lead.
On the following kickoff, Wofford returner Stephon Shelton fumbled in his own endzone and UNI's Phil Wright recovered for a Panther touchdown. With 14:56 left in the game, UNI held a 28-14 lead.
Wofford put together a 15-play, 88-yard drive and a three-yard touchdown run by Breitenstein to cut the lead to 28-21 with 2:00 remaining. UNI's Brett LeMaster recovered the Terriers' onside kick, but when Tyler Sievertsen missed a 47-yard field goal attempt to ice the game, Wofford had one more chance to score with 0:53 on the clock.
The Panther defense stopped Wofford on four consecutive plays, with senior defensive tackle August Hadenfeldt notching a sack on fourth down to seal the victory.
UNI will travel to Missoula, Mont., to face the No. 4-seeded Montana Grizzlies in a quarterfinal game on either Fri., Dec. 9, or Sat., Dec. 10. Game time is still to be determined.

Northern Iowa points toward true football title

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Northern Iowa quarterback Tirrell Rennie said winning a national playoff for the FCS championship would far exceed a BCS bowl game. “Not to downplay them," he added. / BILL NEIBERGALL/THE REGISTER/BILL NEIBERGALL/ REG

 

How champions are determined in NCAA football

Bowl Subdivision: The top two teams in the Bowl Championship Series standings meet in the BCS title game Jan. 9 in New Orleans. The BCS standings are determined by computer rankings, the Harris Poll and the USA Today coaches’ poll. This division was formerly known as I-A.
Championship Subdivision: Schools at this level, such as Northern Iowa, compete in a 20-team playoff to crown a true national champion. This division was formerly known as I-AA.
Divisions II and III: Schools at these levels also determine their champions through playoff structures.

Saturday’s playoff Game

Northern Iowa (9-2) hosts Wofford (9-2) in the second round of the FCS playoffs at 4 p.m. Saturday in the UNI-Dome. Both teams drew byes in the opening round.

 

 

CEDAR FALLS, IA. — Northern Iowa quarterback Tirrell Rennie has played in a bowl game during his college football career, but it wasn’t anything fancy.

There was no trip to a warm-weather climate, no week-long stay in a five-star hotel, no lavish gift from the bowl sponsor.
“It was right here,” Rennie said Monday, standing on the field in the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls.
It’s called the Graphic Edge Bowl, and Rennie played in two of them when he was the quarterback at Ellsworth Community College. Ellsworth won both of those bowl games in the UNI-Dome, topping the College of DuPage (Ill.) in 2008 and Central Lakes (Minn.) in 2009.
It wasn’t exactly the Rose Bowl.
“It would be like the Cotton Bowl or the Pizza Hut Bowl or something like that,” Rennie said, laughing. “It’s fine. It was exciting enough.”
The NCAA does not offer bowl games to teams such as Northern Iowa from the Football Championship Subdivision. Rather, the FCS schools compete in a 20-team playoff to determine a true national champ.
“The significance of a national championship, I think, far exceeds a BCS bowl game. Not to downplay them,” Rennie said.
“How long has Boise State been wanting a chance to prove they could be national champs? Well, here in the FCS, if you get in the playoffs and you beat all those teams, now you win the national championship. You’ve proved yourself worthy.”
Northern Iowa (9-2) hosts Wofford (9-2) in the second round of the FCS playoffs at 4:05 p.m. Saturday in the UNI-Dome. Both teams drew byes in the opening round.
The winner will advance to the quarterfinals next week on the long road to the championship game in Frisco, Texas, on Jan. 7. The Panthers need to win four straight games to capture the national title — a grueling test of excellence and endurance.
“This proves how good we are. We have to win, win, win and then make it to the national championship,” Rennie said. “Whereas in the BCS, you’re voted in if you win that one game. What does that mean? You’ve just played one team.”
Northern Iowa coach Mark Farley chose diplomacy when comparing systems.
“I think they both have it right,” Farley said. “I think their system (the bowls) is awesome, because more teams and fans are involved and there’s more winners.
“... In their system, half the teams that are going to a bowl game are going home happy. That’s probably where their system is great. In our system, if you do reach the national championship and win it, you have done the ultimate.”
Northern Iowa played for the national title in 2005 and experienced a bowl-like atmosphere in Chattanooga, Tenn. — arriving early for the game and enjoying the festivities.
All the other playoff games are similar to regular-season contests, with teams arriving the day before the game and leaving when it’s over.
“In our system, we’re grinding,” Farley said.
Northern Iowa defensive tackle Ben Boothby has never played in a bowl game, but he’s watched plenty of them on television.
“Yeah, they’re cool,” he said. “I’d rather play for a national championship. At the end of the year, you can always say you were better than any other team. You beat every team along the way to get to the championship.
“I’m for the BCS going to a playoff system, because then you have a true winner instead of somebody voting you in.”
Rennie transferred to Northern Iowa last season from Ellsworth and has led the Panthers to the playoffs two seasons in a row. He’s passed for 3,185 yards and run for 2,030 yards in two seasons and accounted for 43 touchdowns. He’s suffered a string of injuries this season, but had a chance to rest last week.
Farley has tried to protect Rennie by keeping him from running the ball too much.
Not now, though.
“I’m just going to have to fight through it, like I’ve been fighting through the whole season, just like everyone else on the team has been battling their injuries,” Rennie said.
“We’re not saving anybody. For us 18 seniors, these are the last four games of our careers possibly. We’re going to make it work, no matter what, even if we come out with a peg leg.”

Seven Panthers named all-MVFC

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - Seven Northern Iowa players were named today to the all-Missouri Valley Football Conference team.
Six Panthers received first-team spots. They are quarterback Tirrell Rennie, offensive lineman Jay Teply, placekicker Tyler Sievertsen, defensive tackle Ben Boothby, linebacker L.J. Fort and cornerback Varmah Sonie.
Linebacker Jordan Smith picked up a second-team spot.
Receiving honorable mention were defensive end Darren Branch, running back David Johnson and return specialist Jared Herring

Valley Co-Champs Earn Playoff Bids

 

Missouri Valley Football co-champions UNI (9-2, 7-1) and North Dakota State (10-1, 7-1) will represent the league in the NCAA Division I Football Championship and have earned first-round byes in the 20-team field.

Two or more MVFC teams have made the playoffs in each of the past 16 seasons, and a league team has appeared in four championship games and in 14 semifinal games. The Panthers are ranked No. 2 in this week's Sports Network/Fathead.com poll, while North Dakota State is No. 4. The league's other ranked team in that poll, Illinois State (7-4, 5-3) did not receive an at-large spot in the 20-team field.

North Dakota State claimed a share of the program’s first Missouri Valley Football Conference championship with a 7-1 record. It is NDSU’s 28th conference title overall and the first since 2006 when the Bison won the Great West Football Conference championship. North Dakota State will make its 25th postseason appearance including its second straight in the NCAA FCS playoffs. The Bison have compiled a 37-14 record overall, 32-13 in NCAA postseason play (including 17 NCAA Division II) and 2-1 in the FCS playoffs. NDSU won its first two games in the NCAA FCS playoffs before falling 38-31 in overtime to eventual champion Eastern Washington in the quarterfinal round. North Dakota State won national championships in 1965, 1968, 1969, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988 and 1990.

