Leatherneck Nation

In case you missed any of them, here are the previous previews that I've done so far: QBs, RBs, WRs, TEs, OL, DBs

But this week....
Linebackers

Edgerton Hartwell...James Milton...Pat Bayers...Jason Williams...Lee Russell...Kyle Glazier
Western Illinois has had a long string of SERIOUSLY good Linebackers throughout the history of the team. For a long time, we were known as one of the best defensive I-AA/FCS teams, and our LB’s were always a HUGE part of that.

This year, it looks like we may have another in the long line of great Leatherneck Linebackers on our hands with Macomb native, Brett Taylor, who, despite all his recognition last year, will still only be a junior this year.

Here’s our full slate of LBs going into the 2016 season:
#22 Junior Justin Corbett - http://goleathernecks.com/roster.aspx?r ... h=football
#25 Junior Dillon King - http://goleathernecks.com/roster.aspx?r ... h=football
#35 Junior Adam Brott - http://goleathernecks.com/roster.aspx?r ... h=football
#44 Junior Brett Taylor - http://goleathernecks.com/roster.aspx?r ... h=football
#39 Sophomore Quentin Moon - http://goleathernecks.com/roster.aspx?r ... h=football
#47 Sophomore Michael Bishoff - http://goleathernecks.com/roster.aspx?r ... h=football
#58 Sophomore Riggs Baxter - http://goleathernecks.com/roster.aspx?r ... h=football
#37 R-Freshman Zach Glisan - http://goleathernecks.com/roster.aspx?r ... h=football
#59 R-Freshman Tom Rehfeld - http://goleathernecks.com/roster.aspx?r ... h=football
#27 Freshman Tre Hendon - http://goleathernecks.com/roster.aspx?r ... h=football
#54 Freshman Bryant White - http://goleathernecks.com/roster.aspx?r ... h=football

Top LB stats from last year:
Brett Taylor - 144 total tackles (91 solo), 11 tackles for loss, 2 INTs (for 57 yards), 2 forced fumbles
Adam Brott - 84 tackles (64 solo), 10.5 tackles for loss, 1 INT, 1 forced fumble
Michael Bischoff - 47 tackles (29 solo), 1 tackle for loss
Riggs Baxter - 39 tackles (26 solo), 3 tackles for loss, 1 forced fumble
Quentin Moon - 26 tackles (13 solo), 2.5 tackles for loss, 1 forced fumble

More info on the players and where they came from/what they’ve done:

Justin Corbett - came to us last season from Glendale (AZ) CC, although originally from Tinley Park, IL (Lincoln-Way East HS) with three years of eligibility remaining. Did not see any game action last season.

Dillon King - honestly, I don’t have much info. Came to us from Woodland Hills, CA. He was on the team in 2015 but did not see any game action. His page on rivals said he graduated HS in 2015, but on our page he was listed as a Junior last year...but is still listed as a Junior. So maybe a glitch? If he graduated in 2015, had a redshirt year last season, I would think he’d be listed as a R-Freshman this year….so idk.

Adam Brott - from St. Clair, MO...started in all 13 games last season, and played in 8 his R-freshman year. Second on the team in tackles last season.

Brett Taylor - from Macomb...led the team in tackles last season (second in the conference in tackles). Second Team All-MVFC, named MVFC Defensive Player of the Week twice.

Michael Bishoff - played in all 13 games last year as a redshirt freshman. From Elk Grove Village, IL

Quentin Moon - played in all 13 games last year as a true freshman. From Pike HS in Indianapolis.

Riggs Baxter - played in 12 games last year and started 4 of the last 5 (as a true freshman), including 13 tackles at NDSU. From Thorntown, IN.

Zach Glisan - redshirted last year. Local kid, from Abingdon, IL (just south of Galesburg).

Tom Rehfeld - redshirted last year. From Chicago, IL.

Tre Hendon - incoming freshman from Peoria (Richwoods).

Bryant White - incoming freshman from Anderson, IN

From last year, the only player lost is Brad Blumenshine, who played in 9 games and had 7 total tackles (4 solo). So, the vast majority of our defensive production from our LBs will be back again this year...and next year as well, because, in case you hadn’t noticed, just like our DBs...there are no seniors. This works out really well for the new coaching staff because they know that they have a ton of solid, experienced players on that side of the ball for the next two years, which gives them time to really find the best new players to fit their system and train them up.

