2009 WESTERN ILLINOIS FOOTBALL MEDIA GUIDE Credits The 2009 Western Illinois Football Media Guide is a production of the Western Illinois University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. It was written, edited and designed by Jason Kaufman, Assistant Athletics Director for Media Services and Broadcasting. Additional assistance was provided by Katie Kane, (Assistant Director of Media Services), Greg Lautzenheiser (Media Services Graduate Assistant) and Shanel Romain (Office Assistant). Photography Photos by Larry Dean (WIU Visual Productions Center). Additional photo credits include The Sequel, Hartmann Photography, Jason Kaufman, Eric Landwehr (South Dakota State University Relations), Katie Kane, Jessica Ruebush, Adam Sacasa, Jamie Mullen, Ginger Kaufman, Bill Ford, James D. Smith (Dallas Cowboys), Michael C. Hebert (New Orleans Saints). Printing United Graphics / Elk Grove Village, Ill. On the Covers Front: 2007 All-America cornerback Patrick Stoudamire and 2008 All-America fullback Dre Gibbs Inside Back: Leathernecks in the NFL Back: 2008 all-conference honorees Kyle Glazier and Victor Visoky; 2008 all-newcomer honorees Teague Dentino, Tim Franken, Kevin Palermo, Lito Senatus Covers produced by Adam Winkelmann (Media Services graphic arts intern).

2009 LEATHERNECK FOOTBALL

2009 SCHEDULE Sept. 3 Sept. 12 Sept. 19 Oct. 3 Oct. 10 Oct. 17 Oct. 24 Oct. 31 Nov. 7 Nov. 14 Nov. 21 Nov. 28

at Sam Houston State at Northern Illinois Stephen F. Austin *Southern IllinoiS FW/TV *at Youngstown State *Missouri State HC *at Indiana State *North Dakota State HF *at Illinois State *at Northern Iowa *South Dakota State FCS Playoffs

6 p.m. 6:30 p.m. 6:05 p.m. 6:05 p.m. 5 p.m. 3:05 p.m. 2:05 p.m. 1:05 p.m. 1 p.m. 6:35 p.m. 1:05 p.m. TBD

*Missouri Valley Football Conference game Home games in CAPS Dates and times (Central) subject to change (HF) - Hall of Fame game; (FW) - Family Weekend (HC) - Homecoming; (TV) - MVFC TV Game of the Week





8 Media Information & Services

13 2009 Preview

8

23 Coaching Staff

35 Meet the Leathernecks

61 Last Year in Review

77 Missouri Valley Football Conference

89 Record Book

35

119 Tradition & History

167

89

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Western Illinois University



LINEBACKER

U

Buck Buchanan Award

League Players of the Year

1997 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2008

Only one league school has more allconference linebackers than Western Illinois (23).

Western Illinois is one of just two schools with two different Buchanan Award winners. No Leatherneck has finished lower than sixth among the 16 annual finalists. Cyron Brown............................... 3rd James Milton.............................. 1st Edgerton Hartwell....................... 5th Edgerton Hartwell....................... 1st Lee Russell................................ 6th Lee Russell................................ 5th Jason Williams............................ 3rd

Defensive Player of the Year James Milton Edgerton Hartwell Edgerton Hartwell

NCAA Statistical Champions

A Leatherneck linebacker has led the nation in forced fumbles twice in the last three seasons. Jerome Bennett........................................2006 Jason Williams.........................................2008

All-Americans

Leatherneck linebackers have been named to 48 All-America teams. Edgerton Hartwell was a consensus All-American in 2000 and a two-time Walter Camp All-American.