With a 23-20, double-overtime win at No. 14 Illinois State, UNI clinched a share of its 16th conference title -- the most in league history. The Panthers have won or shared seven titles since head coach Mark Farley took over in 2001. The Panthers have posted nine or more regular season wins on five different occasions since 2001. UNI accomplished the feat in 2001, 2003, 2007, 2008 and now 2011. UNI lost in the first round of last year's playoffs to Lehigh.

UNI Takes MVFC Title with 2OT Thriller, 23-20

NORMAL, Ill. --  With a 36-yard field goal by sophomore Tyler Sievertsen in the second overtime period, the No. 4-ranked University of Northern Iowa football team earned a thrilling 23-20 victory at No. 14 Illinois State and claimed a share of its 16th Missouri Valley Football Conference title.
The league championship is the Panthers' seventh since 2001. UNI also finished off its fifth season of nine or more regular season wins since 2001.
Sievertsen was a perfect 3-for-3 on field goal attempts on the day, connecting from 38, 40 and 36 yards.
In a game where UNI was outgained 443-191 in total offense, the Panthers did just enough to pull off the victory. Senior quarterback Tirrell Rennie rushed 17 times for 100 yards, all in the second half, to go over the 2,000 yard mark for his career.
Other than Rennie's second-half rushing, the Panthers struggled on offense for most of the day. The UNI defense was on the field for 100 plays - twice the number that the Panther offense ran, at 50.
Senior linebacker L.J. Fort notched 22 tackles, tying him for the fourth-best single-game performance in UNI history. Fellow senior linebackers Jordan Smith and James Conley added 15 and 14 tackles, respectively.
In a scoreless first quarter, UNI held Illinois State on a fourth-down try at the UNI 32-yard line before the teams traded three punts.
Illinois State got on the scoreboard first with a 3-0 lead with 8:53 left in the second quarter. After UNI stopped ISU running back Cliffton Gordon on third-and-goal at the 4-yard line, Redbird kicker Nick Aussieker connected on a 22-yard field goal attempt.
The Redbirds put together a 14-play, 61-yard drive later in the second quarter that once again ended in a 37-yard field goal by Aussieker. With 0:29 left in the first half, Illinois State led 6-0.
Illinois State (7-4, 5-3 MVFC) outgained UNI 196-18 in total yards in the opening half. At halftime, the Redbirds held a 14-1 advantage in first downs and a 45-11 margin in total plays.
UNI (9-2, 7-1 MVFC) opened the second half with an eight-play, 41-yard drive in 2:36 that resulted in a 38-yard field goal by Sievertsen, pulling the Panthers to within 6-3 with 12:23 left in the third quarter. Rennie rushed for all 41 yards on the drive.
With 2:52 left in the third quarter, senior linebacker L.J. Fort forced his sixth fumble of the season and Garrett Scott recovered at the UNI 33-yard line. UNI turned the takeaway into a seven-play, 52-yard scoring drive. Rennie hit senior receiver Jarred Herring for a two-yard touchdown pass to give the Panthers the lead at 10-6 with six seconds remaining in the third quarter.
Illinois State put together a 19-play, 85-yard scoring drive that lasted 9:58 and gave the Redbirds the lead with 2:57 left in the fourth quarter. Cliffton Gordon rushed in from one yard out on fourth-and-goal, and the extra point put Illinois State up 13-10.
Carlos Anderson returned the ensuing kickoff to the UNI 39-yard line, and a 10-play, 38-yard drive put the Panthers in position to tie the game. On fourth down from the Illinois State 23, with 10 seconds on the clock, Sievertsen drilled a 40-yard field goal into a stiff wind to send the game into overtime tied at 13-13.
Rennie recorded a 12-yard touchdown run on the Panthers' first possession of overtime, but the Redbirds used three fourth-down conversions on their possession to score on a two-yard pass from Matt Brown to Marvon Sanders. After one overtime period, the score remained knotted at 20-20.
In the second OT, the Panther defense forced Illinois State to attempt a 37-yard field goal, and Aussieker missed wide left.
After three plays by the UNI offense, Sievertsen made his third field goal of the game - this one a game-winner from 36 yards out to lock up a share of the MVFC title.
The playoff field for the NCAA Division I Football Championship will be announced at 9 a.m. Sunday morning on ESPNU.

