UNI’s new offense focused on putting points on the scoreboard

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (KCRG) - Being picked to finished fifth in the Missouri Valley Football Conference is something that irritates Northern Iowa head football coach Mark Farley. One thing he’s put an emphasis on all offseason and heading into fall camp, is that this team needs to score points and score more points.

The battle at quarterback remains for the Panthers, but Coach Farley expressed what will go into his decision when choosing his guy.

“Who can score the most points. I brought Bodie Reeder in here to score points. Brought receivers in here to score points. The quarterback has got to make decisions to score points,” Farley said.

Competition isn’t new for redshirt junior Theo Day. After transferring to UNI from Michigan State, he took over the job in the Panthers second game last season and never let up.

“I mean it’s the toughest position on the field. It’s the most important position, so the coaches want to make sure they have that right. I understand the competition. I’m excited for it, but I really do think we have a good QB room,” Day said.

It will be a dual job calling plays as Ryan Clanton and Bodie Reeder will serve as co-offensive coordinators.

“One is really structured in the run game and play action. One is really structured in a different style of going fast and those types of things, but Ryan Clanton played in that system when he played at Oregon, so bridging that is really easy,” Farley said.

Through a week of practice, there’s been nothing but praise for the duo.

“From last year, it was kind of confusing because I was the new guy. I was a transfer. Coming in, I was a bit confused with the offense,” redshirt senior Vance McShane explained. “But this year, Coach Reeder has brought in an offense that’s unique in a way. That everybody understands well and we all adapt to it very well, so it’s going to be interesting this year.”

“I would say it’s a quarterback friendly system,” Day said. “We’ve got a lot of power in our hands. We have the ability to change plays, do a whole bunch of stuff, so I feel like the new offense is really going to benefit us.”

After finished 6-6 last season and averaging 21 points a game, there’s still work to be done. That’s why Coach Farley believes camp is crucial to the team’s development.

“We get 11 games. We don’t get 25, 32 basketball games. We get 11. Your first one is just as important as your last one,” Farley said.

The Panthers open up their season on the road against Air Force on Sept. 3.

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