| Western Illinois Leathernecks football | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
 | |||
| First season | 1902; 123 years ago | ||
| Athletic director | Paul Bubb | ||
| Head coach | Joe Davis 1st season, 4–8 (.333) | ||
| Stadium | Hanson Field (capacity: 16,368) | ||
| Year built | 1950 | ||
| Location | Macomb, Illinois | ||
| NCAA division | Division I FCS | ||
| Conference | OVC–Big South | ||
| 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 | |||
| 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 | ||
TheWestern Illinois Leathernecks football program is the intercollegiateAmerican football team forWestern Illinois University, located inMacomb, Illinois.[2][3] The team competes in theNCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). They are members of theOhio Valley Conference (OVC), and play their games as part of theOVC–Big South Football Association, which combines teams from the Ohio Valley andBig South conferences. The team plays its home games at the 16,368 seatHanson Field.
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.[4]
The team adopted its nickname in 1927 when coachRay Hanson, a decorated officer in theUnited States Marine Corps, asked theU.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 theMissouri 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 theOhio Valley Conference (OVC) in 2024. The remainder of the Leathernecks' athletic programs transitioned to the OVC one year prior, on July 1, 2023.[6]
| 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 |
| 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
| Season | Result | Classification | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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).
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 2024-Current | Joe Davis |
† Acting head coach first seven games of 2008 season and last eight games of 2009 season.
| 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) |
| Name | Position | Years | Inducted | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darrell Mudra | Coach | 1969–1973 | 2000 | [9] |
Announced schedules as of July 25, 2025.[10]
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 | 2030 | 2031 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| atIllinois | atWisconsin | atOklahoma State | atPurdue | atWyoming | atIndiana State | atNorthwestern |
| atNorthwestern | Morehead State | Dayton | Indiana State | |||
| Valparaiso | ||||||
| atEastern Washington |
|
