KXEL Presents: The Home of the Panthers Pre-Game Podcast - October 7, 2022

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Oh, the

Wi-Fi!

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Welcome to the Home of the Panthers podcast produced by News Talk 1540 KXCL and presented by I'm On Communications.

Experience the I'm On Difference.

I'm Tim Harwood.

Stay tuned to this week's conversation with UNI Panther Spencer Covalier right after this from I'm On Communications.

Who used all the Wi-Fi?

Ah,

apartment life.

Bad Wi-Fi, mystery laundry piles, and a roommate who says, I'll Venmo you.

Maybe 2027 deserves an upgrade.

Coming August 2027, Four Lakes Properties introduces the brand new Union Station Apartments.

Furnished, in-unit washer and dryer.

Internet included.

A great central downtown location.

One to five bedroom apartments.

And no double occupancy fees.

That's less adulting and more actually enjoying where you live.

Union Station Apartments.

Now leasing from Four Lakes Properties.

Wait, we have a washer and dryer in the apartment?

On this homecoming Saturday, the UNI Panther football team will be taking the field at the Unidol against the Illinois State Redbirds, trying to get to 500 for the first time since the season began and to talk about today's game and about last week's win against Indiana State that puts the Panthers in this position.

We're joined now by senior linebacker Spencer Kuvalier.

Spencer, welcome back.

Congratulations on another win last week.

Thank you, Tim.

It's good to be in.

And that victory against

the second war is 20 to 14 something of a nail biter it was close until the Panthers got scored a pull away in the late stages of the fourth quarter what were your thoughts on how that game played out

I felt like the game was a little closer than than it felt for our sideline anyway you know I just I felt like we played

well, well enough to win, which we did, but, you know, got down to the fourth quarter and it was 17 to 14, and our offense got the ball with about seven minutes left.

And, you know, just knowing that we're going to have to go back on defense at some point, it was just, it just didn't feel like the game was going to be that close.

And then our offense did a great job going down there at the end.

They put together like a six minute drive, ended up kicking a field goal, and Matt Cook was nails as far as that went, and it was two for two in the day, which was the difference in the game.

It was 17-14, so just a three-point difference prior to that field goal.

Is there much difference, though, for the defense when you have a six-point lead versus a three-point lead?

It's still a one-possession game.

If they break a big play, it's still potentially a game that could swing the other way in the last couple minutes.

Absolutely.

They got the ball back with about a minute and a half left, and just knowing that we're up by six points just made our defense aware of that we just can't give up the big play.

That's going to allow a touchdown.

So if they were to get into field goal range, which they didn't end up.

But if they were to, we knew that they're going to go for it on every fourth down that they had because they had to find the end zone.

And so our demeanor changes a little bit.

We're still going to play aggressive defense, but we're also going to be conscious of not getting beat deep on an explosive play.

You know, it was a low scoring close game throughout, so you're not going to see the type of day where a team that's trailing is going to have to be throwing the ball.

They tried to run all throughout.

It looks like 38 running plays for an average of 2.7 yards per carry.

Seems like that was a strong point for the Panther defense in this one.

Yeah, our D-line played incredible.

They were really good up front, our defensive line.

We just had a pretty good scheme I felt like against them.

I felt like our front seven played incredibly hard and obviously our corners and everything else and safeties who were in the mix as well came down and did their responsibility as well.

And so it was interesting, you know, the first.

the first quarter our offense had a possession and their offense had one possession and then all of a sudden it was the second quarter.

So I mean we were out there one time in the first quarter, we were out there two times in the second quarter and the second time that we were out there it was a quarterback you know the end of the you know end the half and so it was just it's kind of it was just long sustainable drives that they ended up having and you know they walked away out of the first half with three points so I think our defense was happy about that.

Time of possession definitely favored Indiana State, even with that long panther drive that you talked about in the fourth quarter, 35 minutes to 25 minutes, roughly.

Does that surprise you?

Did it feel like that the scale was tipped a little more in their favor when it came to time of possession?

It was interesting throughout the game.

Well, in the first half, we're sitting there at halftime, and I was looking at a couple of my teammates, Corby Sander in particular, and I was like, I just don't feel.

as tired as I should.

It was just kind of interesting, even though they had, you know, they had like a 10 minute drive in the first quarter and then followed up with like another eight minute drive in the second quarter.

I don't know the exact numbers, but, you know, roughly speaking, they would convert on third and shorts.

They went forward on the, in the first quarter, they went for the fourth, or forward on fourth down, I think twice on that drive and converted to third down.

So just, you know, just long, sustainable drives that they were, that they had, which is credit to them.

But I was just pleased that our defense was able to keep out of the end zone.

Yeah, the cliche would be bend, don't break.

That seems to be the thing with that sort of time of possession, with that many plays, but only allowing 14 points.

Absolutely, yeah.

