Western Illinois Leathernecks football

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) and are members of the Missouri Valley Football Conference.[4] The school's first football team was fielded in 1903. The team plays its home games at the 16,368 seat Hanson Field.

Western Illinois Leathernecks football
2020 Western Illinois Leathernecks football team
First season1903
Athletic directorDanielle Surprenant
Head coachJared Elliott
3rd season, 6–17 (.261)
StadiumHanson Field
(Capacity: 16,368)
Field surfaceMatrix Turf
LocationMacomb, Illinois
NCAA divisionDivision I FCS
ConferenceMissouri Valley
All-time record509–438–38 (.536)
Bowl record2–1 (.667)
Playoff appearances10
Playoff record7–9 (Div. I FCS)
0–1 (Div. II)
Conference titles13
1939, 1942, 1949, 1958, 1959, 1964, 1969, 1981, 1988, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2002
Consensus All-Americans59
ColorsPurple and Gold[1]
         
Fight songWe're Marching On
MascotColonel Rock (Live Bulldog), Rocky (Costumed Bulldog)
Marching bandWestern Illinois University Marching Leathernecks
Websitegoleathernecks.com
Western Illinois Leathernecks

History

Conference affiliations
Years Conference Classification
1903–1914 Independent
1915–1919 Little 19
1920–1941 Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic
1942–1949 Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic NCAA College Division
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
1985–1991 Gateway Collegiate Athletic Division I-AA
1992–2005 Gateway Football Division I-AA
2006–2007 Gateway Football Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS)
2008–present Missouri Valley Football Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS)

Championships

Conference championships
Years Conference Overall Record Conference Record
1939Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference5–1–12–0–1
1942IIllinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference5–0–23–0–1
1949IIllinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference9–1–04–0
1958IIllinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference6–1–15–1
1959IIllinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference9–0–06–0
1964†IIllinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference6–3–03–1
1969IIllinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference8–2–03–0
1981†Mid-Continent5–62–1
1988Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference10–2–06–0
1997Gateway Football Conference8–34–1
1998Gateway Football Conference11–26–0
2000Gateway Football Conference9–35–1
2002†Gateway Football Conference11–26–1

† Co-championship

Playoffs and bowls

Playoffs
Season Result Classification
1973First RoundNCAA Division II Playoffs
1988First RoundNCAA Division I-AA Playoffs
1991First RoundNCAA Division I-AA Playoffs
1996First RoundNCAA Division I-AA Playoffs
1997QuarterfinalsNCAA Division I-AA Playoffs(Pecan Bowl)
1998SemifinalsNCAA Division I-AA Playoffs(Pecan Bowl)
2000First RoundNCAA Division I-AA Playoffs
2002QuarterfinalsNCAA Division I-AA Playoffs(Pecan Bowl)
2003QuarterfinalsNCAA Division I-AA Playoffs(Pecan Bowl)
2010Second RoundNCAA Division I FCS Playoffs
2015Second RoundNCAA Division I FCS Playoffs
2017First RoundNCAA 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).

Bowls games
Season Bowl Opponent Result
1949Corn BowlWheatonW 13–0
1953Corn BowlIowa WesleyanW 32–0
1955Corn BowlLutherL 20–24

Head coaches
Years Name
1903 Unknown
1904 L.H. Laughlin
1905 A. Laughlin
1906, 1910 Oliver Dickerson
1907–1908 Coach Barnett
1909 Coach Taft
1911 Albert Walbrath
1912–1913 Unknown
1914 E.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– Jared Elliott

† Acting head coach first seven games of 2008 season and last eight games of 2009 season.

Stadium

Hanson Field
Hanson Field
Main article: Hanson Field

Hanson Field is a 16,368-seat multi-purpose stadium in Macomb, Illinois, USA.[5] The stadium which opened in 1950 is home to the Western Illinois Leathernecks football team and track and field team. The field is named after former WIU football coach/A.D. and Marine legend Rock Hanson. A unique feature of the facility is an extensive hillside that surrounds the field allowing for additional seating for thousands of spectators. Outside the stadium, a statue of former WIU track and field coach and two time Olympic gold medalist Lee Calhoun stands and a bulldog statue is located at the main entrance.

Highest-Scoring Game
On September 11, 2004, Western Illinois defeated Division II Cheyney State 98–7.

College Football Hall of Fame members

Coaches

Notable former players

Notable alumni

Western Illinois Leathernecks selected in the NFL Draft
Main article: List of Western Illinois Leathernecks in the NFL Draft

See also

References
  1. Western Illinois Leathernecks Athletics 2017–18 Branding & Style Guidelines (PDF). July 11, 2017. Retrieved August 28, 2017.
  2. "Western Illinois Athletics Leathernecks Football". goleathernecks.com. Retrieved 2015-01-16.
  3. "Western Illinois Leathernecks College Football Clubhouse". espn.go.com. Retrieved 2015-09-09.
  4. "Western Illinois Leathernecks". College Football Data Warehouse. Retrieved 2015-01-25.
  5. "Hanson Field". goleathernecks.com. Retrieved 2015-01-12.
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