KXEL Presents: The Home of the Panthers Pre-Game Podcast - November 5, 2022

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.

The UNI Panther football team getting ready for their final regular season home game against the Jackrabbits of South Dakota State University and a

big matchup for UNI, not simply because it's the last home game that's on the regular schedule, not because the Jackrabbits are number one, not even because it's senior night on campus, it's because UNI over 500, with a win, could put themselves in control of their own destiny to even a greater degree when it comes to the FCS playoffs.

And to talk about it, now we're joined by UNI Panther senior linebacker Spencer Kuvalier.

Spencer.

This is what you play for.

This is the whole reason that you play the season is to get to this point where you're in a game that matters.

It is.

And we know we worked really hard this season to overcome a rocky start, to say the least, starting off 0-3.

And then I think we're 5-1 in our last six games.

And so trying to stay the right path and just continue to execute the game plans that are put in front of us.

Well in this position because of a lot of wins during the month of October and most recently the victory against Southern Illinois on the road last weekend.

We talked about the long stretch of home games and then finally going back on the road.

Tell us what was different or what was comfortable if there were things that were comfortable about leaving campus after a month at the dome and then going to Carbondale.

Well we knew it was going to be a difficult environment to play in.

And like I'd mentioned, in weeks prior to this, we're going to play football.

And it's going to be every single game counts.

And it's apparent.

And going into Carbondale this last weekend, they have a great team.

I mean, Southern Illinois is a good football team.

They have a lot of really skilled guys at a lot of important positions.

And their quarterback is one of them, that Nick Baker we had talked about last week prior to going into the game.

You know, he made a lot of good plays and he and he's a heck of a quarterback and there's a lot of credit that goes to those guys and but but again Going into Carbondale and being able to get out of there with a win was the number one objective and we completed that

Let's fast-forward right to the end of the game because it really did come down to the last play the last yard or so Tell us what you saw from where you were

it was a situation and really a game that I

Don't know if I had ever quite experienced Obviously the the prior drive to that they had missed the go-ahead field goal and then when we took over on downs You know ran the ball three times they use three timeouts and then gave them a couple shots at the end zone there at the end and You know that the the first one they threw Given Breck you made a nice play and it actually ended up in her

Intercepting it, but we actually had jumped off sides prior to and again credit to them They used a hard counter, you know, they they clapped it buns trying to get us a jump and then also we jump they snap it and they get a free play and so Those plays in my mind are 50-50 balls and the moment you give a team a second chance at a 50-50 ball the odds start going in their favor and You know the guy made a heck of a catch down there at the one-yard line ripped it down away from the defenders and then you know his knee was down

before the ball crossed the goal line, thankfully.

So, you know, I was basically myself and every Panther fan out there holding my breath during

the whole

thing.

But, yeah, it's kind of difficult to reflect on in a way.

It's just an unbelievable moment.

I never have experienced anything like that.

We're talking to you and I panther senior linebacker Spencer Covalier the win against Southern Illinois last weekend 37 36 down to the last play and it was a back-and-forth game throughout the Panthers I got off to a good start but in the fourth quarter Southern Illinois was able to get in front briefly until the Panthers retook the lead so a really wild trip down to Carbondale

it really was it was a lot of fun and you know our offense started off the game

In the first half, if I'm not mistaken, I believe there were six for six on third down conversions.

Didn't have to punt.

And on their first four drives, they all resulted in four touchdowns.

And then the last drive of the first half for our offense was a kneel down with 20 seconds left to go in the half.

And so they had just about a perfect first half.

Our offense played unbelievable.

Anytime you score 37 points, it's a good offense a day.

And they scored 36 points.

Our defense has some errors to show up on.

Individuals and just throughout the team in general.

But that's a great game to learn from.

And it was a great game to win.

So up by 11 at halftime, what were you hearing?

What were you thinking?

Did you have a sense that Southern Illinois was going to be right back in the game in just a matter of minutes in the start of the third quarter?

Coach Farley had mentioned throughout the week how good their head coach was.

It said that he's really going to make adjustments.

kind of trying to find, you know, maybe a weakness in the defense of some sort.

And I think they did a good job utilizing that.

Um, they, they got the ball to the perimeter a lot, a lot of quick game stuff.

They didn't run the ball a lot, but, uh, you know, they were very effective with their passing and they use a lot of, they did a lot of screens and quick bubbles at the edges and we're able to, you know, capitalize on, you know, maybe some of our weak points as a defense.