2011 panthers

UNI FOOTBALL QUICK HITS• The No. 4-ranked University of Northern Iowa football team will take on No. 14 Illinois State University in the regular season finale for both teams. The game is set to kickoff at 11 a.m. Saturday at Hancock Stadium in Normal, Ill. ESPN3 will broadcast the game live.
• A win would guarantee UNI at least a share of its 16th Missouri Valley Football Conference championship and its seventh title since 2001.
• The Panthers are looking to record their fifth regular season with at least nine wins since 2001. UNI posted nine or more regular-season wins in 2001, 2003, 2007 and 2008.
• UNI holds an 18-8 edge in the all-time series with the Redbirds. The Panthers won last year's meeting by a score of 42-14 in the UNI-Dome. Illinois State claimed a 22-20, last-second victory in 2009 when the teams last met in Normal. UNI head coach Mark Farley holds a record of 6-4 against ISU since he took over the Panther program in 2001.
• Senior quarterback Tirrell Rennie is 70 yards shy of 2,000 rushing yards for his career. Rennie has racked up 1,930 yards in only 21 career games, and he is averaging 5.5 yards per carry over his two seasons at UNI. Rennie is eighth on the UNI career rushing touchdowns list with 23.
• UNI ranks No. 4 in the nation in scoring defense by giving up only 15.80 points per game. UNI trails Sam Houston State (12.50 points/game), North Dakota State (14.30 points/game) and Norfolk State (15.45 points/game) in the national scoring defense rankings.
• With 18 interceptions on the season, UNI leads the MVFC in pass efficiency defense at a rating of 115.13. The Panthers are tied for fifth in the nation and first in the Valley with an average turnover margin of plus-1.4.
• UNI sophomore kicker Tyler Sievertsen is 14-of-15 on field goal
attempts and a perfect 32-of-32 on PATs this season. Since Sept. 24 against Western Illinois, he owns a streak of 35 consecutive kicks made. Sievertsen has also connected on seven field goal tries of 40 yards or longer this season.
• Senior linebacker L.J. Fort, the nation's fourth-leading tackler, posted 10 stops in a 34-21 victory over Southern Utah (11/12) to run his season total to 129 tackles. Fort has posted at least 10 tackles in each of the Panthers' ten games this season.
• Redshirt freshman running back David Johnson leads UNI in both rushing yardage and receptions this season through ten games. Johnson has rushed for 727 yards and eight touchdowns. As a receiver, he has tallied a team-best 28 receptions for 402 yards and three scores. Johnson has 11 total touchdowns and ranks second on the team with 66 points through ten games.
• UNI head coach Mark Farley is second on the Panthers' all-time win list with 97 career victories. Farley's 96th win, coming against Youngstown State on Nov. 5, pushed him past former coach Clyde Starbeck, who notched 95 wins from 1936-42 and 1945-57. Farley now trails only Stan Sheriff's 129 wins, which he accomplished from 1960-82.
• UNI has posted an all-time record of 618-382-47 since the inception of Panther football in 1895.
• The Panthers boasted of nine players in the National Football League (when camps opened in late July), a list which includes: Brad Meester (Jacksonville Jaguars), Benny Sapp (Miami Dolphins), Brandon Keith (Arizona Cardinals), Chad Rinehart (Buffalo Bills), Austin Howard (Philadelphia Eagles), James Ruffin (Cincinnati Bengals), Quentin Scott (Oakland Raiders), Schuylar Oordt (St. Louis Rams) and Ryan Mahaffey (Baltimore Ravens). Oordt was signed to the Jaguars practice squad Oct. 12.
THE GAME
The No. 4-ranked University of Northern Iowa football team will take on No. 14 Illinois State University in the regular season finale for both teams. The game is set to kickoff at 11 a.m. Saturday at Hancock Stadium in Normal, Ill.
THE SERIES
UNI holds an 18-8 edge in the all-time series with the Redbirds. The Panthers won last year's meeting by a score of 42-14 in the UNI-Dome.
     Illinois State claimed a 22-20, last-second victory in 2009 when the teams last met in Normal.
     UNI head coach Mark Farley holds a record of 6-4 against ISU since he took over the Panther program in 2001.
ALL-TIME SERIES RESULTS VS. ISU
1972 at ISU L, 24-14
1985 at ISU W, 15-3
1986 vs ISU W, 22-13
1987 vs ISU W, 48-17
1988 at ISU W, 34-7
1989 at ISU L, 32- 13
1990 vs ISU W, 31-0
1991 at ISU W, 17-14
1992 vs ISU W, 41-14
1993 at ISU W, 20-19
1994 vs ISU W, 24-17
1995 at ISU L, 31-29
1996 vs ISU W, 47-10
1997 at ISU W, 50-34
1998 vs ISU L, 38-23
2000 vs ISU W, 34-28
2001 at ISU L, 42-14
2002 vs ISU L, 31-20
2003 at ISU W, 16-7
2004 vs ISU W, 41-14
2005 at ISU L, 31-3
2006 vs ISU W, 38-27
2007 at ISU W, 23-13
2008 vs ISU W, 31-17
2009 at ISU L, 22-20
2010 vs ISU W, 42-14
THE COACHES
UNI head coach Mark Farley is in his 11th season at the helm of the Panther sideline. Farley has posted a mark of 97-39 in 11 seasons, which includes six trips to the NCAA FCS playoffs. Farley has notched a record of 59-20 in MVFC play, which ranks him No. 1 on the all-time league wins chart.
     Brock Spack is in his third season at the helm of the Illinois State program. Spack has posted a mark of 19-13 for the Redbirds.
TELEVISION
The game will be broadcast live on ESPN3. Scott Warmann (play-by-play), Danan Hughes (analyst) and Mick Shaffer (sideline) will handle the broadcast.
RADIO
The game will be broadcast on the Panther Sports Radio Network. Gary Rima (play-by-play) and Scott Peterson (analyst) will call the action.
UNI PANTHERS INSIDE ACCESS
Panther fans will be able to view most of UNI's home football games on www.UNIPanthers.com through UNI Panthers Inside Access. For a nominal fee, fans can get live streamed audio and video of most home games of UNI volleyball, football, men's basketball, women's basketball and wrestling as well as some road contests. To sign up, please go to UNI's official athletic website at www.unipanthers.com and click on the Panthers Inside Access link on the front page.
PANTHER POINTS
ILLINOIS STATE REDBIRDS
Illinois State comes into Saturday's game riding a five-game winning streak. After starting the season at 2-3, the Redbirds have rattled off wins over Missouri State, South Dakota, Indiana State, Southern Illinois and Western Illinois to improve their record to 7-3. At 5-2 in the MVFC, Illinois State sits in third place behind North Dakota State and UNI.
     Illinois State is 5-0 at home this season. Over their current five-game winning streak, the Redbirds are scoring 30.4 points per contest.
REDBIRD NOTABLES
Illinois State leads the MVFC and is ranked No. 5 in the nation in rushing defense, allowing only 81.3 yards per game on the ground.
     The Redbirds have a remarkable ratio of 35 defensive sacks to only six sacks allowed on the season.
     Along with rushing defense, Illinois State leads the MVFC in total defense, sacks and tackles-for-loss.
     Junior defensive lineman Nate Palmer leads the MVFC with 9.0 sacks.
     Senior running back Ashton Leggett leads the Redbirds with an average of 96.6 rushing yards per game.
FORT PILES UP THE STOPS
Senior linebacker L.J. Fort, the nation's fourth-leading tackler, is climbing up UNI's Top-10 career tackles list. With 10 stops against Southern Utah (11/12), Fort moved into seventh place on the all-time list.
UNI's Top-10 Career Tackles List
1. Ryan Doak (1997-2000) 453
2. Matt Pedersen (1996-99) 426
3. Joe Anderson (1979-82) 380
4. Andre Allen (1991-94) 358
5. Paul Wolf (1991-94) 327
6. Reed Hunemuller (1975-78) 303
7. L.J. Fort (2008-present) 301
8. William Freeney (1989-92) 300
9. Bryce Paup (1986-89) 298
T10. Jason McCleary (1991-94) 296
T10. Casey Tierney (2000-03) 296
A SEASON FOR THE RECORD BOOKS?
Fort has posted at least 10 tackles in each of the Panthers' ten games for a total of 129 tackles this season. He is poised to enter the Top-10 list for most tackles in a season in UNI history.
UNI's Top-10 Season Tackles List
1. Joe Anderson (1981) 170
2. Peter Burns (1992) 163
3. Adam Vogt (2001) 160
4. Matt Pedersen (1999) 150
T5. Reed Hunemuller (1978) 141
T5. William Freeney (1992) 141
7. Josh Mahoney (2008) 139
8. Ryan Doak (2000) 138
9. Darin Heideman (2005) 137
10. Matt Pedersen (1998) 133
L.J. Fort (2011) 129
35 CONSECUTIVE KICKS
Since Sept. 24 against Western Illinois, UNI sophomore kicker Tyler Sievertsen owns a streak of 35 consecutive kicks made. Sievertsen is 14-of-15 on field goal attempts and a perfect 32-of-32 on PATs this season. Sievertsen has also connected on seven field goal tries of 40 yards or longer this year.
RUSHING RENNIE
Senior quarterback Tirrell Rennie is 70 yards shy of 2,000 rushing yards for his career at UNI. Rennie has racked up 1,930 yards in only 21 career games, and he is averaging 5.5 yards per carry for his career.
     Rennie is eighth on the UNI career rushing touchdowns list with 23.
INTs ARE KEY
With 18 interceptions on the season, UNI leads the MVFC in pass efficiency defense at a rating of 115.13. The Panthers are tied for fifth in the nation and first in the Valley with an average turnover margin of plus-1.4.
27 UNANSWERED
Facing its largest deficit of the season at 21-7 with 12:57 left in the second quarter against Southern Utah (11/12), UNI scored 27 unanswered points to win 34-21.
     The 14-point deficit was the largest faced by the Panthers since Nov. 20, 2010, when they trailed Western Illinois 30-0.
LARGEST MARGIN OVER SUU
UNI's 34-21 victory over Southern Utah on Nov. 12 is the only time this season that SUU has been defeated by more than 6 points.
FORT FLIPS SIDES
Senior linebacker L.J. Fort made his debut on the offensive side of the ball for the Panthers against Southern Utah. Fort entered at running back in goal-line situations on two different occasions, each time carrying for a one-yard touchdown run.
RETURN OF THE GROUND GAME
After rushing for a total of 83 yards in its last two contests combined, UNI broke out for a season-high 284 rushing yards in a 34-21 win over Southern Utah (11/12). Junior Carlos Anderson led the attack with 115 yards, quarterback Tirrell Rennie had 86, and redshirt freshman running back David Johnson added 82.
ALL-PURPOSE PERFORMER
Redshirt freshman running back David Johnson has recorded 100 or more all-purpose yards in seven of UNI's 10 games this season.
SENIORS HONORED
UNI honored 18 seniors prior to the Nov. 12 game against Southern Utah.
     The Panther seniors include: offensive lineman Kaleb Admire (Cedar Rapids, Iowa), defensive lineman Ben Boothby (Clinton, Iowa), offensive lineman Sean Boren (Mount Vernon, Iowa), defensive lineman Darren Branch (Twinsburg, Ohio), defensive back Tre'Darrius Canady (Sioux City, Iowa), wide receiver Josh Collins (Sioux City, Iowa), linebacker James Conley (Des Moines, Iowa), defensive lineman Will Eilert (Grinnell, Iowa), linebacker L.J. Fort (Waynesville, Mo.), linebacker Shawn Gerard (Eldridge, Iowa), defensive lineman August Hadenfeldt (Solon, Iowa), wide receiver Jarred Herring (Burlington, Iowa), defensive back Montari Leonard (DeLand, Fla.), quarterback Tirrell Rennie (North Lauderdale, Fla.), linebacker Jordan Smith (Humboldt, Iowa), offensive lineman Jay Teply (Cedar Rapids, Iowa), tight end Austin Wells (Norfolk, Neb.) and offensive lineman Justin Wissler (Wall Lake, Iowa).
