The Western Illinois Leathernecks football program is the intercollegiate American football team for Western Illinois University located in Macomb, Illinois.[2][3] The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). They are members of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC), and play their games as part of the Big South–OVC Football Association, which combines teams from the Ohio Valley and Big South conferences. The team plays its home games at the 16,368 seat Hanson Field.
| Western Illinois Leathernecks football | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
 | |||
| First season | 1902; 122 years ago | ||
| Athletic director | Paul Bubb | ||
| Head coach | Joe Davis 1st season, 4–8 (.333) | ||
| Stadium | Hanson Field (capacity: 16,368) | ||
| Year built | 1950 | ||
| Field surface | Matrix Turf | ||
| Location | Macomb, Illinois | ||
| NCAA division | Division I FCS | ||
| Conference | Big South–OVC | ||
| All-time record | 512–444–38 (.534) | ||
| Bowl record | 2–1 (.667) | ||
| Playoff appearances | 1 (NCAA Division II) 1973 11 (NCAA Division I) 1988, 1991, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2010, 2015, 2017 | ||
| Playoff record | 0–1 (NCAA Division II) 7–11 (NCAA Division I) | ||
| Conference titles | 13 1939, 1942, 1949, 1958, 1959, 1964, 1969, 1981, 1988, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2002 | ||
| Colors | Purple and gold[1] | ||
| Fight song | We're Marching On | ||
| Mascot | Colonel Rock (Live Bulldog), Rocky (Costumed Bulldog) | ||
| Marching band | Western Illinois University Marching Leathernecks | ||
| Outfitter | Adidas | ||
| Website | goleathernecks.com | ||
History
editWestern Illinois had an unofficial football team in 1902, the year the school was established. The team played four games against regional high schools and the Western Illinois Normal & Business Institute going 2-2. In 1903, the school formed an athletic association for the fall football season, which is considered the official beginning of Western Illinois football by the school.[4]
The team adopted its nickname in 1927 when coach Ray Hanson, a decorated officer in the United States Marine Corps, asked the U.S. Navy for permission to use the Corps' Fighting Leathernecks nickname and logo for his team. Western Illinois is the only college which officially takes its nickname from a branch of the U.S. military.[5]
From 2008 through 2023, the Leathernecks were members of the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The university announced on May 12, 2023 that its football program would remain in the MVFC through the autumn of 2023 before joining the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) in 2024. The remainder of the Leathernecks' athletic programs transitioned to the OVC one year prior, on July 1, 2023.[6]
Conference affiliations
edit| Years | Conference | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| 1902–1913 | Independent | |
| 1914–1949 | Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic | |
| 1950–1969 | Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic | NCAA College Division |
| 1970–1972 | Independent | |
| 1973–1977 | Independent | Division II |
| 1978–1980 | Mid-Continent | |
| 1981–1984 | Division I-AA | |
| 1985–2005 | Gateway Football | |
| 2006–2007 | Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) | |
| 2008–2023 | Missouri Valley Football | |
| 2024–future | Ohio Valley |
Championships
editConference championships
edit| Years | Conference | Overall Record | Conference Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1939 | Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 5–1–1 | 2–0–1 |
| 1942 | Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 5–0–2 | 3–0–1 |
| 1949 | Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 9–1–0 | 4–0 |
| 1958 | Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 6–1–1 | 5–1 |
| 1959 | Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 9–0–0 | 6–0 |
| 1964† | Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 6–3–0 | 3–1 |
| 1969 | Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 8–2–0 | 3–0 |
| 1981† | Mid-Continent | 5–6 | 2–1 |
| 1988 | Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference | 10–2–0 | 6–0 |
| 1997 | Gateway Football Conference | 8–3 | 4–1 |
| 1998 | Gateway Football Conference | 11–2 | 6–0 |
| 2000 | Gateway Football Conference | 9–3 | 5–1 |
| 2002† | Gateway Football Conference | 11–2 | 6–1 |
† Co-championship
Playoffs and bowls
editPlayoffs
edit| Season | Result | Classification | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | First Round | NCAA Division II Playoffs | |
| 1988 | First Round | NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs | |
| 1991 | First Round | NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs | |
| 1996 | First Round | NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs | |
| 1997 | Quarterfinals | NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs | (Pecan Bowl) |
| 1998 | Semifinals | NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs | (Pecan Bowl) |
| 2000 | First Round | NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs | |
| 2002 | Quarterfinals | NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs | (Pecan Bowl) |
| 2003 | Quarterfinals | NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs | (Pecan Bowl) |
| 2010 | Second Round | NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs | |
| 2015 | Second Round | NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs | |
| 2017 | First Round | NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs |
*Note: Since 1981, the NCAA Division I-AA/Division I FCS Playoffs Regional Championships were commonly referred to as the Boardwalk Bowl (East Region Championship), Pecan Bowl (Midwest Region Championship), Grantland Rice Bowl (South Region Championship), and Camellia Bowl (West Region Championship).
