# Western Illinois Leathernecks football

The Western Illinois Leathernecks football program is the intercollegiate American football team for Western Illinois University located in Macomb, Illinois. 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 OVC–Big South 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.

## History

Western 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.
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.
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.

## Conference affiliations

| Years | Conference | Classification |
| 1902–1913 | Independent | |
| 1914–1949 | Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic | |
| 1950–1969 | Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic | NCAA College Division |
| 1970–1972 | Independent | NCAA College Division |
| 1973–1977 | Independent | Division II |
| 1978–1980 | Mid-Continent | Division II |
| 1981–1984 | Mid-Continent | Division I-AA |
| 1985–2005 | Gateway Football | Division I-AA |
| 2006–2007 | Gateway Football | Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) |
| 2008–2023 | Missouri Valley Football | Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) |
| 2024–future | Ohio Valley | Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) |

## Championships
### Conference championships

| 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
### Playoffs

| 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

| 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

| 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

| 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 | 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
### Award winners

* 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

| Name | Position | Years | Inducted | Ref. |
| Darrell Mudra | Coach | 1969–1973 | 2000 | |

## Future non-conference opponents

Announced schedules as of January 14, 2025.
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 |
| at Illinois | at Wisconsin | at Oklahoma State | at Purdue |
| at Northwestern | Morehead State | | |
| Valparaiso | | | |
| at Eastern Washington | | | |