NO. 4 IN SCORING DEFENSE
UNI ranks No. 4 in the nation in scoring defense by giving up only 15.80 points per game.
     UNI trails Sam Houston State (12.50 points/game), North Dakota State (14.30 points/game) and Norfolk State (15.45 points/game) in the national scoring defense rankings.
SECOND HALF SHUTDOWN
UNI has been especially stingy in the second half of games when it comes to giving up points this season. UNI has given up only 53 second-half points this season for an average of 5.3 points/game.
     UNI has allowed 13 total points in the third quarter of games and 40 total points in the fourth quarter of games.
SINKFIELD GIVES ‘EM THE DOUBLE BOOM
Junior wide receiver Terrell Sinkfield doubled up his touchdown total for the second time this season in a 21-17 win over Youngstown State (11/5).
     Sinkfield caught scoring passes of 32 and 31 yards in the first half vs. the Penguins.
Earlier this season, Sinkfield caught two touchdown passes in a win at South Dakota State (10/15).
     Sinkfield leads the Panthers with six touchdown receptions this season.
FRESH FROSH
A pair of UNI freshmen played key roles in the Panthers' 21-17 win over Youngstown State (11/5).
     Redshirt freshman quarterback Jared Lanpher made his first career start and passed for 238 yards and two touchdowns.
     Redshirt freshman running back David Johnson scored the game-clinching touchdown from 1 yard out with 1:59 on the clock.
LANPHER NAMED MVFC
NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK
Redshirt freshman quarterback Jared Lanpher has been named the Missouri Valley Football Conference's Newcomer of the Week for his play against Youngstown State (11/5).
     Lanpher (Blue Springs, Mo./Blue Springs HS) made his first career start and led the No. 6-ranked Panthers to a 21-17, come-from-behind victory over Youngstown State in the UNI-Dome. He connected on 16-of-28 passes for a career-high 238 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.
     Lanpher hit Terrell Sinkfield for a 32-yard scoring strike in the first quarter to put UNI on top 7-3. Following a Penguin touchdown with 27 seconds left in the first half, Lanpher put together a two-play, 61-yard scoring drive that resulted in a 31-yard touchdown pass to Sinkfield.
     Lanpher also conducted a 10-play, 63-yard drive in the fourth quarter that gave UNI the victory when David Johnson rushed in from one yard out with 1:59 remaining.
In all, Lanpher completed six passes of 25 yards or longer on the day.
CALL IT A COMEBACK
For the second straight season, UNI used a touchdown in the final two-plus minutes of the game to defeat the YSU Penguins.
     In 2010, Tirrell Rennie scored on a 19-yard touchdown run with 2:08 left in the game to provide the Panthers a 34-30 victory.
     This season it was David Johnson scoring on a 1-yard plunge with 1:59 left in the game to push UNI to a 21-17 win over the Penguins.
     Prior to the two comebacks against the Penguins, UNI's previous fourth quarter comeback win came in the first round of the 2007 NCAA FCS playoffs in a 38-35 win over New Hampshire - the winning points coming on a 24-yard pass from Eric Sanders to Montari Leonard with seven seconds left in the game.
SMITH, SCOTT LEAD IN PICKS
Senior linebacker Jordan Smith intercepted his fourth pass of the season on Nov. 5 against Youngstown State to take over the team lead, but junior safety Garrett Scott tied the race for the top spot one week later with a game-clinching interception against Southern Utah.
     Since making the move to Division I football, only two times has a Panther linebacker led the team interceptions - Mark Farley (5 INTs in 1985) and Brannon Carter (5 INTs in 2007).
FARLEY PERFECT AGAINST THE PENGUINS
UNI head coach Mark Farley moved to 11-0 all-time vs. Youngstown State with a 21-17 win over the Penguins in the UNI-Dome (11/5).
     The 11 straight wins is the most consecutive wins over an opponent in a series in the history of UNI football.
DUAL WEAPON
Redshirt freshman running back David Johnson leads UNI in both rushing yardage and receptions this season through ten games.
     Johnson has rushed for 727 yards and eight touchdowns. As a receiver, he has tallied a team-best 28 receptions for 402 yards and three scores.
     Johnson has 11 total touchdowns and ranks second on the team with 66 points through ten games.
NON-CONFERENCE SUCCESS
The Panthers are 113-53 against non-conference teams since 1985.
     UNI's two non-conference wins so far this season are a 34-23 road win at Stephen F. Austin (9/10) and a 34-21 home victory over Southern Utah (11/12).
SIEVERTSEN ON A ROLL
Sophomore placekicker Tyler Sievertsen is on a quite a roll, as he has made 10 straight field goals and is a perfect 32-for-32 on extra point attempts.
     He is the only placekicker in the MVFC to have connected on 100 percent of his extra point attempts this season.
     Sievertsen leads the Panthers with 74 points scored.
HIGHLY ACCURATE
UNI placekicker Tyler Sievertsen ranks No. 5 in the FCS in regard to field goal accuracy through ten games.
     Sievertsen has converted 93.3 percent of his field goal kicks this season by making 14 of 15 three-pointers.
     Brian Mitchell holds the UNI single-season record of highest field goal percentage at 96.3 percent (26-of-27 FGs) in 1990.
Kicker (School) FG-FGA Pct.
Adrian Mora (Ga. Southern) 12-12 1.000
Chris Rogers (Sacred Heart) 11-11 1.000
Ryan Estep (Norfolk State) 20-21 .952
Kienan Cullen (Murray St.) 15-16 .938
Tyler Sievertsen (UNI) 14-15 .933
(minimum of 11 made FGs)
courtesy NCAA stats
FARLEY RANKS NO. 2 AT UNI
UNI head coach Mark Farley moved into sole possession of second place on the Panthers' all-time win list following a 21-17 win over Youngstown State.
     Farley's 96 wins pushed him past former coach Clyde Starbeck, who notched 95 wins from 1936-42 and 1945-57.
     Farley now trails only Stan Sheriff's 129 wins, which he accomplished from 1960-82.
FARLEY AGAINST THE BEST
Since taking over as UNI head coach before the 2001 season, UNI head coach Mark Farley holds a record of 13-11 against Top-10 teams and a mark of 31-19 against Top-25 teams.
UNI's last win vs. a top-10 team was a 36-34 win over No. 10 New Hampshire on Dec. 6, 2008, in the NCAA FCS quarterfinals.
UNI AGAINST THE BEST
UNI has the most wins in MVFC history against ranked FCS opponents, with a 66-42 mark all-time.
     The Panthers are 2-1 this season against ranked FCS opponents with victories against No. 16 Stephen F. Austin and No. 17 Indiana State.
BALANCED RECEIVING
Seven different Panthers have led UNI in receptions in a game this year.
     Darion Howard, Josh Collins (twice), Jarred Herring (three times), Brett LeMaster, David Johnson (twice), Terrell Sinkfield (three times) and Kevin Vereen Jr. have all either led UNI or tied for the team lead in catches in a game this season.
NEARLY FLAWLESS IN RED ZONE
UNI is No. 2 in the nation in Red Zone scoring efficiency. The Panthers are 32-for-34 (94.1 percent) in Red Zone scoring opportunities this year. UNI has scored 24 TDs and has kicked eight FGs in the Red Zone.
     Last season, UNI converted 67 percent (30-of-45) of its trips in the Red Zone, including 38 percent for TDs (17-of-45).
NO. 5 IN TURNOVER MARGIN
UNI is tied for fifth in the nation in average turnover margin with a mark of plus-1.40 per contest.
     The Panthers have 26 takeaways (18 INTs, 8 fumble recoveries) and have only turned the ball over 12 times this season.
     UNI finished the 2010 season with 22 total takeaways and 24 turnovers.
TOP OF THE VALLEY TO YA!
UNI head coach Mark Farley took over the all-time Missouri Valley Football Conference lead in victories with his 55th in the Panthers' 42-7 win at Missouri State (10/1).
     Farley and Missouri State head coach Terry Allen entered the UNI-MSU game tied at 54 apiece. Farley has posted a league mark of 59-20 in 11 seasons.
     Farley is also 6-0 in head-to-head matchups vs. the Panthers' former head coach Allen.
DEFENSIVELY SPEAKING
UNI is 68-5 in the Mark Farley era (2001-present) when holding the opposition to 20 points or less.
UNI when holding the opp. to 20 or less
2001: 7-0
2002: 2-0
2003: 6-1 (lost to Iowa St 17-10)
2004: 4-1 (lost to Western Kentucky 17-10)
2005: 6-0
2006: 5-0
2007: 10-0
2008: 10-0
2009: 6-1 (lost to Iowa 17-16)
2010: 6-1 (lost to Lehigh 14-7)
2011: 6-1 (lost to Iowa State 20-19)
TOTAL - 68-5 (3 of the losses against FBS schools)
GETTING OFFENSIVE
UNI is 65-3 in the Mark Farley era (2001-present) when scoring 30 or more points in a game.
UNI when scoring 30 or more points
2001: 6-0
2002: 2-0
2003: 6-0
2004: 6-1 (lost to Southern Illinois 40-36)
2005: 7-0
2006: 6-1 (lost to North Dakota 35-31)
2007: 9-0
2008: 8-0
2009: 6-0
2010: 4-1 (lost to Southern Illinois 45-38)
2011: 5-0
TOTAL - 65-3 (2 of the losses against Southern Illinois)
HOME SWEET DOME
UNI is 182-45-1 (.799) in the UNI-Dome. The Panthers have gone undefeated at home in a season seven times since 1990.
     Prior to 1998, the Panthers had two consecutive undefeated seasons in the Dome. The Panthers have posted three perfect home seasons under head coach Mark Farley, including 2001 (6-0), 2003 (6-0) and 2005 (7-0).
     Prior to a September 24, 1994, loss to McNeese State, UNI had won 29 straight regular-season games in the Dome dating back to the 1989 season when it lost 22-14 to Mankato State in the first game of the year.
     The Panthers are 72-13 in home Missouri Valley Football Conference games, leading the league in home conference victories.
     UNI went 4-0 in league home games in the 2011 season with victories over Western Illinois, Indiana State, Southern Illinois and Youngstown State.
PANTHER SPEED
Three members of UNI's honorable mention All-America 4x100 sprint team will play extensive action this season for the Panther football team.
     Running back Carlos Anderson, wide receiver Jarred Herring and defensive back Wilmot Wellington qualified for the NCAA Track & Field Championships last spring.
RENNIE IN MVFC PLAY
In six MVFC games this season, senior quarterback Tirrell Rennie is a combined 83-of-117 passing for a 70.9 percent completion rate. He has thrown for 1,123 yards, nine touchdowns and one interception in conference play.
JOHNSON COMFORTABLE IN THE ENDZONE
Redshirt freshman running back David Johnson has racked up 11 touchdowns in his first ten career games. David Horne owns the UNI record for touchdowns in a season with 19 in 2005.
BIG-PLAY POTENTIAL
The Panthers have three players averaging more than 17 yards per catch in 2011.
     Senior Jarred Herring (23-400; 17.4 avg), freshman Chad Owens (5-91; 18.2 avg) and junior Terrell Sinkfield (24-435; 18.1 avg) lead the UNI receiving corps in that category.
NOSE FOR THE BALL
UNI senior linebacker L.J. Fort ranks No. 2 the nation with five forced fumbles in ten games, and he is tied for No. 7 among active FCS players with seven forced fumbles in his career.