Bowl games
edit| Season | Bowl | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 | Corn Bowl | Wheaton | W 13–0 |
| 1953 | Corn Bowl | Iowa Wesleyan | W 32–0 |
| 1955 | Corn Bowl | Luther | L 20–24 |
Head coaches
edit| Years | Name |
|---|---|
| 1902–1903 | Unknown |
| 1904 | L. H. Laughlin |
| 1905 | A. Laughlin |
| 1906, 1910 | Oliver Morton Dickerson |
| 1907–1908 | Charles A. Barnett |
| 1909 | Francis Taft |
| 1911 | Albert Walrath |
| 1912–1913 | Unknown |
| 1914 | Edward S. Dowell |
| 1915 | Unknown |
| 1916–1917, 1919 | Erskine Jay |
| 1918 | No team |
| 1920–1921 | W. A. Cleveland |
| 1922–1925 | Howard Hawkes |
| 1926–1941 | Ray Hanson |
| 1942–1943 | Wix Garner |
| 1944 | Bob Barnwell |
| 1945–1947 | Wix Garner |
| 1948 | Harold Ave |
| 1949–1953 | Vince DiFrancesca |
| 1954–1956 | Wes Stevens |
| 1957–1959 | Lou Saban |
| 1960–1968 | Art Dufelmeier |
| 1969–1973 | Darrell Mudra |
| 1974–1975 | Brodie Westen |
| 1976–1978 | Bill Shanahan |
| 1979–1982 | Pete Rodriguez |
| 1983–1989 | Bruce Craddock |
| 1990–1998 | Randy Ball |
| 1999–2009 | Don Patterson |
| 2008–2012† | Mark Hendrickson |
| 2013–2015 | Bob Nielson |
| 2016–2017 | Charlie Fisher |
| 2018–2021 | Jared Elliott |
| 2022–2023 | Myers Hendrickson |
† Acting head coach first seven games of 2008 season and last eight games of 2009 season.
Season records
edit| Year | Overall record | Conference record | Standing (Total teams) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1903 | 0-3 | - | - |
| 1904 | 5-2 | - | - |
| 1905 | 4-2 | - | - |
| 1906 | 1-4 | - | - |
| 1907 | 2-3 | - | - |
| 1908 | 2-3-1 | - | - |
| 1909 | 2-3 | - | - |
| 1910 | 4-1-1 | - | - |
| 1911 | 4-3 | - | - |
| 1912 | 4-3 | - | - |
| 1913 | 5-3 | - | - |
| 1914 | 3-2-1 | 0-1 | T-14th (15) |
| 1915 | 1-5 | 0-4 | T-16th (28) |
| 1916 | 1-7-1 | 0-5 | T-18th (19) |
| 1917 | 2-4 | 1-4 | 13th (18) |
| 1918 | No games played | N/A | N/A |
| 1919 | 5-2 | 1-2 | 16th (19) |
| 1920 | 0-3-1 | 0-2-1 | T-17th (21) |
| 1921 | 3-3-1 | 1-2 | T-16th (23) |
| 1922 | 6-2 | 2-1 | T-6th (23) |
| 1923 | 1-6-1 | 1-4-1 | 20th (23) |
| 1924 | 4-3 | 3-3 | 8th (22) |
| 1925 | 4-3-1 | 4-3-1 | 9th (22) |
| 1926 | 4-3-1 | 4-3 | 8th (19) |
| 1927 | 6-3-1 | 4-3-1 | 9th (16) |
| 1928 | 2-3-3 | 2-3-2 | 14th (22) |
| 1929 | 3-5[Note A] | 2-5 | 18th (23) |
| 1930 | 4-4 | 3-4 | 15th (22) |
| 1931 | 2-6 | 2-4 | 18th (22) |
| 1932 | 4-2-1 | 4-2-1 | 7th (21) |
| 1933 | 3-5 | 2-4 | 16th (21) |
| 1934 | 5-3 | 4-2 | T-6th (20) |
| 1935 | 2-6 | 1-6 | 17th (20) |
| 1936 | 3-2-2 | 3-2-1 | T-7th (21) |
| 1937 | 3-4-1 | 3-1-1 | 6th (21) |
| 1938 | 6-2 | 2-1 | 4th (8) |
| 1939 | 5-1-1 | 2-0-1 | 1st (5) |
| 1940 | 1-6-1 | 0-3-1 | 4th (5) |
| 1941 | 3-4-1 | 1-2-1 | 4th (5) |
