Coach Hendrickson

[bignecks]

I'm seeing the season out before making any bold claims like these. 
 

[Let’s Go Western!]

Why is the answer always to fire the HC?  This program has been on the struggle
bus for a few years.  Now with the portal, there is constant turnover in the players, it’s very difficult to recruit players to Western.  The town and the facilities are not recruiting attractions.  We
have a HC that is investing in the University.
Perseverance is important at this juncture.  Constant turnover in players and coaches is not a winning combination. Everyone take a breath and hold the line!

[Western_101]

Y

You want someone to blame? 

How about Gil Peterson?  I mean it's cool that he was the AD that that presided over and pushed forward for WIU to move to NCAA D-I. However, I can't wrap my mind around why He/WESTERN in 1981 thought 1950-1964 NAIA facilities would cut it in D-I?  WESTERN basketball in the early was Mid-Continent tournament champion int !980, 1981, 1982, and 2nd in 1984. Basketball was relevant, The state of the State was healthy the state of Western was healthy and enrollment was quite good. 

What person would squander an opportunity to leverage elevating your university's outdated facilities? Peterson navigated from NAIA to D-II to D-I. I was alive then but certainly to young to know or care.   

Seriously how do you not update your NAIA facility to NCAA-D-I ?  Western Hall was built with a University Max enrollment of 8,000. When Western Hall was being planned out enrollment was around 5,500 when it was completed enrollment was approaching 7,000. The ineptitude goes all the way back to the 50's for bad planning and bad design.  

How do you not build a new football stadium when we transitioned to D-I. Gil thought that the 1950 stadium would suffice. How in the world does a 31 year old NAIA facility not get a massive upgrade or replacement?  Yeah we can blame Smiley, or VanAlstine. However, Peterson set the president that meh... is good enough. Western Illinois football were Gateway champions in 1988. 

Lest we forget it was under Gil's helm that WIU was, I suppose, blissfully unaware and unprepared when Cleveland St., UIC, Wright St., Green Bay, NIU, and Milwaukee left (UNI left in '91 MSU '90). Wow talk about asleep at the wheel! Western staggered along with a menagerie of temporary schools.

Squandered opportunity, poor planning, indifference or lack of concern about facilities goes back a long long way!  
 
 

[dogwhisper]

Why is the answer always to fire the HC?  This program has been on the struggle
bus for a few years.  Now with the portal, there is constant turnover in the players, it’s very difficult to recruit players to Western.  The town and the facilities are not recruiting attractions.  We
have a HC that is investing in the University.
Perseverance is important at this juncture.  Constant turnover in players and coaches is not a winning combination. Everyone take a breath and hold the line!

 

Player and coach turnover has accelerated with Hendrickson at the helm, offense has shown improvement this season because he isn't calling plays, players are not motivated to play for him. 
 

[rocki]

Why is the answer always to fire the HC?  This program has been on the struggle
bus for a few years.  Now with the portal, there is constant turnover in the players, it’s very difficult to recruit players to Western.  The town and the facilities are not recruiting attractions.  We
have a HC that is investing in the University.
Perseverance is important at this juncture.  Constant turnover in players and coaches is not a winning combination. Everyone take a breath and hold the line!


 

Player and coach turnover has accelerated with Hendrickson at the helm, offense has shown improvement this season because he isn't calling plays, players are not motivated to play for him. 
 

 

And your proof of this is??????

[4EverPurple&Gold]

Why is the answer always to fire the HC?  This program has been on the struggle
bus for a few years.  Now with the portal, there is constant turnover in the players, it’s very difficult to recruit players to Western.  The town and the facilities are not recruiting attractions.  We
have a HC that is investing in the University.
Perseverance is important at this juncture.  Constant turnover in players and coaches is not a winning combination. Everyone take a breath and hold the line!



 

Player and coach turnover has accelerated with Hendrickson at the helm, offense has shown improvement this season because he isn't calling plays, players are not motivated to play for him. 
 


 

And your proof of this is??????

 

I don't have proof from someone telling me, but just looking at their body language you can tell

[rocki]

Player and coach turnover has accelerated with Hendrickson at the helm, offense has shown improvement this season because he isn't calling plays, players are not motivated to play for him. 
 



 

And your proof of this is??????


 

I don't have proof from someone telling me, but just looking at their body language you can tell

 

I don't know - watching them they seem to be motivating each other (at least on the sidelines).
 

[rocki]

So, to follow up, does this mean we haven't had any players motivated by any coach since Charlie Fisher left?

[Let’s Go Western!]

Seriously?  We’re to fire Myers Hendrickson based on A subjective opinion about him not motivating players??? We know this how?  This thread was started based on subjective observations, conjecture and emotional opinions.  I still contend that a revolving door of players and coaches is not the answer. This team has had 3 games to play together. They have performed well in 2.5 quarters of every game.  Against Lynwood, they scored more points than in any game since Hendrickson has been here.  The quarterback threw the ball very well and racked up some great yards.  That little guy (#1) tailback/running back, special teams, whatever-that young man is a thriller! #2 is a good player as well.  We cannot judge this team yet because it’s a whole new team, and I hope to heck they get a chance to prove all of the haters wrong.  We’re lucky we have the players and coaches we have considering the financial situation and the facilities and the location of the University!  Having been in charge of the hiring and firing of employees in my career path…it’s not fun, and you better have your paperwork in order to back up the termination!  These coaches work very hard.  How about supporting them?  

Does anyone in this forum take into account that our coaches and players and their families and friends as well as our opponents read this stuff?  It’s easy to sling mud when one doesn’t have to say some of this crap to the persons face.  How about putting out some positive energy and ease up on the negativity and character bashing.  C’Mon Man!  

[vatusay]

Well, they have won a grand total of 9 games over 5 seasons with coaches after fisher….. 5 of those in Elliot’s first year, 2018, with Nielsen/Fischer recruits…. So there is definitely an argument that is the case. 


4 wins in the last four years. 

I don’t have time to go back and look at recruiting classes to see if Elliot’s recruits are still on roster. 

Nielson bailing really really hurt the program. Then Fischer abruptly leaving was just another gut punch. Follow all that up with hiring a WR coach to take over, who if I remember correctly, was a GA in the very recent past, is just an absolute bone head hire by the AD. 

That is the timeline to our current state of absolute rock bottom WIU football. 

id say the jury is still out on the current staff/roster.