ABOVE AVERAGE
UNI senior quarterback Tirrell Rennie is averaging 5.47 yards per carry for his career - a mark that ranks him No. 9 among all active FCS players.
     Running back Carlos Anderson owns an average of 5.40 yards per carry over 31 career games, putting him No. 13 on that same list.
AT THE CENTURY MARK
UNI quarterback Tirrell Rennie ranks No. 14 among all active FCS players with a career average of 91.9 rushing yards per game. Of the top 20 players on the list, Rennie is the only quarterback.
JOHNSON LATCHES ON TO 10 PASS RECEPTIONS VS. BISON
Redshirt freshman running back David Johnson caught a career-high 10 passes for a career-best 114 receiving yards in a 27-19 loss at No. 3-ranked North Dakota State.
     It marked the most catches for a UNI player since running back Corey Lewis also caught 10 passes for 164 yards on Sept. 15, 2007, at South Dakota State.
     Johnson scored both touchdowns for the Panthers as he scored on a 2-yard run in the second quarter and a 16-yard reception in the fourth quarter against the Bison.
INT STREAK HALTED
Senior quarterback Tirrell Rennie's school-record streak of pass attempts without an interception came to a halt against North Dakota State (10/29).
     Rennie had thrown 171 passes between interceptions before his pick against the Bison.
HERRING, BOOTHBY EARN ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT HONORS
On Nov. 10, the UNI football team had two seniors named to the Capital One Academic All-District first team in District VI. Defensive lineman Ben Boothby claimed first-team All-District honors for the third-consecutive season, while receiver Jarred Herring was recognized for the first time.
     With this honor, Boothby becomes the only Panther football player in school history to be selected first-team Academic All-District on three different occasions.
     For being selected to the first team, Herring and Boothby will appear on the ballot for consideration for the honor of Academic All-American.
     After posting a 3.89 cumulative grade point average on his way to graduating with a degree in movement and exercise science in May 2011, Boothby is currently pursuing a master's degree in kinesiology. Through nine games in 2011, he has recorded 54 tackles and leads UNI with 11.5 tackles-for-loss and 5.5 sacks.
     Boothby (Clinton, Iowa/Clinton) is also a candidate for the Buck Buchanan Award as the top defensive player in the Football Championship Subdivision. He was named a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy this season and earned Academic All-America second-team recognition in 2010.
     Herring (Burlington, Iowa/Burlington) owns a 3.61 grade point average with a double major in psychology and family services. He has 22 receptions and a team-leading 394 receiving yards through nine games. Herring also leads UNI with 353 kick return yards on the season.
     The Capital One Academic All-District team honors student-athletes who excel both on the playing field and in the classroom. Selections are open to student-athletes who have reached sophomore academic standing and carry at least a 3.30 GPA. The awards are sponsored by and voted on by the members of the College Sports Information Directors of America.

