2024 Football Schedule

[UNIpanther99]

Who are the press sources who have expressed negative responses about our schedule? I'd like to read what they have to say. Looking forward to your response. Thanks.

A real quick search of twitter makes it's easy to find several negative responses. Here are just a few examples.

Zach Borg, Dakota Sports Now: "2 FBS games and a schedule that could expand to 13 games since they are playing at Hawaii... and Northern Iowa elects not to play non-conference home game and only will play FOUR home games period? Why even bother continuing with a football program at this point?"

Cole Bair, The Gazette: "Just four home games on UNI's 2024 schedule. And only one of those home games are before the last weekend in October. There have been some bad schedules throughout the years, but this one takes the cake."

SoundOFF: "That's a tough first half of schedule."

Ethan Petrik: "UNI's 2024 football schedule is a doozy."

Also, current players:
Sergio Morancy: "Only four home games for my senior year? (crying emoji)"

If this schedule was meant to be in progress, UNI didn't message this well to the media, alums, or even current members of the team.

[UNIAlum95]

Thank you '99. Exactly what I was referencing. In addition, I love this one from Matt Zimmer of Sioux Falls, "A former FCS power behaving as though football is a nuisance to their school." Perfectly stated.

In addition:
John Bohnenkamp said it is a hold your nose and cash the check schedule.
You've got a former players Isaiah Nimmers, Briley Moore, and Jared Brinkman tweeting about how bad the schedule is.

Overall a PR fail on the "Exciting Announcement"

[Born-a-Panther]

Thank you '99. Exactly what I was referencing. In addition, I love this one from Matt Zimmer of Sioux Falls, "A former FCS power behaving as though football is a nuisance to their school." Perfectly stated.

In addition:
John Bohnenkamp said it is a hold your nose and cash the check schedule.
You've got a former players Isaiah Nimmers, Briley Moore, and Jared Brinkman tweeting about how bad the schedule is.

Overall a PR fail on the "Exciting Announcement"

Zac Kibby, former player, also tweeted out a bunch of comments about this and he's right:
"Feel bad for the players, students and fans. Fastest way to lose fans and school pride. UNI desperately needs better leadership in the athletics department. It is falling behind the competition and fast. Some of mine and my family's best memories were home games and going out to eat afterward. You can never get enough of those days together."

And even if people aren't public on twitter... I received several messages about this yesterday. But that being said - I did see many, many Twitter comments -- from all over.

[BCPanther]

I'll add on:

Former player Zac Kibby: 'Honestly embarrassing to only schedule 4 home games. Feel bad for the players, students, and fans. Fastest way to lose fans and school pride. UNI desperately needs new leadership in the athletics department. It is falling behind the competition, and fast.'

Matt Zimmer, Sioux Falls Live: 'Northern Iowa will play only four home games in 2024. Five of the first six on the road. A former FCS power behaving as though football is a nuisance to their school'

Jesse Gavin, Radio Dubuque: 'This seems like the kind of schedule you end up with when your already underwhelming Athletic Director has a foot out the door'

Former player Cal Twait: 'I really hope the new AD realizes how bad our scheduling has been'

Former player Jared Brinkman: '4 home games and 7 away???? Horrible scheduling as usual'

Former player Briley Mooore: 'C'mon now...'

Current player Isaiah Nimmers: 'Lol ain't nothing exciting about this schedule'

Mike Brinkman, Father of Jared: 'Very disappointing schedule. We are failing in the Valley'

[Newsbreaker]

It's not just embarrassing. It undermines the entire "front porch of the university" argument. If Athletics are marketing, providing alumni engagement and community connection, this puts a pillow over the face of both. No home game until after the thrill of a new season has passed, only four home games, and a brutal and uncompetitive front stretch.

No wonder the faculty union is squawking. They smell blood in the water.

[UNIAlum95]

And just for fun UND's '24 schedule includes 7 home games against 5 road. We are hoping for a 5th. Just embarrassing.

[BCPanther]

2024 MVFC Home/Road Splits:

Illinois State: 6 home/6 away (FBS at Iowa)
Indiana State: 6 home/6 away (FBS at Purdue)
Missouri State: 5 home/7 away (FBS at Ball State)
Murray State: 6 home/6 away (FBS at Missouri, at Kentucky)
North Dakota: 7 home/5 away (FBS at Iowa State)
North Dakota State: 6 home/6 away (FBS at Colorado)
UNI: INCOMPLETE 4 home/7 away (FBS at Nebraska, at Hawaii)
South Dakota: INCOMPLETE 5 home/5 away (FBS at Wisconsin)
South Dakota State: 6 home/6 away (FBS at Oklahoma State)
Southern Illinois: 6 home/6 away (FBS at BYU)
Youngstown State: 6 home/ 6 away (FBS at Pitt)

[ronfitch]

Thank you '99. Exactly what I was referencing. In addition, I love this one from Matt Zimmer of Sioux Falls, "A former FCS power behaving as though football is a nuisance to their school." Perfectly stated.

