Current Coaching Staff

LeatherCy · Tue Jul 24, 2018 9:13 pm

Last Weekend I accompanied my daughter and two grandkids back to my moms in Ursa. A recruit from Dike-New Hartford, IA was attending the four hour camp. I drove up to Macomb to watch as I had never attended a "camp." I got there early and stuck my head in the FB offices. John Haneline one of the Assts was the first one I met. He was great! Introduced me to others in the office then took me in the locker room for additional introductions. Talked to Coach Rocoo as well. As I went outside Deon Melvin came up and introduced himself. We sat on the back of a Gator and talked about when he played, Coach Ball, Coach Craddock, etc. After the recruit checked in he had an hour for lunch. I took him and his mom to Jackson Street Pub. I rode with them and they paid for their own, No recruiting violations!

After we returned Coach Elliott addressed the campers and parents. I was very impressed with his passion and energy. I stayed for a couple of hours. I was also glad to see campers from Ankeny, Bettendorf, Davenport North, West Branch and a couple other Iowa towns. Coach Budreaux assured me we were recruiting Iowa again. I asked him if he had been to WDM Dowling and met Coach Wilson. He said he had. Dowling has won five consecutive IA State Championships. Coach Wilson was my neighbor for nine years. He had a great relationship with Coach Moose on Coach Nielson's staff. This staff is young, energetic and relentless recruiters. Coach Haneline has connections in Memphis. He told me drove nine hours straight to get to Memphis. I went away feeling a whole lot better about the future of Western Football. Now if we could just find Jackie Thomas a job elsewhere it would really be great!!!

GV Dad · Wed Jul 25, 2018 9:32 am

Couldn’t agree more. This staff has so much energy, and it really showed at camp Saturday. The numbers were down from last year, which sucked, but the camp was still ran very well.
This group will recruit well, but we need to make sure we are doing our part. We need to get good crowds at the stadium and record numbers in the Leatherneck Club! We have a sleeping giant in Macomb!

meganeck · Wed Jul 25, 2018 7:55 pm

GV Dad wrote: ↑Wed Jul 25, 2018 9:32 am Couldn’t agree more. This staff has so much energy, and it really showed at camp Saturday. The numbers were down from last year, which sucked, but the camp was still ran very well.
This group will recruit well, but we need to make sure we are doing our part. We need to get good crowds at the stadium and record numbers in the Leatherneck Club! We have a sleeping giant in Macomb!

Love your enthusiasm GV Dad, hope you are in the ear of other parents about joining Leatherneck Club

. Between the new coaching staff and new AD( whoever it may be), really need to put the full court press on getting butts in seats for the home football games.

LeatherCy thanks for the update and I am glad to hear they are making Iowa a priority. all coaches at WIU should be making Iowa a priority imo

GV Dad · Wed Jul 25, 2018 8:16 pm

meganeck wrote: ↑Wed Jul 25, 2018 7:55 pm
GV Dad wrote: ↑Wed Jul 25, 2018 9:32 am Couldn’t agree more. This staff has so much energy, and it really showed at camp Saturday. The numbers were down from last year, which sucked, but the camp was still ran very well.
This group will recruit well, but we need to make sure we are doing our part. We need to get good crowds at the stadium and record numbers in the Leatherneck Club! We have a sleeping giant in Macomb!
Love your enthusiasm GV Dad, hope you are in the ear of other parents about joining Leatherneck Club . Between the new coaching staff and new AD( whoever it may be), really need to put the full court press on getting butts in seats for the home football games.

LeatherCy thanks for the update and I am glad to hear they are making Iowa a priority. all coaches at WIu should be making Iowa a priority imo

I definitely am, and a lot of the Freshman parents feel the same way as I do! A couple of parents were in town last weekend. We were making the initial plans for the new Football facility North of Hanson where the throwing areas are now. It will fit perfectly!

LeatherCy · Wed Jul 25, 2018 9:46 pm

Western offered Colton Harberts from Dike-New Hartford, IA a preferred walk on tonight. UNI called tonight but no offer. South Dakota is offering preferred. Both WIU and USD want to see game film from the upcoming season.

meganeck · Thu Jul 26, 2018 5:24 pm

Did another coach leave? I see Patrick Shepard is the RB coach & Director of On-Campus recruiting. I can't remember who previously held those spots.

sealhall74 · Thu Jul 26, 2018 5:44 pm

meganeck wrote: ↑Thu Jul 26, 2018 5:24 pm Did another coach leave, i see Patrick Shepard is the RV coach & Director of On-Campus recruiting. I can't remember who previously held those spots.

Not sure. We have a either a "bug" or a "feature" on the roster page - can't show previous year(s) coaches or at least not all of them. I think I will go with feature - put the past behind us.

Thu Jul 26, 2018 7:27 pm

sealhall74 wrote: ↑Thu Jul 26, 2018 5:44 pm
meganeck wrote: ↑Thu Jul 26, 2018 5:24 pm Did another coach leave, i see Patrick Shepard is the RV coach & Director of On-Campus recruiting. I can't remember who previously held those spots.
Not sure. We have a either a "bug" or a "feature" on the roster page - can't show previous year(s) coaches or at least not all of them. I think I will go with feature - put the past behind us.

I think it's more of a situation where they just haven't gotten all the data organized within the new design yet. I'm hoping they'll get that all taken care of fairly soon and get the official 2018 record book updated as well. I rely on that thing like multiple times a day during the season.

Tmelker · Mon Jul 30, 2018 1:32 pm

I have nothing but praise for the Coaching Staff. Their support of our son has been phenomenal. He discussed with them at the Spring Game he wanted to get to Macomb and get started as early as June. They worked with him and figured it out. My son gave up walking at his HS graduation to be on campus and working with S&C staff. They have provided a great atmosphere to work and get better. I talked with him this weekend while he was home and was told he believes he made the right choice and he is appreciative of every opportunity to get better. While the Offensive Line might be the question mark, I believe it is made up a great smart young men who are going to do great things this year and for years to come. We have so much to be thankful for in our household and the present Coaching Staff is one of them. From our arrival at Macomb at 4 am on a Saturday and being welcomed by Coach Howle and Stockton my son knew this is where he wanted to be. He absolutely loves the lunch pail atmosphere and the seriousness of the work they all have to do to get better.

Mon Jul 30, 2018 2:24 pm

Tmelker wrote: ↑Mon Jul 30, 2018 1:32 pm I have nothing but praise for the Coaching Staff. Their support of our son has been phenomenal. He discussed with them at the Spring Game he wanted to get to Macomb and get started as early as June. They worked with him and figured it out. My son gave up walking at his HS graduation to be on campus and working with S&C staff. They have provided a great atmosphere to work and get better. I talked with him this weekend while he was home and was told he believes he made the right choice and he is appreciative of every opportunity to get better. While the Offensive Line might be the question mark, I believe it is made up a great smart young men who are going to do great things this year and for years to come. We have so much to be thankful for in our household and the present Coaching Staff is one of them. From our arrival at Macomb at 4 am on a Saturday and being welcomed by Coach Howle and Stockton my son knew this is where he wanted to be. He absolutely loves the lunch pail atmosphere and the seriousness of the work they all have to do to get better.

That's great to hear. I'm glad everything sounds like it's working out really well so far. Like you mentioned, O-Line could be a little rough this year, strictly due to youth and inexperience, but I'm fully confident that we could have a solid core group of guys that play together for a full 3-4 years and get REALLY good the last 2-3.

We're excited to have him here on campus and glad to have your whole crew as members of the Leatherneck family.