And for us to hold them to, you know, a field goal and then...

and 11 points to follow after that.

And they were in the red zone, I think, four times, if not five.

And we forced them to miss two field goals.

Sometimes I think people look at that as maybe a kicker's mistake, missing field goals and things like that.

However, our defensive line, I think, put the pressure on their kicker.

They were bulldozing the front five guys of Indiana State and were getting their hands up and were forcing the kicker to think.

And I think you just kind of maybe messed with them and helped

secure a victory as they missed two field goals.

And a day that's sort of the polar opposite for you individually compared with what you had at Western Illinois, where you just were involved in a couple of tackles credited to your stat line.

And again, stats aren't all that is the football game.

There's a lot of other things that are happening.

But from that day to go to being the top tackler, 11 tackles, how was it a different day for you last Saturday relative to the Western

Illinois game?

As you mentioned,

They carried the ball 38 times.

And so when the run of the ball, I'm going to be typically involved in more plays at the line of scrimmage or beyond.

And so two weeks ago, as we played Western Illinois, there were just a lot of quick passes, passes to the edge perimeter over the top.

And that's more going to be the corners and safeties making plays on those, which my opportunities, I just have to take advantage of them when they come inside the box.

We're talking with UNI Panther senior linebacker Spencer Covalier.

It is homecoming week as we alluded to and that's got to be a lot of fun whether you're talking about high school, whether you're talking about college.

Homecoming is something of a special time.

How much different though is it to have homecoming at the college level versus the high school level where I think at least my perception from what I remember of high school is that it's a bigger deal.

Yeah, I would agree with that too because it's just

You're seeing all your classmates, at least I was in a smaller school.

You see all your classmates every day, and Monday through Friday, they have the dress code.

So on Monday, they do superhero day.

They have each specific day scheduled out for everybody, for the student body to come together and have that school pride.

And they have competitions on who's best dressed on an individual day.

And they have different events throughout the week.

Whereas here at UNI,

You're not dressing kind of goofy going to class, you know, it's it's college and so That myself personally I only have one class a week and so I'll go to I'll go to class on Tuesdays and Thursdays and that's really just about it And so it's just it's a little different as far as being able to see people in your classroom and in the student body every day versus seeing a small portion of the student body throughout the week

Is it odd to have homecoming?

During the second week of a four game home stand that seems strange to me based on my understanding of how this whole tradition started

Yeah, well, I can't believe we have four home games in a row to begin with and so I thought I think that's interesting within itself But yeah, it'll be a nice little you know pick me up We obviously won against Washington Illinois and then last week against Indiana State and just gonna kind of try to keep this ball rolling into into this Saturday and so

Coming down at the homecoming it just kind of gives everybody else that extra pep in their step knowing that student body will probably be there and and people are going to take some pride in another UNI victory.

It is

one of those games where you expect to have a really good crowd at the home field at the unidome in this case, but any any team playing their homecoming game is gonna probably have a big crowd and that is one of the Aspects of homecoming that I think does translate over to college is that it's an opportunity for a lot of alumni to come back any of your former teammates who you expect to see either on Saturday at the dome or

Elsewhere, maybe after the game's over around campus, getting a chance to come back and relive the college

life.

Yeah, actually I have a couple old roommates who are going to come back and stay with us and obviously be apart and watch the game.

And not that I played with him, but a legendary Panther alum, Kurt Warner, is in town.

And you know he's going to be a part of the parade for homecoming and it's just going to be great to kind of see the atmosphere that he brings along with him.

And a

great story with Kurt Warner being back as part of the festivities for homecoming this year.

And a player that I'm guessing...

You know, we've talked in the past about your memories of watching Panther football.

That would predate, I'm guessing, though, the games that you were at the dome for, at least the ones that probably stand out in your memory.

But what would you remember about Kurt Warner as a pro player with the Rams and then with the

Cardinals?

I used to be a huge Rams fan.

You know, they're the greatest show on turf.

They had Marshall Falk and Isaac Bruce and Kurt Warner, you know, and they were great, too.

They're so fun to watch.

You know, when they were in St.

Louis, they played at the Edward Jones Dome and actually my dad worked for Edward Jones, the company itself.

And so it was just kind of, uh, just kind of cool just to just be a Rams fan at the point in time and watching their great success.

And then when he went to the Arizona, I became an Arizona Cardinals fan.

It was just kind of cool to see, uh, you know, kind of the success story that he has, he's had here at UNI and from working at high V and bringing a football and how everything like that went and played out form.

And to see the success that he has is, is incredible.

Well, we talked about.

the difference between high school and college homecoming, but you've been a part of these games before.

Is there anything that you really look back upon from your previous UNI homecoming games where you say, you know what, that was a cool moment?

So last year.

Friday night before the game there was a select few of us guys.

I think just the captains on the team We went out to just right in front of Campanile there on campus and there was some students there There was there's band.