We should all be sending thank you cards to Tulane.

[CincyPanther88]

We should all be sending thank you cards to Tulane.

True. But that's like thanking the tornado that demolished your house for going on it's way.

I don't know why anyone would buy season tickets at this point except to say that they have been a season ticket holder for X number of years. By the time the SDSU game rolls around tickets are going to be really discounted. Do season ticket holders get any percs like a meet and greet with Farley or some kind of swag? I said in another thread concerning the announcement of the gift the athletic department received being timed to counter the faculty protests because Bob has mad PR skills. If Bob let this out, my opinion of his PR skills plummeted. First of all, you don't release that kind of news on signing day. You release it late Friday afternoon. It's still bad news but it's muted somewhat when it's released then. Secondly, if there is a 5th home game, don't release the f'n schedule until you actually have a game in place.

[BCPanther]

True. But that's like thanking the tornado that demolished your house for going on it's way.

I don't know why anyone would buy season tickets at this point except to say that they have been a season ticket holder for X number of years. By the time the SDSU game rolls around tickets are going to be really discounted. Do season ticket holders get any percs like a meet and greet with Farley or some kind of swag? I said in another thread concerning the announcement of the gift the athletic department received being timed to counter the faculty protests because Bob has mad PR skills. If Bob let this out, my opinion of his PR skills plummeted. First of all, you don't release that kind of news on signing day. You release it late Friday afternoon. It's still bad news but it's muted somewhat when it's released then. Secondly, if there is a 5th home game, don't release the f'n schedule until you actually have a game in place.

Bob isn't here full time yet. David is still technically the guy until the 3rd.

This was just a huge gaffe by an underexperienced and underpaid communications staff.

[Born-a-Panther]

Bob isn't here full time yet. David is still technically the guy until the 3rd.

This was just a huge gaffe by an underexperienced and underpaid communications staff.

This is correct. Bob won't really be involved until January. I've heard good things that there are people high up that are more than aware there have been some serious issues with the athletic department the past several years, and they have their sights set on turning things around. It's going to take time. But I have reason to be hopeful from what I've been told and what I have heard.

[sevelev711]

This is correct. Bob won't really be involved until January. I've heard good things that there are people high up that are more than aware there have been some serious issues with the athletic department the past several years, and they have their sights set on turning things around. It's going to take time. But I have reason to be hopeful from what I've been told and what I have heard.

This is nice but man it's hard to have hope after [gestures vaguely at UNI Athletics for the last decade plus.]

[BCPanther]

This is nice but man it's hard to have hope after [gestures vaguely at UNI Athletics for the last decade plus.]

From everything I've heard and conversations I've had, they are fully aware that they have a lot of trust to earn back and that's not coming from the athletic department, that's coming from the university in cabinet level positions. When you get them off the record they were every bit as worried about the direction as we were, they just didn't have a way to get out of David's contract before it expired. He wasn't going to be renewed and Tulane helped us out on that one.

Bob is giving 4 months of a deep dive and total review of the department from the top down and one of the things that the president's office has already identified is that we've got young, inexperienced and poorly trained people in positions that they just flat shouldn't be in simply because they were cheap to hire and in most of those cases it isn't at all the fault of the person, they weren't set up for success.

There isn't an overnight fix but there is a fix that starts with getting a fundraiser in the chair and Bob helping that proven person get a good staff around them from an administrative standpoint.

Completely my opinion here but the next AD is most likely someone that we're not familiar with. Bob knows everybody in the Big 12 and Big 10. I would imagine it's a younger up and comer with a bright future that has a big time role in a big time athletic department that wants to have a power league job someday that Bob feels comfortable with handing a Valley level job to.

[UNIpanther99]

I'd be fine if it's the right person coming up through the Big 10/12, but I really want to see someone in the full-time position who has been at a mid-major and understands the challenges. David came in and seemed to think if he just acted like a big-shot Power 5 AD, things would magically happen around him. Whomever they hire needs to be willing to get their hands dirty, and I mean literally grabbing a long-jump pit rake and going to town on that if necessary. I think Bowlsby understands that.

[BCPanther]

I'd be fine if it's the right person coming up through the Big 10/12, but I really want to see someone in the full-time position who has been at a mid-major and understands the challenges. David came in and seemed to think if he just acted like a big-shot Power 5 AD, things would magically happen around him. Whomever they hire needs to be willing to get their hands dirty, and I mean literally grabbing a long-jump pit rake and going to town on that if necessary. I think Bowlsby understands that.

Oh for sure. Bob got his start here as the guy running cleaning crews in the Dome and physically helping do load ins and outs for shows here. He knows what it takes and so do the vast majority of 'leaders'.