Game Week: Youngstown State (5-3, 3-2) At Northern Iowa (6-2, 5-1)

Youngstown State will face their toughest test of the Eric Wolford Era this Saturday when they travel to face a very talented Northern Iowa team.  The Panthers had a showdown with North Dakota State last week in a matchup of conference unbeatens, but came out on the short end of the stick, 27-19, and may have lost their best weapon on offense in the process.  Wolford knows that his team has to put their best effort on the field for four quarters to win a game against a team like Mark Farley‘s Panthers.

Tirrell Rennie (#10, above), as of this writing on Thursday night, is still listed as questionable.  I doubt Rennie is playing because when he got hurt at the start of the fourth quarter in last week’s game, he was unable to put any weight on his injured leg.  In a game that important, Rennie would limp around and play through pain unless he was too injured to do so.  My gut instinct is that Farley is just trying to keep everybody off-balance and guessing on the status of his quarterback, last year’s Missouri Valley Football Conference Player of The Year.

Unfortunately for the Penguins, this is a very good team, showing tremendous balance on both sides of the ball.  Senior LJ Fort is second in the nation in tackles and made 15 of them last week.  Fort is a good linebacker because of the stunts that Northern Iowa runs.  Fort would also be the first to credit players like Ben Boothby, a three-technique down lineman, for keeping blockers off of him and allowing the playmaker to get to the ball.  The Panthers defense ranks fourth nationally and gives up an average of less than ten points per game against conference opponents.

Youngstown State is currently ranked second in the nation in offense, averaging about 40 points per game.  While the skeptics would argue that blowout wins against Valpairaiso and Saint Francis are the only reason that average is so high, keep in mind that YSU only put up six against Michigan State, and that works against a 40-point average.

Kurt Hess is loaded with weapons and has done a fantastic job of moving the ball around. Jamaine Cook is currently third in rushing yards nationally and he has skipped about five quarters due to decided outcomes.  The offensive line knows that the Panthers defense is a handful, but can rise to the challenge.

“It starts with our line”, said Hess, who has been praising the big men all year.  ”They have to communicate and pick up all of the twists and stunts that make their defense so dangerous.  I think they are smart enough to handle the assignments.”

Hess also commented on what this game means to his team.  ”This is the biggest game for me since I have been here.  In order to make the run to the playoffs, I said three weeks ago that we would need six, and we got three of them so far.  We must play 60 minutes against Northern Iowa, and I enjoy playing in that kind of loud environment.  If we do what we are capable of and play that full 60 minutes, we are believing that we can do something really special.”

The YSU offense facing off against the Northern Iowa defense is a matchup made in heaven.  Something has to give, and it will come down to who wants it more.  The X-Factor in this contest will be the youthful Penguins defense.  Leaders have emerged in the last three weeks and everybody seems to be playing better than the first four weeks of the season.  Aronde Stanton has been a beast lately and Teven Williams seems to be emerging as a big-time linebacker.

The past is something that cannot get into the young minds of the YSU players.  UNI has defeated the Penguins ten times in a row, the longest active streak in the league.  The Panthers lead the all-time series 19-6, including last season’s 34-30 win over the upset-minded Penguins.  The last time YSU won at Cedar Falls was in 1999.

I don’t think the Penguins players and coaches care too much about past statistics and records.  Their focus is squarely on the 2011 Northern Iowa team that they face Saturday, period.  If Rennie is unable to play, it does not guarantee anything for YSU, but it definitely takes a dual-threat all-star out of the mix and enhances the upstart Penguins odds of winning this war.

QB sets record, leads Panthers to 17-10 victory

Tirrell Rennie is the new king of streaks for the Northern Iowa football team.

If he keeps it up much longer, he might be crowned the new king of Cedar Falls.

Rennie broke the school record for most consecutive passes without an interception Saturday to help the second-ranked Panthers withstand Southern Illinois, 17-10, before 15,265 fans in the UNI-Dome.

Rennie threw 23 passes without an interception against the Salukis, raising his total to 146 straight without an INT and breaking the Northern Iowa record of 138 spotless throws set by Eric Sanders in 2007.

"Personally, I just think that my O-Line is doing a phenomenal job and not making me force throws or rush my decisions," said Rennie, who also saluted his receivers and coaches.

Rennie completed 14 of 23 passes for 167 yards and one touchdown. The victory kept the Panthers (6-1, 5-0) in first place in the Missouri Valley Conference and set up next Saturday's showdown at No.3 North Dakota State.

Rennie has completed 63 of 87 passes in five MVC games for 72.4 percent accuracy. That's a remarkable achievement, but it wasn't the only remarkable feat Saturday in the UNI-Dome.

Northern Iowa defensive tackle Ben Boothby, who hurt his left knee last week against South Dakota State, had arthroscopic surgery on Monday night and played the entire game Saturday. He collected eight tackles, including
1 1/2 behind the line of scrimmage, to help lead a strong defensive effort.

Boothby said he had a "torn lateral miniscus" in his knee and needed surgery to "clean it out."

"He's one-of-a-kind, man," Northern Iowa coach Mark Farley said. "He's the first I've seen to ever come back four days after surgery to play like he did."

Boothby had never defeated Southern Illinois during his career and wanted to fix that blight on his record. A former state wrestling champion, he was determined to play.

"I didn't even take any of my painkillers," he said. "They gave me two and I'm pretty sure they ended up in Wendy's parking lot after I got done there."

The Panthers collected only 288 yards of total offense, but Northern Iowa held the Salukis (2-5, 1-4) to just 212 yards and made key plays. The Panthers lost two fumbles deep in their own territory in the fourth quarter, once at the 15-yard line and once at the 28, but yielded only three points to preserve their lead.

"Those were two huge series," Farley said.

Southern Illinois took a 7-0 lead in the second quarter. The Panthers tied the game when Rennie, under pressure, found Terrell Sinkfield for a diving 18-yard touchdown reception.

Tyler Sievertsen snapped the 7-7 tie with a 48-yard field goal for Northern Iowa with 7:37 left in the third quarter, matching his career long and making him 10 for 11 this season.

Rennie made it 16-7 with a 1-yard keeper with nine seconds remaining in the third period and Sievertsen's PAT made it 17-7. Southern Illinois crept within 17-10 with a 30-yard field goal with 10 minutes remaining after a Northern Iowa fumble, but the Panthers' defense saved the day later in the quarter.

The Salukis got the ball at Northern Iowa's 28-yard line with 5:32 left to play after a Panther giveaway, needing a touchdown to tie the game. They didn't gain a yard.

Former University of Iowa tailback Jewel Hampton, now starring for Southern Illinois, was stopped for no gain on two straight plays, then the Salukis threw two incomplete passes and lost the ball on downs.