There's other athletes.

There was just you know, just the student body Was there and there was a big stage and they were playing some live music and We had an opportunity to go up on stage and just kind of speak a couple words to the people and it's just kind of cool to see the excitement and

And the way it makes you feel, just seeing how excited people are to watch you play football.

And for a homecoming game, it's just kind of cool, just to kind of re-understand and just take a step back from just being strictly a football player to understand that this is, it means something to other people as well.

It's just kind of cool to go out there and play for them.

We're talking with UNI Panther senior linebacker Spencer Covalier, homecoming Saturday the Panthers and the Illinois State Redbirds getting closer to sending you out to the dome.

Before we do, they'll want to talk about this matchup, this long time rivalry against another former Gateway Conference opponent that's been so far, just a series of games against teams that.

have deep roots in the series with UNI, First Western Illinois, last week Indiana State, this week Illinois State, last year sort of a heartbreaker against the Redbirds.

A game that really looked like it might turn the Panther season when it came to the playoff hopes.

Illinois State won that game 17-10 in overtime after a big UNI comeback.

Tell us what stands out about last year's trip to normal.

Wow.

There's a lot to be said, but I would say that the one thing that really sticks out to me, so it was 10 to 10 in the fourth quarter.

And they punted the ball with less than two minutes left.

And Deanne McShane caught the punt, made a move, got to the edge, and returned it for a touchdown.

And I was like, oh my gosh, that's going to be the ball game.

And then look back, and there was a penalty flag.

And there was a called block in the back that

I understand people make mistakes, but the call was probably not warranted for the call.

And it was a game-changing call, clearly, as you stated, with the final score being 17-10 in favor of Illinois State.

And so going into that game, then I remember in overtime they threw a great pitch and catch on a third and long for them to score.

And then we weren't able to get in the end zone.

We took possession of the ball in overtime.

So going to look forward to trying to get some revenge.

when it comes to those overtime situations it's not something the Panthers have been in this season yet how do you prepare for something like that especially after the ebb and flow of a game like what you described last year with Illinois State if the Panthers find themselves whether it's this week or whether it's down the road in overtime

How do you make that sequence of plays, whether it's the offense or the defense that has the ball first, stand up and represent the whole game as it will turn out?

Yeah.

It's one of those deals where he's got to look at your teammates and say, this has got to come to us.

And as a defense, that's how we always want the game to be.

We always want the game to be left in our hands.

We never want to force the offense to go down there and have to score a game winning possession.

For example, last week at Indiana State, our defense was more than happy to be out there.

It's 2014.

We have the lead.

It's our duty to get them off the field and then get us and secure the win.

And so when an overtime opportunity happens, we always want to go out there first.

We just want to go play our defense the way we know we can play it and keep them out of the end zone at all costs.

This will be the first time this season that Illinois State has been west of the Mississippi River.

They've played their last three games at home.

They're two and two so far.

Not a lot of yards on the ground.

They're averaging somewhere in the range around under 100 yards per game on the ground.

A little bit more offense passing.

Give us your scouting report when it comes to the Redbird offense.

We plan on keeping that average below 100 yet again.

We're just going to try to play sound, fundamental defense, play within our ability of what we know what to do and have everybody do, you know, just be one-eleventh of the team.

And so just going out there each and every play, taking one play as a time and doing our job as a defense.

Who do they remind you of?

Who is similar when it comes to teams?

The Panthers either have seen this season or will see that traditionally does the same type of thing.

I think they'll have some similarity to North Dakota, just the way.

I feel like that's just Missouri Valley football.

Western Illinois is a little bit different scenario as we've seen.

They're a little bit more pass heavy.

North Dakota State, for example, is a lot more run heavy.

And so it's either one end of the spectrum or the other.

Or there's that middle ground where they run and pass.

And I feel like Illinois State falls somewhere in between there.

So last word, a key thought on getting the homecoming win and really giving the Panther fans who are at the dome today a chance to celebrate.

I would say, as much as they may not know this, last week, Indiana State, the crowd was really loud there in that final drive that Indiana State had in the fourth quarter.

And it actually caused one of their offensive guards to jump, bump the back five yards, put them in a third and 13, which was a more difficult situation for them to convert.

And that was all credit to the crowd.

It wasn't anybody else jumping around.

It was the crowd being loud and being into the game.

And that's all we could ever ask for as players.

It's just come.

be loud and honestly have a great time.

That's the most important.

Well, I have

no doubt that the dome will be loud today.

Spencer, thanks for being back with us.

Absolutely, Tim.

Thank you.

Thanks for listening to the Home of the Panthers podcast with UNI Panther Spencer Covalier presented by Imon Communications.

Experience the Imon Difference.

Join us again before next week's UNI football game for the Home of the Panthers podcast and listen to the game live on the Home of the Panthers News Talk 1540 KXEL.

I'm Tim Harwood.