WILLIAMS

Year 1998 1999 2000

Edgerton Hartwell, 11 teams Jason Williams, 7 Lee Russell, 7 Ken McMillan, 6 James Milton, 6 Armi Gasbarro, 2 Marty Lomelino, 2 Jason Vasconez, 2 Jerome Bennett, 1 Vince Bruno, 1 Mike Hryn, 1 Jason McWilliams, 1

All-Star Games

Blue-Gray All-Star Classic 2000 Edgerton Hartwell East-West Shrine Game 2000 Edgerton Hartwell 2009 Jason Williams

NFL Pro Bowl

Bryan Cox was a three-time pro bowler with Miami in 1993, 1995 and 1996. More NFL Pro Bowl players have come from Western Illinois than any other Missouri Valley Football Conference team.

NFL Pipeline

Jason Williams became the highest NFL Draft pick in modern school history when the Dallas Cowboys made him their first pick in the 2009 draft. Williams, the first FCS player taken, was the 69th selection overall, the fifth pick in the third round.

Super Bowl

Bryan Cox helped the New England Patriots to a Super Bowl XXXVI title with a 20-17 win over St. Louis. Former Leathernecks have won 11 Super Bowl rings as professional players.

Record Books

COX

2009 LEATHERNECK FOOTBALL

National Records Jason Williams set an FCS record and tied the NCAA all-division record of 14 career forced fumbles from 2005-07. Leatherneck linebackers in the NFL Draft: Draftee Rd. Pick Team (Year) Jason Williams 3rd 69th Dallas (2009) Edgerton Hartwell 4th 126th Baltimore (2001) Bryan Cox 5th 113th Miami (1991)

Lee Russell set an FCS record of 317 career solo tackles, and collected 480 total tackles from 2000-03. League Records Bryan Cox blocked a school-record five kicks in 1990 and a league-record 10 in his 1987-90 career.

MILTON

RUSSELL





HARTWELL

WILLIAMS

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BENNETT



Walter Payton Award

GOLD

RUSH

Three running backs have been finalists for the Walter Payton Award, given annually to the top FCS offensive player. Two of them have been invited to the awards banquet as a top-three vote-getter.

1997 2000 2007 2008

Aaron Stecker............................. 2nd Charles Tharp............................. 8th Herb Donaldson.......................... 13th Herb Donaldson.......................... 3rd

A Leatherneck running back has led the nation in scoring twice. In 2008, Herb Donaldson led all of Division I in both rushing and scoring.

Two Leatherneck running backs have garnered consensus All-America honors. Aaron Stecker was a consensus AllAmerican in 2000 and Herb Donaldson repeated the feat eight years later. Herb Donaldson, 8 teams Aaron Stecker, 7 Travis Glasford, 4 Charles Tharp, 3 Brian Knuckles, 1 Kendall McDonald, 1 Dennis Morgan, 1

Offensive Player of the Year Aaron Stecker Charles Tharp Herb Donaldson

Leatherneck running backs in the NFL include a 1961 first-round draft pick and two nine-year veterans. Draftee Leroy Jackson Dennis Morgan

Rd. 1 10

All-Star Games

All-Star Gridiron Classic 1998 Aaron Stecker

Aaron Stecker returned the opening kickoff for Tampa Bay in Super Bowl XXXVII, a 4821 victory over the Oakland Raiders.

Record Books

National Records Herb Donaldson’s 282 rushing yards in the second half of a 2006 win over Indiana State set an FCS record.

NFL Pipeline

Pick - - 255th

Team 1961 1974

Other Leatherneck running backs in the NFL Aaron Stecker 2000-08 New Orleans Jasen Isom 2003-04 San Francisco Herb Donaldson 2009-pr. New Orleans Larry Garron 1960-68 New England

2009 LEATHERNECK FOOTBALL

Year 1997 2000 2008

Super Bowl

All-Americans

STECKER

No other Missouri Valley Football school has had more offensive players of the year than Western Illinois. Three of them have been running backs:

NCAA Statistical Champions

Aaron Stecker............................... 1997 scoring Herb Donaldson............................ 2008 scoring Herb Donaldson............................ 2008 rushing

DONALDSON

League Players of the Year

League Records Donaldson established himself as the Missouri Valley Football Conference’s alltime leading rusher in 2008.

