Eleven Panthers selected to Phil Steele All-MVFC squad
CEDAR FALLS — Phil Steele released his 2024 Football Championship Subdivision season awards and the Northern Iowa football team landed 11 on the All-Missouri Valley Football Conference list.
Two Panthers were named to the All-MVFC second team, including offensive lineman Jared Penning and kick returner Sergio Morancy. Five Panthers were tabbed All-MVFC fourth-teamers: running back Tye Edwards, Morancy at wide receiver, tight end Layne Pryor, defensive lineman Carter Hewitt, and linebacker Tucker Langenberg. Four more Panthers were named to the fifth team: offensive lineman Tristan Roper, defensive lineman Derek Anderson, and defensive back Jonathan Cabral-Martin.
Morancy led UNI receivers with 543 yards and seven touchdowns on 37 receptions. He averaged 14.7 yards per reception and led the MVFC with four touchdowns in a single game. Morancy became the first UNI Panther to run back a punt and a kickoff in the same season since 2016.
Penning and Roper anchored an offensive line that allowed only eight sacks and achieved a top-six team passing efficiency of 132.98.
Edwards led UNI with 1,012 rushing yards and six TDs. He was UNI’s first 1,000-yard rusher since Aaron Bailey (1,334) and Tyvis Smith (1,079) in 2015.
Pryor finished the season with 30 receptions for 242 yards and two TDs.
Hewitt recorded 52 total tackles, including 4.5 tackles for a loss of 15 yards.
Langenberg led the Panthers with 82 total tackles including 36 solo tackles. He had an interception against Hawaii and a new career high with 15 tackles against Illinois State.
Anderson played both ways at tight end and defensive line. He recorded 13 total tackles in six games on the defensive line, including 2.5 tackles for a loss of seven yards. On the offensive side of the ball, Anderson had 70 yards on six receptions.
Cabral-Martin was second on UNI’s defense with 80 tackles on the year. He led UNI with 44 solo tackles and recorded a career-high 13 tackles against St. Thomas while recording double-digit tackles in three matchups.