Hall of Fame
Randy Ball, 2009 - At the helm of the Fighting Leatherneck football program from 1990-98, Randy Ball led Western Illinois to its first I-AA postseason victory (1997), its first 11-win season (1997) and its first semifinals appearance. Part of three Gateway Conference (now Missouri Valley Football Conference) Championships, his first as an assistant coach under Bruce Craddock in 1988, and final two as head coach in 1997 and 1998, Ball owns records at both Western and in the league.Â
He is the Western Illinois record holder for career wins in school history with a 64-41-1, .608 mark, including a 35-18 mark against Gateway Conference competition. His 51 career league wins in the Valley as head coach at Western (1990-98) and at Missouri State (1999-2005) stand among the league's best.Â
Ball was a 1997 Eddie Robinson Award finalist for the National Coach of the Year in addition to being named the Bruce Craddock Award recipient and Gateway Conference Coach of the Year.
After leading the Leathernecks to their second outright conference title in school history in 1998 with a 6-0 record, Ball was named the American Football Coaches Association Regional Coach of the Year. The 1998 team led the nation in holding opponents to only 9.4 points per game. Under the guidance of Ball, an instrumental part of the defense in both the 1997 and 1998 seasons was Western’s first-ever player to win the Buck Buchanan Award (nation’s top linebacker) in James Milton.Â
As a student-athlete, Ball was team captain and earned all-conference honors (1970-71) as part of the Northeast Missouri State football program. He was a member of three league championship teams between 1969-72. At Hickman High School, Ball earned varsity letters in both football and track and field (1966-68).
He has had involvement in the United National Gridiron Football League (2008), the All American Football League (2007), and was the defensive line coach at Drake University after his stints at Western and Missouri State.Â
Prior to taking on the head coaching role at Western, Ball spent six seasons as the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach (1983-89) for the Leathernecks. He began his coaching career at Missouri Western State College in 1977 and moved to Illinois State as the offensive line coach (1978-80) before a year as the offensive line coach and segment coordinator at Northeast Missouri State (formerly Truman State).
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