WIU at Southern Illinois (11/19/2016)

[ST_Lawson]

I understand that everyone is very frustrated with how the season ended (I know I am), but lets lay off of getting mad at each other. Yes, we lost a few close games and didn't make the playoffs, but that's not entirely new (remember ISU and NDSU two years ago?).

I think that Fisher did his best with the limited recruiting time that he had and the limited time he had to find coaches. Personally, I'd like to see something done on the defensive side of the coaching staff, but I think we're still headed in the right direction. I think that some of the defenders need some coaching on where to be in relation to receivers so that they're not burned on the passes so much, but there's talent there, just need to develop it.

We don't lose much in the way of starters. Yes, we lose Lenoir and Borsellino, but we get a lot of good players back that will be better with the experiences they had this season. We do have some solid looking transfers coming in to help out in places that we need it, and I'm very excited to see some of the guys who redshirted this year get a chance to hit the field and make their names known.

I guess what I'm saying is that I'm going to take a break, enjoy the holidays with my family, watch a bit of FCS playoff football, and let this season be what it was...a season of some pretty exciting highs and some pretty disappointing lows...but still a winning season, and a season of growth and learning. I'd much rather have a season like this than a season like 2009, where I felt like it was essentially over by Homecoming and I spent the rest of the season just not really caring what happened.

[Leatherneck57]

That's so arrogantly stated it's sickening. This program needs all the support it can get, even from its critics! And you're right, I don't know what it takes to develop a football program, but my point is I'm not sure you do either. It's your arrogance that really makes me pause in ever wanting to take the time to meet you. We'll see though, maybe it will be therapeutic and healing. A kumbiya moment. Take care man, we're talking football on a fan board. #perspective I hope the best for you and your family, particularly over this holiday season.

You see LocalYokalFan that's where your wrong...I have experienced a program change both as a college player and a college coach. It's not as easy as you think especially as late as our current staff came in and the short recruiting period they had!

What's sickening is the fact that you're bashing a good man and coach that has done nothing but bleed purple since he got to Western. He has spent endless hours on the phone rallying Football Alumni, traveling to meet with large donors and helping at community events. The whole staff has been involved. Bashing is not an option!

I have brought a lot of factual information to this fan board about the program, its direction, player status, recruits etc to be asked to take a slice of humble pie!

Arrogance? Knowledge and experience isn't ARROGANCE!

Happy Thanksgiving!

[letsgonecks]

My Christmas wish list includes an FBS DE speed rusher and since I've been pretty good this year, lets throw in a playmaking CB.

If we had one of those this year, we'd be a playoff team with a chance. Both and we'd be a contender.

Khalen inside is great, Moon and Taylor are playmakers at LB, and have some guys that can play a decent safety. Just need a young guy or transfer to step up big time at CB and DE next year.

Lacking pressure off the end kills and kills even worse without playmakers at CB. No pressure lets you draw up any play you'd like. If the QB has no fear from the backside, his internal clock has a few more ticks and confidence.

Anyways.......

Hope we're all back next year, refreshed and ready to talk and cheer on the necks. Happy Holidays all.

[wiu712]

Saturday was a disappointing day for local college football fans:

Western lost their 17-point second half lead at SIU-Carbondale.

Monmouth College had 9 turnovers in their first round playoff game at Coe College and lost the game 21-14. That was Monmouth's first loss of the season.

[WIU02]

This is the internet and we can't hear words, tones, or expressions, so I type and say this calmly and with respect and appreciation for every member of the WIU football program and their families.

Sadly after a 5-1 start, the wheels fell off for the Leathernecks: 3 losses in a row and a 1-4 finish to end the season at 6-5. Ya gotta win that home game against Illinois State, ya jut gotta win that game. Then the loss at SIU doesn't matter if you're 7-4 with a win over FBS Northern Illinois.

Earlier this season the ESPN 3 announcers during the WIU at SDSU game mentioned that QB Trenton Norvell was a pre-season all MVFC selection. The ESPN 3 announcers were surprised that Trenton Norvell was not in the game at SDSU earlier when WIU was getting blown out and after QB Sean McGuire threw two pick sixes in Q3. It's not often ya see a pre-season all conference selection not start a single game his senior year at any level of football - college or high school.

The facts are Trenton Norvell started 33 straight games before an unfortunate emergency appendectomy sidelined the end of his 2015 season. Mr. Norvell was a FBS transfer from FBS Cincinnati. The guy was and still is good. Yes we all know that Sean McGuire has more foot speed than Trenton Norvell, but if foot speed was the only measuring stick, then 39 year old former Chicago Bears QB Cade McNown (McNown's long gone out of the NFL - since 2002) would be under center in New England instead of 39 year old Tom Brady.

Mr. Sean McGuire earned the starting job in 2016 and he did a great job at the end of last season in 2015 by leading WIU to the playoffs in crunch time and a playoff win. Sean McGuire will get better & better with experience: but there were far too many times this 2016 season where he's trying to force the ball into double and triple coverage, and trying to thread the needle in a giant haystack of opposing DB's, and the ball gets picked off. Mr. McGuire will learn he can't force some throws like he did this season, and of course all of us want to see him successfully lead the team to the playoffs next year in 2017. Sean McGuire is young and he will get better - hopefully All American better. A team captain as a Sophomore says alot redshirt or not. Wish him well on the field and in the classroom.

The loss at SIU and losing 4 out of the last 5 games including 3 in a row to end the season was a team collapse and coaching collapse, and in no way, shape, or form, the fault of 1 player or 1 coach. Not pointing fingers at any one person, player, or coach, at all.

Thank You Mr. Trenton Norvell for being there for your teammates and supporting Mr. Sean McGuire and your teammates. Trenton Norvell's class, poise, and leadership over the years will be missed by the WIU program.

