SPECIAL EVENTS: Family Weekend
• Free concert in Q-Lot starting at 12:30 p.m. Dennis DeYoung and the Music of Styx
ALL-TIME SERIES: WIU leads 3-2
THE SERIES: Western Illinois and South Dakota meet for the sixth time... The Fighting Leathernecks own a 3-2 advantage, all three of those wins over the past three seasons.
THE COACHES: Western Illinois head coach Bob Nielson is in his third year with the Leathernecks. He owns an 11-17 record at Western and 181-76-1 in his 23rd year as a head coach... South Dakota head coach Joe Glenn is 9-30 in his fourth year with the Coyotes and 197-130-1 in 28 years as a head coach.
THE RANKINGS: Western enters this week receiving votes in both the STATS FCS (77 points/31st place) and Coaches (5 points) 'Top 25' polls.
MORE RANKED OPPONENTS: Last year Western played a program-record eight ranked teams in the 12-game schedule... The 2015 season picked up where last year left off, playing #25 Eastern Illinois (33-5 win) and at #1 Coastal Carolina (34-27 defeat)... The future opponents rankings this week includes (highest ranking): South Dakota, UNI (10th), Illinois State (4th), Youngstown State (7th), North Dakota State (2nd), Indiana State (19th) and South Dakota State (8th).
VALLEY LEADS THE NATION AGAIN: The Missouri Valley Football Conference again led the nation going 16-3 outside of league play vs. FCS competition. The three losses were: North Dakota State at Montana, SIU at Southeast Missouri and Western's loss at #1 Coastal Carolina... Five of the nation's 'Top 10' ranked teams are out of the MVFC, with another ranked in the 'Top 25' and Western next in votes received.
NATION'S TOUGHEST SCHEDULE: For the second week in a row, Western Illinois has the nation's toughest schedule according to the NCAA Division I FCS rankings... The Fighting Leathernecks are one of eight MVFC teams among the top nine ranked.
SCOUTING THE COYOTES: South Dakota is coming off a 31-3 loss to 10th-ranked Youngstown State to open MVFC play... Nate Gunn rushed for 48 yards to lead the ground attack... Quarterback Ryan Saeger rushed for 38 yards and completed 9-of-25 passes for 119 yards with an interception... Tyson Graham made a team-high 10 tackles with an interception, one of two by USD in the game... Both teams rushed for 143 yards... The Coyotes rank 37th nationally in third down conversion defense (36.5 percent) and 20th in first down defense (67 allowed)... The team's seven interceptions lead the MVFC and stand 11th nationally, while the two interceptions thrown are second in the league and 13th in the country... The 176.3 passing yards allowed place them 24th in the country... The defense also ranks in the country's 'Top 10' in passing efficiency defense (95.50) while the offense is eighth in tackles for a loss allowed (3.75).
LEATHERNECK NOTES:
• Western won its Missouri Valley Football Conference opener for the second time in the last three years. The Leathernecks will look to open 2-0 for the first time since 2010.
• Western's current ranking of 31st nationally is up two spots from last week.
• The Leathernecks are 4-1 against non-conference FCS teams under Bob Nielson.
• Western Illinois recorded two takeaways versus Southern Illinois, and returned one for a touchdown. Over the past five games, Western has registered 16 takeaways (9 interceptions/7 fumble recoveries) and owns a +8 advantage in turnover margin.
• Western moved up to second nationally in fumble recoveries (7), led by national leader Brett Taylor (3)... The Leathernecks also stand seventh in sacks allowed, 0.50 per game allowed.
• Brett Taylor ended one shy of tying a Missouri Valley Football Conference record with his two fumble recoveries at Illinois. He picked up another loose ball and scored a touchdown versus Southern Illinois. Taylor leads the nation with three fumble recoveries.
• Sophomore Aaron Diggs is 10th nationally in forced fumbles (0.50) and 26th in solo tackles (5.8 per game).
• Over the past three seasons, Western's defense has held South Dakota to a 18.6 success percentage on third down conversions. The best effort for USD was last year at 5-of-15 success on third downs.
