Northern Iowa football coach Todd Stepsis has gone through more than 500 text messages since being name the Panther coach this week. Stepsis moves on to UNI after spending the last six years at Drake and says the process escalated moments after the Bulldogs were eliminated from the FCS Playoffs with a 43-29 loss at Tarleton State of Texas.

Stepsis looks to rebuild a UNI program that has a rich history but has struggled in recent years. The Panthers have not made the FCS playoffs since 2021 and finished 3-9 this past season.

UNI has won 16 Missouri Valley Football Conference championships but none since 2011 and they will need to reel in the Dakota schools that are dominating the Valley standings.

Down the road Stepsis will go to work building the roster but for now his focus has been on the current roster and he has been able to retain the incoming recruiting class.

Stepsis is moving quickly to build his coaching staff and hopes to have it finalized soon.