| 1942 | 5-0-2 | 3-0-1 | 1st (5) |
| 1943 | 1-6 | 0-4 | 4th (5) |
| 1944 | 0-8 | 0-4 | 4th (5) |
| 1945 | 1-5-1 | 0-3-1 | T-3rd (5) |
| 1946 | 2-6 | 0-4 | 4th (5) |
| 1947 | 4-4-1 | 0-4 | 4th (5) |
| 1948 | 4-4 | 1-3 | 3rd (5) |
| 1949 | 9-1 | 4-0 | 1st (5) |
| 1950 | 7-1 | 4-1 | 2nd (7) |
| 1951 | 7-1-1 | 4-1-1 | 2nd (7) |
| 1952 | 7-2 | 5-1 | 2nd (7) |
| 1953 | 8-2 | 5-1 | 2nd (7) |
| 1954 | 6-1-3 | 3-1-2 | 3rd (7) |
| 1955 | 5-4-1 | 2-3-1 | T-4th (7) |
| 1956 | 6-3 | 4-2 | 2nd (7) |
| 1957 | 5-4 | 4-2 | T-2nd (7) |
| 1958 | 6-1-1 | 5-1 | 1st (7) |
| 1959 | 9-0 | 6-0 | 1st (7) |
| 1960 | 6-2 | 5-1 | 2nd (7) |
| 1961 | 5-3 | 4-2 | T-2nd (7) |
| 1962 | 5-3 | 2-2 | 3rd (5) |
| 1963 | 6-3 | 3-1 | 2nd (5) |
| 1964 | 6-3 | 3-1 | T-1st (5) |
| 1965 | 4-5 | 2-2 | 3rd (5) |
| 1966 | 1-7-1 | 1-2 | 3rd (4) |
| 1967 | 2-6 | 1-2 | T-3rd (4) |
| 1968 | 2-7-1 | 1-2 | T-3rd (4) |
| 1969 | 8-2 | 3-0 | 1st (4) |
| 1970 | 7-3 | - | - |
| 1971 | 8-2 | - | - |
| 1972 | 9-2 | - | - |
| 1973 | 7-4 | - | - |
| 1974 | 7-3 | - | - |
| 1975 | 5-4-1 | - | - |
| 1976 | 7-3 | - | - |
| 1977 | 3-7 | - | - |
| 1978 | 3-6-1 | 1-3-1 | T-4th (6) |
| 1979 | 3-8 | 1-4 | 5th (6) |
| 1980 | 4-6 | 0-4 | 5th (5) |
| 1981 | 5-6 | 2-1 | 2nd (4) |
| 1982 | 2-8 | 0-3 | 4th (4) |
| 1983 | 3-8 | 0-3 | 4th (4) |
| 1984 | 6-4-1 | 0-2-1 | 4th (4) |
| 1985 | 6-5 | 2-3 | 3rd (6) |
| 1986 | 6-5 | 2-4 | 5th (7) |
| 1987 | 7-4 | 5-1 | 2nd (7) |
| 1988 | 10-2 | 6-0 | 1st (7) |
| 1989 | 4-7 | 1-5 | 6th (7) |
| 1990 | 3-8 | 3-3 | 5th (7) |
| 1991 | 7-4-1 | 4-2 | 3rd (7) |
| 1992 | 7-4 | 4-2 | 2nd (7) |
| 1993 | 4-7 | 4-2 | 3rd (7) |
| 1994 | 8-3 | 4-2 | 2nd (7) |
| 1995 | 4-7 | 2-4 | 6th (7) |
| 1996 | 9-3 | 3-2 | 2nd (6) |
| 1997 | 11-2 | 6-0 | 1st (7) |
| 1998 | 11-3 | 5-1 | 1st (7) |
| 1999 | 7-4 | 2-4 | 4th (7) |
| 2000 | 9-3 | 5-1 | 1st (7) |
| 2001 | 5-5 | 4-3 | 4th (8) |
| 2002 | 11-2 | 6-1 | 1st (8) |
| 2003 | 9-4 | 5-2 | 3rd (8) |
| 2004 | 4-7 | 2-5 | 5th (8) |
| 2005 | 5-6 | 3-4 | 5th (8) |
| 2006 | 5-6 | 2-5 | 6th (8) |
| 2007 | 6-5 | 3-3 | 4th (7) |
| 2008 | 6-5 | 4-4 | 4th (9) |
| 2009 | 1-10 | 0-8 | 9th (9) |
| 2010 | 8-5 | 5-3 | 2nd (9) |
| 2011 | 2-9 | 1-7 | 9th (9) |
| 2012 | 3-8 | 1-7 | 9th (10) |
| 2013 | 4-8 | 2-6 | 9th (10) |
| 2014 | 5-7 | 3-5 | 8th (10) |
| 2015 | 7-6 | 5-3 | 5th (10) |
| 2016 | 6-6 | 4-4 | 6th (10) |
| 2017 | 8-4 | 5-3 | 4th (10) |
| 2018 | 5-6 | 4-4 | 5th (10) |
| 2019 | 1-11 | 1-7 | 10th (10) |
| 2020 | 1-5 | 1-5 | 9th (10) |
| 2021 | 2-9 | 2-6 | 11th (11) |
| 2022 | 0-11 | 0-8 | 11th (11) |
| 2023 | 0-11 | 0-8 | 11th (11) |
| 2024 | 4-8 | 3-6 | 6th (9) |
- ^A. Adjusted record is 0–8 (3 wins vacated). After the season Western was forced to vacate their wins due to an ineligible player.