LED BY UNDERCLASSMEN: The Leathernecks lost their top seven tacklers from last year and had a few holes to fill on defense along the back seven. Four games into the season, Western's six of the top seven tacklers are all freshmen and sophomores, led by middle linebacker Brett Taylor. He recorded a game- and career-high 17 tackles versus Southern Illinois (11 solos), deflected a pass that led to an interception and returned a fumble for a touchdown. He leads the way with 45 and is 12th nationally averaging 11.3 tackles per game... Sophomore safety Aaron Diggs recorded a career-high 10 tackles at Coastal Carolina, and is second with 31 tackles this year... Sophomore David Griffith recorded his second 10-plus tackle game this year, making a career-high 14 stops against Southern Illinois to give him 31 this year. He has a sack and interception... Redshirt-freshman Xavier Rowe (22) is fifth on the team followed by redshirt-freshman Michael Bishoff (19) and sophomore Adam Brott (18).
TOUCHDOWN TAYLOR: Linebacker Brett Taylor recorded two firsts in the win over Eastern Illinois when the sophomore intercepted a pass and returned it 42 yards for a touchdown... It marked his first interception and first collegiate touchdown... Taylor joined the season (T-3rd) and career (T-5th) record book when he scored his second touchdown of the season following a 21-yard fumble return against Southern Illinois, giving him 12 career points scored on defense... He's one of eight Leathernecks to score multiple touchdowns on defense in their career.
MULTIPLE PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS FOR TAYLOR: Brett Taylor earned his first-ever Player of the Week award when the Missouri Valley Football Conference named him 'Defensive Player of the Week' following the Southern Illinois victory... He was the lone Honorable Mention selection by STATS as 'National Defensive Player of the Week'... Taylor also was one of six chosen as a 'National All-Star' by College Sporting News... Taylor recorded a career-high 17 tackles versus Southern and returned a fumble for a touchdown.
TAYLOR LEADS THE NATION: Following his performance versus Southern Illinois, Brett Taylor leads the country with three fumble recoveries... He recovered two fumbles at Illinois (both on consecutive drives) and returned a loose ball for a 21-yard touchdown against Southern Illinois... With three recoveries, Taylor is tied for sixth on the WIU season 'Top 10', just one away from the record.
DIGGING IN: Sophomore Aaron Diggs moved into a tie for second on the team with 31 tackles, of which 23 are solo stops. That ranks him 26th nationally posting a 5.8 solo tackle per game average... Diggs forced a fumble that was returned for a touchdown during the fourth quarter of the Southern Illinois victory... He leads the team with two forced fumbles, tying him for the MVFC lead and ranking him 10th nationally.
GRIFFITH WITH ANOTHER DOUBLE-DIGIT GAME: Sophomore David Griffith recorded his second game of 10 or more tackles - both this season - when he logged a career-high 14 stops versus Southern Illinois... He added 10 tackles at Illinois... Griffith is tied for second on the team with 31 total tackles, along with 2.0 tackles for a loss and a 6-yard sack.
LENOIR'S NEWEST RECORD: Lance Lenoir picked up a key 44-yard reception on Western's final drive to help set up the game-winning field goal in a 37-36 win over Southern Illinois. That pushed him over the 100-yard mark for the game, finishing with 120 yards on four receptions... Lenoir broke his three-way tie and now holds sole possession with the most 100-yard receiving games in WIU history... Lenoir stands sixth all-time with 1,879 yards in 28 games.
LENOIR 100-YARD GAMES
195 - Illinois State (career-high 12 rec, 2TD/2014)
132 - at Youngstown State (8 rec, 2TD/2014)
124 - Eastern Illinois (10 rec, TD/2015)
120 - Southern Illinois (4 rec/2015)
116 - at Coastal Carolina (10 rec/2015)
115 - at Southern Illinois (7 rec/2014)
115 - at Northwestern (11 rec/2014)
105 - Northern Iowa (5 rec/2014)
105 - at Illinois State (7 rec, 2TD/2013)
IN THE CAREER TOP 10 THROWING: Now 28 games into his Western Illinois career, Trenton Norvell stands among the leaders in several WIU career 'Top 10' categories:
• 4th in career completions (490)
• 3rd in attempts (894)
• 6th in passing yards (5,951)
• T-2nd in passing touchdowns (45)
• 5th in total offense (6,134)
• tied 7th in rushing TDs by a quarterback (4)
He owns five career 300-yard passing games, two of those coming in consecutive weeks last year (310 yards vs. Illinois State and Northern Iowa), and he's riding a two-game streak this season with 333 versus Southern Illinois and 370 at Coastal Carolina.