David Johnson promptly broke loose for a 39-yard run for the Panthers, putting the ball at the Southern Illinois 33 with Northern Iowa nursing its seven-point lead. Johnson scampered 18 yards to the 10-yard line to put Northern Iowa in good shape with a little more than 2 minutes left.

Johnson was tackled for a 4-yard loss on 3rd-and-goal at the 8, putting the ball at the 12-yard line and setting up an apparent field goal by the Panthers, but Southern Illinois defensive lineman Kayon Swanson was called for a personal foul on the play and ejected from the game.

The personal foul gave Northern Iowa an automatic first down at the 6-yard line and the Panthers ran out the clock from there, preserving their tense victory.

Hampton carried the ball 23 times for 75 yards for Southern Illinois.

Blake White, a reserve defensive back who hadn't made a tackle all season, subbed for injured starter Garrett Scott and led Northern Iowa with 12 tackles.

STUD"S

2011 WALTER PAYTON AWARD CANDIDATE

TIRRELL RENNIE

Quarterback

6’0 / 201 lbs.

Senior

North Lauderdale, Fla.

Coconut Creek HS

Ellsworth CC

Rennie’s Career Passing Stats

Year G-GS Att Com Pct. Yds Int TDs LG HG

2010 12-12 169 95 56.2 1,543 11 8 83 265

2011 7-7 144 87 60.4 1,231 0 10 80 239

Totals 19-19 313 182 58.1 2,774 11 18 83 265

Rennie’s Career Rushing Stats

Year G-GS No. Yds. Avg. TD LG HG

2010 12-12 232 1,291 5.6 15 75 194

2011 7-7 98 524 5.3 6 35 127

Totals 19-19 330 1,815 5.5 21 75 194

2011 BUCK BUCHANAN AWARD CANDIDATE

BEN BOOTHBY

Defensive Line

6’0 / 280 lbs.

Senior

Clinton, Iowa

Clinton HS

2011:

Award watch list for the top individual defensive honor

in FCS football ... named first-team preseason All-American by

The Sports Network ... second-team choice for Phil Steele’s 2011

Preseason FCS All-America team ... registered a sack, five tackles

and three quarterback hurries against Iowa State (9/3) ... secured

four total tackles (2 solos) in a 34-23 win at No. 16-ranked

Stephen F. Austin (9/10) ... tallied six tackles, two TFLs and a

quarterback sack in a 38-10 win over Western Illinois (9/24) ...

secured eight total tackles (3 solos) and 1/2 quarterback sack in

UNI’s 42-7 win at Missouri State (10/1) ... credited with 3.0 TFLs

and 2.0 QB sacks in a 23-9 win over No. 17-ranked Indiana State

(10/8) ... tallied seven total tackles vs. the Sycamores ... six total

tackles, 2.5 TFLs, one sack and two QB hurries in a 31-14 win

at South Dakota State (10/15) ... underwent surgery Oct. 17 on

torn meniscus in his left knee ... started on Oct. 22 vs. Southern

Illinois and posted eight tackles (1.5 TFLs).

One of 20 candidates named to the preseason Buck Buchanan

2010:

... started all 12 games on the defensive line for the MVFC

champions ... named to the ESPN Academic All-America second

team, as selected by CoSIDA ... also named to the CoSIDA/

ESPN Academic All-District team ... ranked No. 12 in the nation

among FCS players with 9.5 sacks on the season ... led

the MVFC with 9.5 sacks and tied for the conference lead with

16.0 tackles-for-loss ... racked up 56 total tackles on the season,

including 24 solo stops ... tied a school record with four sacks in

a season-opening 16-9 victory over North Dakota State (9/11),

earning MVFC Defensive Player of the Week honors ... registered

two sacks against Missouri State (11/13) ... racked up a seasonhigh

9 tackles, 1.5 sacks and 3.5 TFLs against Lehigh in the FCS

Playoffs (11/27) ... recipient of the President’s Council Academic

Award, the MVFC’s highest academic achievement ... first-team

MVFC All-Academic Team.

First team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference selection

2009:

first team ... second team All-Academic selection in the Missouri

Valley Football Conference ... Played all 11 games, starting 8

times on the defensive line ... recorded 27 total tackles ... made

five tackles-for-loss ... tallied 2.5 sacks for a loss of 21 yards ...

recorded one forced fumble and one fumble recovery at Iowa

(9/5) ... notched a season-high four tackles on three different occasions

... made 1.5 TFLs at Missouri State (9/26).

Named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District

2008:

in the fourth quarter of UNI’s 36-34 NCAA playoff win over

New Hampshire (12/6) ... missed all of spring drills with a broken

wrist.

Served as a reserve fullback ... returned one kick 11 yards

2007:

Redshirted.

High School:

State team ... first-team all-state (Class 4A) selection by the Iowa

Newspaper Association and the Des Moines Register ... unanimous

all-MAC pick on offense and defense ... first-team all-metro

captain pick by Quad City Times ... Clinton Herald Player of the

Year ... 2007 Shrine Bowl invitee ... opened holes for MAC leading

rusher Tony Bassett, who rushed for 1,515 yards ... won the

215-pound Class 3A state wrestling title as a senior with a 44-2

record ... placed third in the state at heavyweight in wrestling as

a junior with a 39-5 mark ... posted a career prep wrestling mark

of 107-33 ... member of National Honor Society ... honor roll student

... four-year member of the 3.0 Club ... ranked in the top 10

percent of his high school class ... earned letters in football (3),

wrestling (3) and track (1) ... high school coach: Lee Camp.

Named to the Des Moines Register’s Elite All-

Personal:

Jim and Rhonda Boothby ... has a sister, Anne ... majoring in

exercise science/pre-physical therapy ... selected UNI because

“it’s a great school; great place to take my educational field; great

campus.”

Born Sept. 10, 1988, in Emmetsburg, Iowa ... son of

Boothby’s Career Defensive Stats

Year G-GS UT AT Total TFL Sacks INT FF FR PBU

2008 13-0 1 1 2 0.0 0.0 0 0 0 0

2009 11-8 5 22 27 5.0 2.5 0 1 1 0

2010 12-12 24 32 56 16.0 9.5 0 0 0 0

2011 7-7 18 26 44 10.5 5.5 0 0 1 0

Totals 43-27 49 81 130 32.5 18.5 0 1 2 0

2011 BUCK BUCHANAN AWARD CANDIDATE

L.J. FORT

Linebacker

6’1” / 232 lbs.

Senior

Waynesville, Mo.

Waynesville HS

2011:

... tied for the FCS lead with four forced fumbles through

four games ... No. 2 in the nation with an average of 12.75 tackles

per contest ... notched 13 tackles, including 10 solo stops at Iowa

State in the season opener (9/3) ... also forced a fumble against

the Cyclones ... posted 12 tackles and forced and recovered a

fumble in a 34-23 road victory over Stephen F. Austin (9/10) ...

added 12 more tackles and one tackle-for-loss in UNI’s 38-10 win

over Western Illinois (9/24) ... recorded a career-high 14 tackles

in a 42-7 road triumph over Missouri State (10/1) ... 1.5 TFLs at

Missouri State ... ended two MSU drives with forced fumbles ...

led the Panthers with 12 tackles (2.5 TFLs) in a 23-9 win over

No. 17-ranked Indiana State (10/8) ... forced his fifth fumble of

the season vs. the Sycamores ... posted a new career-high with 17

tackles in a 31-14 win at South Dakota State (10/15) ... notched

eight solo stops and nine assisted tackles against SDSU ... posted

11 tackles (0.5 TFLs) in a 17-10 win over Southern Illinois

(10/22).

