I’ve been in the same room with Mark Farley after two of his most bitter losses in his career as the University of Northern Iowa coach. I was at the post-game press conference in 2009, when the Panthers lost 17-16 at Iowa after two last-second field go… more »

State FCS programs have challenges and promise SIU, WIU, EIU and Illinois State all have lofty goals for 2011 Email print Comments 0 There is nothing quite like preseason projections to fuel the optimism of college football coa… more »

The Missouri Valley Football Conference had an unprecedented logjam in 2010, with six of the nine teams finishing tied for third at 4-4 in league play. But judging by the 2011 preseason poll released Monday and comments from coaches in the media tele… more »

Like its field, Western Illinois' football team will be in a bit of a tune-up this fall. Hanson Field, the home of the Leathernecks since 1950, is in the middle of installing a new Matrix Turf artificial surface that is expected to be finished by lat… more »

After an adventurous season that ended in the second round of the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs, Mark Hendrickson has enjoyed a few adventures of his own this summer. In the past month, the Western Illinois football coach has spent a wee… more »

Leathernecks’ Matt Barr will be among school’s best when his career is done Eight of the top 11 quarterbacks in Western Illinois history have played in the era of the FCS playoffs. Matt Barr, the eighth, steadily climbed the charts and will finish… more »

There was little suspense for the Western Illinois team. The Leathernecks’ playoff game was the first announced Sunday as the bracket revealed they will play Coastal Carolina in the first round of the Football Championship Subdivision Playoffs at noo… more »

Figures don’t lie, but liars figure. And then there are statistics. Or, to put that another way, just how good is Indiana State’s pass defense anyway? After holding Western Illinois to just 19 yards through the air Saturday on four completions — n… more »

No easy path for Jackrabbits in conference South Dakota State opens Missouri Valley Football Conference play - and the home portion of its schedule - on Saturday against Illinois State. But familiar may not equate to friendly. The league doesn't f… more »

ELMHURST, Ill. - The Summit League conducted its annual President's Council Meeting on June 21 in Chicago and announced that the league will conduct a feasibility study into having football as a league-sponsored sport. According to a statement releas… more »

There's no talk of last season' dismal record. MACOMB, Ill. -- It's been a consistent message for the Western Illinois University football team since the beginning of the winter workouts, and it's carried over into spring practice. "One theme has… more »

MACOMB — It’s rare to see a Division I football program take to the road during spring practice. That's exactly what Western Illinois Football will do this Saturday, traveling to Naperville North High School for the second of three scrimmages. Western’s… more »

Forty-three student-athletes, including 12 who earned first-team honors, highlight the 2009 all-Missouri Valley Football Conference all-academic team, announced by the league office today. Nominees must be starters or important reserves with at least… more »

Founded in 1985 as the Gateway Football Conference, the Missouri Valley Football Conference is celebrating its 25th season of FCS (Football Championship Subdivision) football during the 2009 season. As part of a season-long celebration, the conference i… more »

MACOMB, Ill.- In his 11th season with the Western Illinois football program, head coach Don Patterson has announced he will step down from his head coaching role due to personal health concerns, Friday, Sept. 25th. Patterson, who was diagnosed with t… more »