Going into the 2016 season, Junior Brett Taylor is listed on the preseason All-MVFC team as well as on the STATS FCS Preseason All-America Team (Third Team).

Since so many of our LBs are coming back this year, I don’t see a huge change in who gets the majority of playing time. Taylor and Brott are going to likely be starters, with Bischoff, Baxter, and Moon getting in there as backups mostly (or if we happen to play any 3-LB defensive schemes). When you’ve got solid guys in the position and they pretty much all come back the next year, it’s unlikely you see significant change unless the defensive coordinator decides to go with a completely different style of defensive playcalling.

Feel free to comment, disagree (or agree), or whatever. Let me know what you think.

Just a reminder, we’re getting close to the start of the season, so here’s the rest of the “Previews” schedule:
8/11 - Defensive Linemen/Ends
8/18 - Special Teams (kickers, punters, long snapper)
8/25 - Overall predictions for the team/season

Has anyone asked Charlie if he is a 4-3 guy or a 3-4 guy? I think we were 4-3 last year but might be wrong.

King played juco at Pierce College, also referred to as LA Pierce. Think we may have had a kid transfer there once, but can't recall. Did get a DT Alex Martinez from there a few years ago.

I hope we stay in the 4-3. Elson ran a 3 man front at SIU last year, a 4 man as DC with New Mexico State and as HC with WKU they had a 3 man in 2009.

From some pics yesterday it looked like the DL was lined up 4 across, if that means anything.

Great write-up Scott, as usual!

A couple of excellent LBs from the more distant past [Mudra era]: Rod Bixby and Steve Mertens...

Bob

BobLovely wrote:Great write-up Scott, as usual!

A couple of excellent LBs from the more distant past [Mudra era]: Rod Bixby and Steve Mertens...

Bob

Thanks, and yea, I'm sure there's been a bunch more. I was just going off of the ones that I remember watching play, plus guys I could find in the football record book that were listed as LBs. Pat Bayers led the team in tackles in '81 and '82, is listed as an LB, and is third overall in career tackles (both solo and total) behind Lee Russell and Eddie Hartwell. All the rest of the players that I listed are ones that I was lucky enough to see play in person.

Bixby and Mertens were a little tougher to find, since individual records are somewhat sporadic prior to when we went D1 in '81. The problem is, the tackle (and INT) leaders for each year are listed back to '81, and that's the only place that lists their actual position. It does show them listed various places, like Mertens being 7th in career solo tackles and 10th in total tackles, for example, but it doesn't actually list their positions anywhere in the record book, so I didn't know if they were LBs or DBs (or amazingly fast D-linemen...which you do occasionally get).

Ken McMillan is another name that can be thrown in there...led the team in tackles for two years in a row and is 4th overall in solo tackles and 5th in total tackles.

One other thing to mention, Brett Taylor's performance last year with 4 fumble recoveries gave him a tie at first place for most fumble recoveries in a season (along with Lee Russel's Senior year, Eddie Hartwell's Senior year, Jason Vasconez's Senior year, Lamar McGrigg's Senior year, and Chris Gunderson's Junior year) as well as tied him with two other players for the most fumble recoveries in the FCS last season. He also was tied for 3rd for the best individual defensive scoring season with Martinez Davis and Joe Allen with 2 TDs. His 4 fumble recoveries also puts him in a tie for career fumble recoveries at #7. There's two players at the #5 spot (with 5 recoveries), 1 at the #4 spot (with 6), 2 at the #2 spot (with 7 recoveries...Eddie Hartwell and Bryan Cox) and 1 at the #1 spot with 10 recoveries...Lee Russel. If Taylor gets even half as lucky as he was last season over the next two, he would take the #2 spot with 8 recoveries. I'd love to see him blow Russel's record out of the water though by the time he's done here.

To check out some other names that you may remember, here's the 2016 football record book: http://goleathernecks.com/documents/201 ... d_Book.pdf
Defense starts on page 30

Going back thru that Record Book is always a good way to pass some time. I am sure those two losses to Blandinsville still have some people rolling over in their grave.

