Farley Retiring

[bigticket1]

UNI coach Mark Farley will retire at the end of this season. UNI hasn't been good for awhile, but the administration deserves a good part of the blame for little to no support. He deserved better.

[jakejc795]

Grant Olson to replace him?

[JacksFan80]

Grant Olson to replace him?

Wouldn’t be surprised to see an assistant from NDSU/SDSU/USD get the job. Josh Davis could be a top contender as well.

[jakejc795]

Wouldn’t be surprised to see an assistant from NDSU/SDSU/USD get the job. Josh Davis could be a top contender as well.

I'd be interested in whether they'd go in a defensive or offensive coaching direction

[JackJD]

Here's the story from UNI's athletics website:
https://unipanthers.com/news/2024/11...of-2024-season

I recall reading a news story--had to be at least 10 years ago-- about how the Iowa Legislature was debating whether to cut funding for athletics at Iowa, Iowa State and UNI. The legislature questioned why it was providing money to those three schools, all of which were capable of raising money independently. The legislature talked about weaning the school's athletic programs off public funding. If I recall correctly, Iowa right away said "no objection" and Iowa State followed suit shortly after that. UNI doesn't have the same numbers of alums and could not match the fund-raising abilities of Iowa and Iowa State. Iowa and Iowa State had a bigger roster of alums willing to make significant donations. To further complicate matters, many UNI fans were also fans of Iowa or Iowa State. So I understand UNI lost a significant funding source whereas Iowa State and Iowa agreed to make their budgets without the dollars from the legislature.

I thought the Iowa legislature's decisions made good sense for taxpayers...I could not imagine the SD Legislature appropriating large sums of money to SD colleges and universities to support athletics. But I also thought UNI was going to suffer whereas Iowa and Iowa State would figure it out. And as UNI's budget was changing, SDSU and NDSU made themselves known in FCS football and (particularly SDSU and USD) have become strong competitors for Iowa athletes who in recent history had strongly considered playing for UNI.

UNI's football facilities are pretty shop-worn and in need of expensive improvements. Panther games do not attract the crowds they did 10 years ago and that's a bit of a chicken and egg story: they aren't winning so the crowds are dwindling.m

UNI's funding of athletics has continued to be a topic of discussion. In December of 2023, there was an ongoing dispute when money was moved from general support for the academic side over to the athletic side when projected revenues were falling short. See, e.g.

https://www.kwwl.com/news/education/...190a0ad4f.html

I don't see UNI's fortunes turning around quickly and Farley's decision to hang it up seems understandable. He doesn't deserve all the blame for a decline in UNI's football fortunes; and, he deserves a lot of credit for some great football during his tenure. He just doesn't have the resources the top MVFC teams have.

[JimmieTuba]

Being in the Cedar Valley, I get the feeling (others too) that it was a retire or be fired moment for Farley.