(Radio Iowa) – Northern Iowa coach Mark Farley says with the change in their season the calendar has flipped. The Panthers will now play a spring season beginning in late February and UNI opens practice on Tuesday that Farley says resembles spring drills.

The Panthers will be allowed 15 practices through the end of October and Farley says one of his goals is to get all of the young players game ready.

They will also need to get the players ready for two seasons in one calendar year.

The spring season will feature eight games as well as the FCS playoffs.