Scott,

Mertens was an ILB on a "52" defense [consisting of three DL, two DEs and two LBs]. This defense was designed to stop the popular option offenses of the era [triple option, veer and wishbone].

In 1973, Mertens was flanked by Dickie Vasquez at the other ILB position. After the season, Dickie left Western and transferred to Florida State with Mudra and his staff.

Another outstanding LB that comes to mind is Joe Byrne. He had great years in 1974-75.

Bob

BobLovely wrote:Scott,

Mertens was an ILB on a "52" defense [consisting of three DL, two DEs and two LBs]. This defense was designed to stop the popular option offenses of the era [triple option, veer and wishbone].

In 1973, Mertens was flanked by Dickie Vasquez at the other ILB position. After the season, Dickie left Western and transferred to Florida State with Mudra and his staff.

Another outstanding LB that comes to mind is Joe Byrne. He had great years in 1974-75.

Bob

Let's not forget Robyn Blaha...he was a great MLB...unfortunately he and Joe Byrne are deceased. Another hard hitting Middle LB from the early 70's was Paul Cesaretti. A couple of teammates of mine Don Ziegler and Charlie Skinulis were also solid LB's...Charlie is deseased as well. Don reminded you of Jack Lambert former Pittsburg Steeler...same mentality. Charlie and Don were the MLB's in '77 and then I played side by side with Charlie in '78. And we can't forget about Steve Tresmer...Crazy LB from the late 60's.

Leatherneck57 wrote:

BobLovely wrote:Scott,

Mertens was an ILB on a "52" defense [consisting of three DL, two DEs and two LBs]. This defense was designed to stop the popular option offenses of the era [triple option, veer and wishbone].

In 1973, Mertens was flanked by Dickie Vasquez at the other ILB position. After the season, Dickie left Western and transferred to Florida State with Mudra and his staff.

Another outstanding LB that comes to mind is Joe Byrne. He had great years in 1974-75.

Bob

Let's not forget Robyn Blaha...he was a great MLB...unfortunately he and Joe Byrne are deceased. Another hard hitting Middle LB from the early 70's was Paul Cesaretti. A couple of teammates of mine Don Ziegler and Charlie Skinulis were also solid LB's...Charlie is deseased as well. Don reminded you of Jack Lambert former Pittsburg Steeler...same mentality. Charlie and Don were the MLB's in '77 and then I played side by side with Charlie in '78. And we can't forget about Steve Tresmer...Crazy LB from the late 60's.

Yes, definitely agree on Robyn Blaha. He was excellent in 1974-75 as well! I am sorry to hear both he and Joe are deceased. Paul Cesaretti was an OG and is listed as such in one of my 1973 programs. This is how I remember him. Steve Tresmer was a wild man both on and off the field. Stories on his exploits "uptown" were legendary. Other LBs who really came on from 1973 to 75 were Tony Cozzi, Washington Bush and Joe Notorangelo.

Bob

And of course, our own LN57...Brian Spotts

Led the team in tackles in '78 and '79 after moving to LB from CB. Finished his Leatherneck career with 247 tackles and 4 INTs total, including 137 tackles, 4 forced fumbles, and 3 INTs just in '79.

This thread actually gave me a good idea for some topic ideas when things get slow around here...
Who are the best players you remember/saw play/were aware of...at the various positions?

The records are pretty much fine back to ~1981....essentially the D1 era for Western...but prior to that, some of the records have been lost or not recorded properly/misplaced. So there's players that played back in the DII era (or earlier) that may have had great games/seasons/careers, that just aren't listed in the record book (especially on the defensive side of the ball...seems like they get the short end of the stick for recording stats throughout history).

But that doesn't mean they didn't lace up their shoes, put on a Leatherneck uniform, and leave their blood and sweat on the field, giving their best effort to win the games. They may not have all gotten written down, but as demonstrated here, there's people who were around (at least in the more recent history) prior to when I was aware of Leatherneck Football and prior to the DI era, that might remember them.

This thread has essentially already turned into the Linebackers thread for this purpose, so maybe once we get closer to the first kickoff, we can kinda turn the other "preview" threads into more "remember this guy" kinda threads. Doesn't even have to be a guy who had a record setting game/season/career....maybe it was just a guy who happened to make an incredible play or have an incredible game, that just doesn't show up on the record books easily.