And so to start off the second half, we, we got the ball to start and then on the very first drive, Theo got hit.

As he's getting ready to throw They just didn't see the guy come and fumbled they took over at the 17 yard line went down and scored made that made the ball or we stopped on a two point conversion and then is a five point ball game, but You know the difference in the game Point wise anyway that in my eyes is that they they attempted to two point conversions and failed on both of them You know we were able to get a stop and actually the credit goes to our defense a line both plays both two point conversion plays were pass plays

and both got batted down at the line of scrimmage by a defensive lineman and so very fortunate to have success on the two-point conversions after they scored and ultimately was the difference in the game.

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

The Panthers coming off last week's win against Southern Illinois on the road to take on the Jackrabbits of South Dakota State University at home this weekend.

More on this matchup coming up, but it is senior day as I alluded to when we got going.

You're a senior and you get the chance to celebrate that with some of your teammates who are in the same situation.

What are you looking forward to about?

this opportunity knowing that you don't want this to be the last time that you're going to play at the Unidome and with a win today, there's a good chance that maybe it won't be.

Absolutely.

It's going to be exciting to say the least.

You know, it's been a dang pleasure to be able to play in such a great fan base here at the dome.

Playing in Cedar Falls with the guys on the team has actually been absolutely unbelievable.

And so going into this last regular season home game,

It's just going to be fun for the guys just to fly around and just have one more shot to make some noise in the dome.

I'm pretty sure it's going to be a pretty good turnout if I were a betting man and it being senior day number one team coming into the dome.

It's going to be a lot of fun for a lot of us older guys.

I think the assumption would be that you as a senior, that Bryce Flater as a senior, playing the same position, that you guys would have some things in common.

You have the obvious things in common.

Are you guys close?

Is it going to be a moment where it's special for both of you together?

Yeah, it really will be.

Actually, Bryce Flater and myself were basically roommates.

We lived on the other side of the duplex.

And then also living with us is Corby Sanders, the safety.

And so us three being seniors, it'll be

It'll be a special day for us.

It's going to be really exciting.

You know, we're always talking about the dinner table.

We're very close in that way.

And outside of football, we're great friends too.

And so playing in front of a home crowd on senior night with these guys is going to be really something special.

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

Who else do you feel like you're particularly connected with?

I know that you came in at a slightly different time because you were transferring from Iowa Central so that, you know, traditional recruiting class situation may not apply in the same way in your circumstances that it might for another senior.

It was, and you're exactly right.

You know, I showed up and a lot of those other guys in my class had had that time as freshmen to kind of bond in the dorms and, you know,

go through the freshman difficulties that they endure.

Whether it be retro lifting or the study tables after practice and just kind of the long hours they put in as freshmen, I kind of missed that by going to Iowa Central.

But once I transferred in, everybody was super welcoming.

They were really great to me.

And honestly, not that I'll never forget anything about Iowa Central, but it feels like I've spent my whole college career here.

This is my fourth year here.

so much time around these guys.

It's really, you know, we kind of just connected as one.

It's kind of funny too, because as we talk about other transfers on the team, you know, it's kind of funny as we talk about it as a house, because they always kind of forget that I'm a transfer, you know?

I mean, whatever they may say about a transfer, it's just like, they just don't, almost they don't see me as one in a way.

It's just a little bit different, but it's just, I think that goes to show how close we became.

over the last couple years and actually how long I've been here.

Well as last season was wrapping up and if we would have been talking about seniors then Trevor Penning would have been top of mind with his pro prospects and ultimately being drafted by the Saints in the first round then a few months later.

Give me a scouting report as somebody who's in the locker room.

Who do you feel like among this senior class is the best pro prospect this year for the Panthers?

That's a great question.

I think we have a lot of talented guys, offense and defensively, but I think a guy who flies under the radar quite a bit.

I shouldn't say this because he's just my roommate, but I'm trying to keep no bias in this, but I think Corby Sander is something really special.

I think he has a lot of the attributes to be a professional football player, and not only that, but he's incredibly smart in what he may lack in talent, which there isn't much, but what he may lack in talent, he makes up for being a step ahead by being

very intelligent football-wise.

His football IQ is, in my opinion, probably one of the best in the team.

You know, I try to take pride in being football smart, but when I talk ball with him, he just understands concepts so well.