1,000-yard rushers

A Leatherneck running back has rushed for 1,000 yards in a season 13 times, including each of the last six years.

1969 Chuck Kero...............1,001 yards 1994 Kendall McDonald........... *1,015 1996 Brian Knuckles.................. 1,310 1997 Aaron Stecker.................. *2,293 1998 Aaron Stecker.................... 1,506 1999 Charles Tharp.................. *1,311 2000 Charles Tharp.................. *1,555 2003 Travis Glasford................... 1,368 2004 Travis Glasford................. *1,080 2005 Travis Glasford................... 1,052 2006 Herb Donaldson................. 1,417 2007 Herb Donaldson............... *1,491 2008 Herb Donaldson............... *1,784 *led the Missouri Valley Football Conference in rushing

STECKER KNUCKLES

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DONALDSON

GLASFORD





THARP



2009 QUICK FACTS

Team Information

Overall record last year: 6-5 (H 4-2 / A 2-3) MVFC record last year: 4-4 (T-4th) Final 2008 ranking: NR Highest 2008 ranking: 12 (Oct. 20, 27) Basic offense: pro formation Basic defense: multiple Letterwinners returning/lost: 29/22 Offense........................................13/13 Defense.......................................15/8 Special teams...............................1/1 Starters returning/lost: 11/13 Offense........................................5/6 Defense.......................................5/6 Special teams...............................1/1

General Location...................................................................................................... Macomb, IL 61455 Founded.......................................................................................................................... 1899 Enrollment.................................................................................................................... 13,331 Nickname............................................................................................................. Leathernecks Colors........................................................................... Purple (PMS 2607) and Gold (PMS 116) Home stadium....................................................................................................... Hanson Field Surface / capacity.................................................................................... Natural Grass / 16,368 Conference............................................................................Missouri Valley Football Conference Affiliation....................................................... NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision President.....................................................................Dr. Alvin Goldfarb (Queens College, 1972) Director of Athletics.......................................... Dr. Tim M. Van Alstine (St. Norbert College, 1982) Athletics department phone............................................................................... (309) 298-1190

www.GoLeathernecks.com

2009 LEATHERNECK FOOTBALL

Coaching Staff

Head coach: Don Patterson (West Point, 1973) Western Illinois/career record: 62-45 (.579)/11th Office phone: (309) 298-1515 Best time to reach: 8-9 a.m. weekdays Assistant coaches: Mark Hendrickson (UNI, 1980/AHC, OC/11th) Thomas Casey (Oregon State, 1995/DC/5th) Josh McCall (Western Illinois, 1998/OL/6th) Thad Ward (Central Florida, 2001/RB/5th) Steve McKane (Utah, 2001/DL/4th) Carl Franks (Montana, 1994/DB/1st) Athletic Trainer: Chad Cerullo (Iowa, 2004) Strength Coach: Chris Anderson (Cal State Stanislaus, 1996)

Media Information Radio rightsholder.................................................................................. Western Sports Network Originating station............................................................................. WJEQ-FM (102.7 Macomb) Play-by-play announcer..................................................................................... Brock Wissmiller Primary beat writers.......................................................John Bohnenkamp (Burlington Hawk Eye) . ............................................................jbohnenkamp@thehawkeye.com • (319) 754-8461 . ...................................................................................... Shelby Burget (Macomb Journal) . ................................................................. [email protected] • (309) 833-2121 . ...................................................................................... Kevin Capie (Peoria Journal Star) . ............................................................................... [email protected] • (800) 327-8283 Video highlights contact................................................................. Buzz Hoon • (309) 298-2069 Primary TV stations . ........................................................KHQA-TV (Quincy, Ill.) • Chris Duerr (217) 222-6206 . ........................................................WGEM-TV (Quincy, Ill.) • Ben Marth (217) 228-6651