Northern Iowa Coach Compliments Nebraska Football Running Game, Toughness

Long-time Panther coach Mark Farley was complimentary of Nebraska football's ability to run the ball against Northern Iowa Saturday night, but shared frustration with too many penalties against his FCS squad.

Sep 14, 2024; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Matt Rhule and Northern Iowa Panthers head coach Mark Farley talk before the game at Memorial Stadium. / Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Mark Farley was proud with what his team showed against the Nebraska football program on Saturday night.

"I'm walking away that we showed a lot of toughness," Farley said in his postgame comments. When you start rushing the football against Nebraska - or a team like Nebraska - its a standard that you are rushing against. I think that we did a great job at the line of scrimmage. We did it all night long for four quarters."

Farley's Northern Iowa Panthers fell 34-3 in Memorial Stadium to Nebraska on a game that the FCS visitors had an early advantage in, starting the contest with a ten-minute drive ending in a field goal. Farley added that the Panthers' "toughness and rushing game" was something that the then-rated No. 21 FCS team could continue to build from.

Sep 14, 2024; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers running back Dante Dowdell (23) runs against Northern Iowa Panthers defensive back Jonathan Cabral-Martin (8) and defensive lineman Jack Kriebs (57) during the first quarter at Memorial Stadium. / Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

The coach added that the game plan was to use the quarterback run game and to "establish the edges" early to find success. Panthers' quarterback Aidan Dunne finished 13-of-25 passing and led the team in rushing with 49 yards. Farley's biggest frustration in the contest, however, were the yellow markers against Northern Iowa.

"We made critical errors at the wrong time. It was the penalties. That game is totally different - all the way to the very end - with one hundred yards of penalties out there," Farley said. Northern Iowa finished with nine penalties for 95 yards while Nebraska committed four penalties for 44 yards.

The coach continued that he would need to "go back and watch the film" to evaluate the holding penalties against both sides. Farley added that when a team is primarily running the football, "everyone is holding on every down."

Sep 14, 2024; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Dylan Raiola (15) runs against the Northern Iowa Panthers during the second quarter at Memorial Stadium. / Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Farley is shared plenty of compliments regarding Nebraska's running backs, especially starter Dante Dowdell who finished with six carries for 55 yards.

"The running back was a trouble maker. He was quick, he had the better speed early. When we went to man-to-man early, I didn't know if we could cover him," Farley said. "It was run after catch is where the plays were."

Emmett Johnson also toted the rock for four carries and fifty yards, including his 36 yard touchdown scamper to seal the contest late. Johnson and senior back Rahmir Johnson added five catches for over 70 receiving yards in the contest as well.

Sep 14, 2024; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers running back Dante Dowdell (23) runs against the Northern Iowa Panthers during the third quarter at Memorial Stadium. / Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Farley shared that starting quarterback was impressive, calling him a "good player." He credited the first-year starter for "finding blown coverages" during the game.

The Panthers' coach wrapped up his post-game thoughts, saying he feels that Nebraska's strength as a team came from their defense. The Blackshirts upheld their standard, not allowing a touchdown in the game and allowing 307 total yards of offense.

The Huskers will face Illinois on Friday night in Memorial Stadium. Listen to Farley's full postgame thoughts below.

MORE: Predicting the College Football Playoffs: Reflections on Week 3

MORE: Nebraska Freshman Carter Nelson Scores First Touchdown in Huskers Rout of Northern Iowa

MORE: Panthers Pound the Pigskin yet Pummeled by Huskers and their Fleet-Footed Freshmen

MORE: Tad Stryker: Even-Keeled Huskers Smack UNI

MORE: Gut Reaction: Nebraska Rolls Over Northern Iowa and is 3-0

---

Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, subscribing to HuskerMax on YouTube, and visiting HuskerMax.com daily.