Thank You Lance Lenoir, Joey Borsellino, and all the Seniors for your efforts.

Best of luck, best of health, and well wishes for many decades to come to all the Seniors in all their future endeavors whether on or off the football field. Good Luck and God Bless!

Important side note here: Also not gonna throw HC Charlie Fisher under the bus. The former WIU Director of Student Services (he was fired) placed the program in a very tough spot last year with the handling of former HC Bob Neilsen's contract. Charlie Fisher and his staff now at least have a full off season to work with and recruit. The IHSA Football playoffs are over 6 days from now. Looking forward to what Mr. Charlie Fisher and his staff can do over an entire full off season to build the program for 2017. WIU is mending and repairing fences and burned bridges caused by certain individuals in the past. Nice to see, hear, and read that.

It didn't happen this year. Maybe next year. "PLAYOFFS" Gonna be hearing alot of chirping from the SIU former players and alumni at a local gym. The Illinois State guys won't be chirping as bad even though ISU is in and WIU is out. SIU is always a tough place to play. Congrats to the Salukis on the win. Time to comment in the recruiting topic and that's gonna be an interesting one.

Well put, man. Well put. Sean will continue to improve. I have no doubt. We need to take a step back and realize we're watching a young man who will end up rewriting most major QB records in our schools history books. Look for Zeke to step up next year and play a bigger role on the receiving end of Sean's gun. Will be fun to watch.

All the best this holiday season.

-Matt

[sealhall74]

Two nights to sleep on it and here is the way I am looking at it. This was NOT an epic meltdown or a wheels fell off the wagon situation or anything like that. We were a somewhere near average to a little below average Valley team coming in to the season and that is the way we finished. The clues were there all along. We were simply not putting away the lower level teams in the conference. Instead, we were just barely squeaking by them. The win at NIU was a good win but a very lucky one as well. The defense disappeared in that one and had the Huskies gone to their stud players in the closing moments, that too would have likely been a different outcome. So the end of the season was not a big letdown and there is absolutely no reason for us or the players or coaches to hang their heads. It was simply the law of averages catching up to us. This offseason, we obviously have a lot of work to do on and off the field to get to that next level. But I shall maintain the faith and the hope for even better things coming our way next year.

[rocki]

Ugh. Enough.

What started out as a very promising season turned completely to ****. I'm disappointed, as I'm sure we all are. Thing is, we can't change it. It's done.

Hopefully the needs that became so apparent will be addressed. Borsellino and Lenoir will be sorely missed on offense, but I'm not ready to throw in the towel there - Zeke has done well, McShane will be back, Jaelon Acklin seems to have come into the mix lately, and I'm interested to see the RB out of Tennessee - Vicatvious? - didn't use him this year, maybe he's a Devon Moore type back, I don't know.

If we shore up the defense so the long pass doesn't sting us as much, that will be a huge step in the right direction, I think.

Anyway, I'm gonna hang this one on the Cub fans - you got your World Series, asking for the 'Necks to make playoffs as well was apparently just too much.

Happy Holidays, all!!!!!!!!!

[wiu712]

Salukis rally to stun Leathernecks, 44-34.

From the McDonough County Voice:
http://www.mcdonoughvoice.com/sports/20 ... ecks-44-34

[rocki]

Oh yeah. Wishing all the best to the seniors on the team. Whether they make it to the next step in football or go with a job in their field of studies, I wish them much success. Over the last 4 years, they did give us many bright moments, and lots to cheer about. Much success in the future, guys!!!

[ST_Lawson]

Well put, man. Well put. Sean will continue to improve. I have no doubt. We need to take a step back and realize we're watching a young man who will end up rewriting most major QB records in our schools history books. Look for Zeke to step up next year and play a bigger role on the receiving end of Sean's gun. Will be fun to watch.

All the best this holiday season.

-Matt

Agreed. I'll be posting a few things over the next couple of weeks...season wrap-up, senior recognition, crazy-early look at who we've got coming back and available for 2017 (not including incoming transfers and possible true freshmen that we may have to start), but there's a lot of talent on this team, even minus the very talented guys who have played their last snaps as Leathernecks.

Just as a quick comparison for people, here's how Sean's sophomore season will land him in the Leatherneck record books.
Game Records
363 yards vs Indiana State - tied for 14th best game performance

Season Records
2,914 passing yards - 5th best (just ahead of Trenton Norvell's sophomore season and right behind Russ Michna's Junior year in '02)
264.91 yards per game - 1st place (that's right, this season was the highest yards per game any Leatherneck QB has ever had, just barely ahead of Matt Barr's Senior year of 2010 where he threw 262.3 ypg)
230 completions - 3rd best (just ahead of Barr's senior year)
58.08% completion rate - 9th best (8th is, again, Barr's senior year)
20 TDs - tied for 9th best with Bob Majka in '69
202 rushing yards - 3rd best rushing performance by a QB
4 rushing TDs - tied for 5th best by a QB

Career Records
3,736 passing yards - currently 127 yards outside of the top 10
294 completions - currently 9th
6 rushing TDs - tied for 4th with Sam Clemons and Paul Singer

Now, obviously, for the most part (minus a few more interceptions than I would have liked) offense was not the problem. But I'm not too worried about that side of the ball. Special teams got better, but still needs work. Defense needs a heavy examination of the major problems and what they can do to fix them. Still, first year of a new coaching staff and I don't think we really took a step back. We didn't make the playoffs, but we finished with the same record as last year, had an FBS win, and made some progress towards the future, both on the recruiting front and on the "alumni support" front. No "turnaround" is going to be overnight...it's going to take time to build things back up and I'm happy that we didn't have to drop to the bottom of the conference to do it (not yet, anyway).