Oct. 21, 2008

FAYETTE, IOWA - Upper Iowa University President Dr. Alan Walker announced today that Mike Knoll is no longer the Peacock head football coach. Dr. Walker appointed Dave Barclay as the interim head football coach for the remainder of the 2008 season. Dr. Walker, Coach Barclay, and Kent McElvania, the Interim Director of Athletics, addressed the coaching staff and team late this afternoon.

The Peacocks were 10-31 under Knoll over the last three and a half seasons as Upper Iowa made the transition from NCAA Division III to NCAA Division II. Barclay joined the Peacock coaching staff in 2005 after 33 years as a coach at Starmont High School, including the last 25 years as the head coach. At Starmont, Barclay compiled a 163-73 career record. He coached eight playoff teams, including the Iowa Class 2A state runners-up in 1999. Barclay was an assistant coach at the 1994 Iowa Shrine Game before serving as the head coach at the 2004 Shrine Game. Barclay, a 1972 Upper Iowa University graduate, was inducted into the UIU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2000. He was also a 2002 inductee into the Iowa Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

The Peacocks (1-7, 1-6 NSIC) have three games remaining on their schedule this season. The team will travel to Concordia University-St. Paul this Saturday, Oct. 25, and to Minnesota State University, Mankato the following Saturday, Nov. 1. Upper Iowa will wrap up their 2008 campaign with a home game against the University of Minnesota, Crookston on Saturday, Nov. 8.