Preseason All-Missouri Valley Football Conference selection

2010:

selection ... started all 12 games at linebacker for the MVFC

champions ... second on the team with 92 total tackles and three

interceptions ... third on the team with 11.5 TFLs ... also credited

with one forced fumble and one fumble recovery on the season

... reached double-digit tackles on four occasions ... posted a

career-best game in the Panthers’ season-opening win over North

Dakota State (9/11), tallying a season-high 12 tackles, three

TFLs, two sacks and an interception ... notched seven tackles and

a fumble recovery in a 24-14 win over South Dakota State (10/2)

... recorded six tackles, one sack and an interception at Southern

Illinois (10/9) ... made eight stops in a 42-14 win over Illinois

State (10/23) ... credited with 11 tackles in a 34-30 road victory

at Youngstown State (10/30) ... racked up 10 tackles in a 30-20

win at Indiana State (11/6) ... intercepted a pass to go along with

seven tackles in a win over Missouri State (11/13) ... tallied seven

tackles, two TFLs and a forced fumble at Western Illinois (11/20)

... notched 10 tackles against Lehigh in the FCS Playoffs (11/27).

Second team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference

2009:

third on the team in tackles with 70 for the season ... recorded

30 solo and 40 assisted tackles ... tallied 4.5 TFLs and one sack

on the season ... also made two interceptions and one fumble recovery

and forced a fumble ... opened the season with six tackles

against both Iowa (9/5) and South Dakota (9/12) ... snared his

first career interception in a 66-7 win over South Dakota (9/12) ...

racked up eight tackles and a sack in a 30-0 win over St. Francis

(9/19) ... intercepted a pass in a 42-27 win at North Dakota

State and returned it 65 yards (10/10) ... registered eight tackles,

a forced fumble and a fumble recovery at South Dakota State

(10/24) ... ended the year with a season-high 11 tackles, including

2.5 TFLs, at Illinois State (11/21).

Played in all 11 games, starting nine contests ... ranked

2008:

teams and as a reserve linebacker ... tallied 10 tackles on the

year ... recorded at least one tackle in eight games ... registered

a season-high three stops and a tackle-for-loss in a 28-0 win at

Indiana State (11/15).

Played in 14 games as a true freshman ... saw time on special

High School:

in 2007 ... all-state pick at tailback ... first-team all-conference

pick as a linebacker and running back ... All-Ozark MVP on

offense and defense ... helped Waynesville to first state title in

the school’s history as they won the Class 5A state championship

with a 12-1 overall record ... rushed for 2,152 yards and 23

touchdowns on 228 carries ... tallied 85 total tackles and led his

team with eight sacks and five interceptions ... he returned three

interceptions for touchdowns ... high school coach: Rick Vernon.

Named the Missouri Class 5A Player of the Year

Personal:

Fort Sr. and Amy Holloway ... has four siblings ... majoring in

exercise science.

Born Jan. 3, 1990, in Granite City, Ill. ... son of Larry

Fort’s Career Defensive Stats

Year G-GS UT AT Total TFL Sacks INT FF FR PBU

2008 14-0 3 7 10 0.5 0.0 0 0 0 0

2009 11-9 30 40 70 4.5 1.0 2 1 1 1

2010 12-12 37 55 92 11.5 3.0 3 1 1 2

2011 7-7 37 54 91 5.5 0.0 0 5 1 2

Totals 44-28 107 156 263 22.0 4.0 5 7 3 5

2011:

list for the Jerry Rice Award as FCS Freshman of the Year ...

owns seven touchdowns (five rushing, two receiving) through his

first four career games ... first UNI freshman to ever score two

touchdowns in a season opener ... secured MVFC Newcomer of

the Week honors for his play against Iowa State in the season

opener (9/3) ... scored a pair of touchdowns in his collegiate

debut against the Cyclones, with his first touchdown as a Panther

coming on a 1-yard run in the third quarter to give UNI a 13-7

lead ... pulled down an 80-yard touchdown pass from Tirrell Rennie

to put the Panthers on top, 19-14, with 4:17 left vs. Iowa State

... finished the day with 119 all-purpose yards (83 receiving, 36

rushing) ... helped lead UNI to a 34-23 road victory over nationally-

ranked Stephen F. Austin (9/10), earning MVFC Newcomer

of the Week for the second time ... served as the workhorse of the

Panther offense with 31 carries for 87 yards and two touchdowns

... scored on a one-yard run with 22 seconds remaining before

halftime to give UNI its first lead at 13-10 ... found the endzone

from one yard out again on the opening play of the fourth quarter,

putting the Panthers ahead 27-16 ... his 31 carries were the most

by a Panther since Corey Lewis gained 190 yards on 35 carries at

Southern Illinois on Sept. 27, 2008 ... led the UNI rushing attack

in the Panthers’ 38-10 victory over Western Illinois (9/24), carrying

21 times for a career-high 132 yards ... also led the Panthers

in receiving, hauling in three passes for 46 yards, including a

30-yard touchdown reception from Tirrell Rennie ... notched

his second straight 100-plus rushing effort with 114 yards on

18 carries in a 42-7 win at Missouri State (10/1) ... scored a pair

of rushing touchdowns in the win over the Bears ... tallied his

team-leading eighth touchdown of the season with a 5-yard run

vs. No. 17-ranked Indiana State (10/8) ... carried 20 times for 92

yards, including a 21-yard scamper vs. the Sycamores ... caught

one pass for 12 yards vs. Indiana State ... recorded 96 all-purpose

yards in a 31-14 road win over South Dakota State (10/15) ...

rushed for 49 yards on nine carries and caught three passes for

47 yards against the Jackrabbits ... accounted for 100 all-purpose

yards in a 17-10 win over Southern Illinois (10/22) ... broke a 39-

yard run in the fourth quarter vs. the Salukis.

One of 15 players named to The Sports Network’s watch

2010:

Redshirted.

High School:

the Des Moines Register and Iowa Newspaper Association ...

first-team MAC all-conference as a running back and defensive

back ... led Clinton to an 11-1 record senior year ... 2009 Outstanding

Offensive Player for Clinton HS ... accounted for school

record 42 touchdowns as a senior ... Clinton HS all-time leader

in career receptions, career receiving yards, career and singleseason

total offense and single game record for touchdowns (6)

... 2010 Shrine Bowl All-Star game invitee ... two-time Drake and

state qualifier in track ... second-place finish in 4x200 and 4x400

relays at the Drake Relays ... WQAD Channel 8 two-time winner

of the Player of the Week Award ... second-team all-conference

in basketball as a junior ... maintained over a 3.0 GPA throughout

high school.

Earned first-team Class 4A all-state honors from

Personal:

in physical education.

Born Dec. 16, 1991 ... son of Regina Johnson ... majoring

2011 JERRY RICE AWARD CANDIDATE

DAVID JOHNSON

Running Back

6’3” / 214 lbs.

Redshirt Freshman

Clinton, Iowa

Clinton HS

Johnson’s 2011 Rushing Stats

Year G-GS No. Yds. Avg. TD Long HG Avg./Gm

2011 7-4 123 582 4.7 6 39 132 83.1

Johnson’s 2011 Receiving Stats

Year G-GS No. Yds. Avg. TD Long HG Avg./Gm

2011 7-4 14 239 17.1 2 80 83 34.1