Individual accomplishments
editAward winners
edit- Walter Payton Award finalists
- Paul Singer - 1988 . . . 2nd
- Aaron Stecker - 1997...2nd
- Charles Tharp - 2000...8th
- Russ Michna - 2003...6th
- Herb Donaldson - 2007...13th
- Herb Donaldson - 2008...3rd
- Buck Buchanan Award
- James Milton - 1998
- Edgerton Hartwell - 2000
- Buck Buchanan Award finalists
- Cyron Brown - 1997...3rd
- Edgerton Hartwell - 1999...5th
- Lee Russell - 2002...6th
- Lee Russell - 2003...5th
- Jason Williams - 2008...4th
- Kyle Glazier - 2010...T-2nd
- Brett Taylor - 2016...7th
- Brett Taylor - 2017...2nd
- Darius Joiner - 2021...6th
- Eddie Robinson Award finalists
- Randy Ball - 1997...6th
- Randy Ball - 1998...5th
- Don Patterson - 2000...13th
- Don Patterson - 2002...3rd
- Mark Hendrickson - 2010...2nd
College Football Hall of Fame members
edit| Name | Position | Years | Inducted | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darrell Mudra | Coach | 1969–1973 | 2000 | [9] |
Future non-conference opponents
editAnnounced schedules as of December 9, 2022.[10]
| 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| at New Mexico State | at Northern Illinois | Eastern Kentucky | at Wisconsin | at Oklahoma State | at Purdue |
| Lindenwood | UT Martin | at Eastern Washington | at Lindenwood | ||
| at Southern Utah | at Eastern Kentucky | ||||
| at Illinois State |
Notable former players
editNotable alumni
editSee also
editReferences
edit- ^ Western Illinois Leathernecks Athletics 2017–18 Branding & Style Guidelines (PDF). July 11, 2017. Retrieved August 28, 2017.
- ^ "Western Illinois Athletics Leathernecks Football". goleathernecks.com. Retrieved January 16, 2015.
- ^ "Western Illinois Leathernecks College Football Clubhouse". ESPN. Retrieved September 9, 2015.
- ^ "Western Illinois Football Record Book" (PDF). Western Illinois University Athletics. p. 66. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
- ^ "The Leatherneck Nickname". Western Illinois University Athletics. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
- ^ "Leatherneck Athletics Moving to Ohio Valley Conference for All Sports," Western Illinois University Athletics, Friday, May 12, 2023. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
- ^ "Missouri Valley Football Conference Records" (PDF). Missouri Valley Football Conference. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
- ^ "Western Illinois Football Record Book" (PDF). goleathernecks.com. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
- ^ "Darrell Mudra (2000) - Hall of Fame". National Football Foundation.
- ^ "Western Illinois Leathernecks Football Future Schedules". FBSchedules.com. Retrieved December 9, 2022.