You know, he understands routes and run game, and he's a big man guy.

He plays a lot of Madden, and you know, he just knows his football stuff, you know, and it's awesome.

It's actually a joy to be able to play with a guy who's so smart and as smart as he is.

Well, hopefully a lot of games left for everybody who's in that group who might have aspirations to play on beyond UNI to show what they can do with more than 11 games this season.

But to get there, it's going to take a win against South Dakota State.

Today, we're talking with UNI Panther senior linebacker Spencer Kuvalier.

Let's talk about the Jack Rabbits and SDSU and what they bring.

Why are they the number one team in the country as someone who's gotten an up close look at them in the past, as someone who I know is following along in what they've done this year?

They're a dang good football program, you know, from top down.

I think their coach is excellent.

And, you know, I've seen a lot of their film on their defense, you know, watching different teams in the valley, you know, scouting their offense, watching them play against South Dakota State.

They're number two.

ranked nationally in total defense.

And I think it all starts at the line of scrimmage.

Their defense of line is really good.

And in turn, their offense of line is really good as well.

So I think the credit should be given where it's due.

I mean, they're a good football program.

But it was the same story last year too.

I mean, they've been a good football program for as long as I've been here at UNI.

They consistently win.

They have a lot of talent across the board.

And it's going to be a

really really fun game to play such a you know good good competitor

is there some extra motivation in brookings do you think after north dakota states been so good for so long after they've been the story of fcs football and south dakota state has been good but

Not getting that same sort of billing that same sort of recognition for how good they've been now as the number one team Do they have a chip on their shoulder?

Because of that even though they are as good as they have been this season undefeated and everything else that they've got going undefeated against FCS opponents is is there some Some mental edge that they're taking from that situation.

Yeah, I would assume that they're playing a little chip on their shoulder, you know Like you said they would they beat

NDSU who's always seems like they're the team to beat the Missouri Valley and SDSU accomplished that this year.

And they're at the top of the Missouri Valley.

And so I think we're currently standing third.

And with a win over this Saturday, it'd be incredible.

But again, what an opportunity to play South Dakota State.

I hope they continue to win up until today.

This is the one game this season.

I want them to lose, but that goes for every Missouri Valley team.

I always cheer for them to win.

against non-conference opponents for sure.

But, you know, it just kind of helps build your own resume after you have beaten an opponent and then, you know, they continue to win after that.

Absolutely.

It's good for the Valley when Valley teams are winning outside the MVFC.

Absolutely.

We're talking with UNI Panther senior linebacker Spencer Kouvelier and we'll get you out to the dome coming up in just a few minutes.

Let me ask about last year's game.

I know you weren't able to play in it due to an injury, but it was a big Panther win on the road against the Jack Rabbits.

What do you remember about that one from having a chance to watch it?

It was almost kind of, I shouldn't say a similar situation this year as far as the

Need to get to the playoffs goes but you know we were going in there against the third or fourth ranked team in the nation and I think we ended up winning by two possession ball game I just remember the guys being so sound on defense.

I was on the sideline giving them the calls on the headset and Really just that the energy they played with they forced a couple turnovers just kind of got South Dakota State out of their groove You know their their offense is really something special.

They have a good quarterback.

They have good running backs

You know, Pierre Strong last year got drafted to the Patriots.

I mean, they have a lot of, they have a lot of talent, you know, up front too.

And so just to see us be able to disrupt that as a team last year and come out with a win was, was awesome.

I'm thinking back to what you said about Southern Illinois and the almost or just about perfect start that the Panther offense had at the beginning of the game.

Do the Panthers have to be perfect today?

in order to get this win, or what is the level that UNI needs to be able to play at to find a way past South Dakota State?

Being a defensive guy, I would say the goal and the key for today's game is that our defense needs to play better than their defense.

And like I mentioned previously, that they're the number two ranked defense nationally, but we need to come out there and we need to outperform their defense.

We only can control what we can control.

The offense is going to go out there and work as hard as they possibly can, but ultimately I think it's going to be up to us and how we can limit South Dakota State's offense.

Spencer, thanks so much for being back with us again.

biggest game of the season.

I think that that's true this week.

I know that's what would be said on any Saturday, but hard to not say that when it's the number one team, when there are the playoff implications that there are this week.

So more so than any week, we always would wish you good luck, but good luck, especially this week.

Thank you very much, Tim.

I appreciate it.

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.