MACOMB, Ill. - Four-time NFL Pro Bowl selection Merton Hanks, now an Assistant Director of Football Operations with the NFL, paid a visit to the Western Illinois football team last night, addressing a wide range of topics from the importance of college graduation to the reality of life in the NFL.?My message to the players was first of all to stay in school and get your degree,? Hanks said. ?And after that, prepare for life. Football-speaking, I encouraged them to be optimistic and make sure their team is ready for a successful season. I don?t see any reason why they can?t win the Gateway Conference?Hanks, who spent 10 seasons in the NFL, also highlighted the average career of an NFL player - only 3.5 years.Hanks received his chance at collegiate football thanks to the recruiting efforts of current Leatherenck head coach Don Patterson, then spent eight seasons with the San Francisco 49ers and two more with the Seattle Seahawks. He earned all-pro status from 1994-97 and was named Football Digest?s Defensive Player of the Year in 1995. He was a member of San Francisco?s 1995 Super Bowl championship team and ended his career with 31 interceptions, ranking him fourth in the franchise?s history.?I?ve enjoyed seeing Coach Patterson mature as a coach,? Hanks continued. ?You can tell by his record that he?s had a consistent level of success. Every team goes through a cycle of a bad year or two, but I know Western Illinois will bounce back. Coach Patterson is one of the most humble head coaches you will ever see. He?s a quality, quality individual and the University and especially the players are very fortunate to have him.?Leathernecks Don Full PadsWestern Illinois University practiced for the first time in full pads this morning, their fifth practice of preseason camp, and head coach Don Patterson said he has been pleased with, among other things, the tempo of camp.?I have been very impressed with the tempo of play so far,? said Patterson. ?It seems like the guys are playing at a faster pace than at this time in recent years, and that?s a direct reflection on their conditioning. They?re showing a lot more energy and that translates into a faster game. If practice is fast than it?s not such a radical transition come gameday.?Unlike last year?s camp when the starting quarterback job was up in the air, this year the Leathernecks have the benefit of four capable arms in camp.?We have a starting quarterback and that?s Steve LaFalce,? offensive coordinator Mark Hendrickson said. ?Behind Steve we have Zack Wells who redshirted last year and is now ready to play. In uniform Zack will remind you a lot of Russ Michna. In addition we feel very good about our two transfers (Will Ducey and Eric Schultz). They have both looked very good early on. When we head to Toledo we?ll have four quarterbacks that we feel can play for us and that?s always a very good feeling.?The Leathernecks are scheduled to hold their first official scrimmage Saturday morning.