NORVELL 300-YARD PASSING GAMES
370 - at Coastal Carolina (31-48, 2 TD/0 INT - 2015)
330 - Southern Illinois (18-35, 2 TD/2 INT - 2015)
320 - Valparaiso (20-28, 4 TD/0 INT - 2014)
310 - Northern Iowa (20-42, 2 TD/2 INT - 2014)
310 - Illinois State (21-35, 2 TD/1 INT- 2014)
BORSELLINO JOINS THE 1,000 CLUB: Western saw three receivers surpass 1,000 career yards during the 2014 season... During the season-finale against Indiana State, Joey Borsellino reached the milestone, now with 1,213 yards in 28 games as a Leatherneck moving up three spots following the Southern Illinois game to 21st place all-time.
WATSON IMPACT: Senior running back Nikko Watson made an immediate impact to the WIU rushing game in his return to action at Coastal Carolina... Having missed the last 14 games, Watson gained 156 yards on 29 attempts (one shy of his personal-high) and scored twice... The yardage was the second-best performance in his career and Watson tied a career-high in touchdown runs... He followed that impressive debut with a career-high 174 yards and two touchdowns in the come-from-behind win against Southern Illinois... He owns a 4.4 career yard per carry average, rushing for 1,978 yards on 449 attempts and 13 touchdowns... Watson was forced into action late in his true-freshman year due to injuries and gained 485 yards over the final four games of the season, earning a spot on the Missouri Valley Football Conference All-Newcomer team... He is one game shy of meeting the national requirements for games played, otherwise Watson's 165.0 per game average would lead the nation... His four rushing touchdowns and 330 yards rank him third in the MVFC and 35th and 55th nationally, respectively... Watson needs 166 yards to tie for 10th place on the all-time yardage list.
WATSON REACHES THE CENTURY MARK: Nikko Watson moved into a tie for sixth all-time in Western history with his eight 100-yard rushing games, following his career-high 174 yards against Southern Illinois... Watson ranks fifth on the WIU list for most rushing yards in a quarter when he gained 115 versus South Dakota State in 2011.
WATSON 100-YARD RUSHING GAMES
174 - Southern Illinois (27 carries/2015)
170 - South Dakota State (29 carries/2011)
156 - at Coastal Carolina (29 carries/2015)
149 - at Youngstown State (30 carries/2011)
126 - at South Dakota (21 carries/2012)
109 - Butler (25 carries/2012)
108 - Hampton (27 carries/2013)
106 - North Dakota State (16 carries/2011)
SENIOR EARNS NATIONAL ACCOLADES: Nikko Watson never in his career received a Player of the Week award. That changed following the Southern Illinois game... Watson's career-high 174 rushing yards and personal-best matching two touchdowns earned him the College Sports Madness conference's Offensive Player of the Week award... He was one of five chosen nationally by the College Football Performance Awards as a National Performer of the Week.
FOR THE GAME: Every day at the close of practice Western does 'field goal for the game'. That came to play against Southern Illinois... Josh Fulkenberry did the snap, Sean McGuire was on the hold, and Nathan Knuffman converted a 20-yard field goal with just two seconds remaining in the 37-36 come-from-behind win... It marked the first collegiate game-winning FG for Knuffman, and first by the Leathernecks at the end of regulation since November 2000 when San Diego Chargers punter Mike Scifres nailed a 56-yard field goal at the final horn inside the UNI-Dome to win the Gateway Conference (now MVFC) championship by defeating the Panthers.
KNUFFMAN IN CAREER LISTING: Junior Nathan Knuffman is ranked in three career 'Top 10' listings... He holds sole possession of eighth place in field goals (17), eighth in extra points (76) and seventh place in scoring among kickers (127).
FIRST TIME PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Nathan Knuffman picked up his first career 'Player of the Week' award following the Southern Illinois game... He was chosen as Missouri Valley Football Conference 'Special Teams Player of the Week', and one of six nationally (along with teammate Brett Taylor) named a 'National All-Star' by College Sporting News... Knuffman kicked the game-winning 20-yard field goal and converted all four extra point attempts in the come-from-behind victory.
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