For just the second time this century, the University of Northern Iowa is searching for a head football coach. Here are some potential candidates.

After 24 seasons as the UNI head coach, Mark Farley has announced his intention to retire at the end of the 2024 season.

It would be hard to find in the carosel of college football coaches to find someone as loyal to their alma mater as Mark Farley. The UNI grad turned coach, will step down after this season, 42 years after walking on the UNI football team as a linebacker,

Known fondly as the “walk-on from Waukon,” Farley’s story is in-part an embodiment of UNI football’s uniqueness. He asked his way on to then coach Daryl Mudra’s 1982 team while driving a truck — his first job after graduating high school.

Maybe we've lost the sight of what the purpose of college athletics is," Farley said. "For me, that's giving Iowa farm kids the chance to go play college football and get a college degree."

Northern Iowa football coach Mark Farley announced Sunday that he will retire following the 2024 season, according to a university news release.

Mark Farley, Northern Iowa’s head football coach since 2001, announced Sunday he will retire at the end of the season. The Panthers are 2-8 and the midst of an eight-game losing skid. They play at Youngstown State on Saturday and close the season Nov. 23 at home against Indiana State.

Farley is the winningest football coach in UNI and Missouri Valley Football Conference history, with a total of 182 wins under his belt.

University of Northern Iowa head football coach Mark Farley announced that he will retire at the end of the 2024 season. “It has been a great honor to be part of the Panther family for over 40 years,” Farley said.