ALL-TIME SERIES: WIU leads 40-21-4
LAST MEETING: @WIU 48, EIU 9 (11/30/02)
2015 SEASON KICKS OFF WITH FORMER RIVAL: Western kicks off its 112th year of football, facing a former conference rival... The Fighting Leathernecks and Eastern Illinois were both members of the former Little 19 Conference, IIAC (Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference), Mid-Continent Conference and Gateway Conference... Every year from 1934 through 1997 (minus the 1943 season due to World War II) Eastern and Western squared off on the gridiron. The Leathernecks' 65 career meetings with EIU is the second-longest series in program history... Eastern was a football member of the Gateway Conference before leaving for the Ohio Valley Conference in all sports in 1996-97.
TOUGHEST SCHEDULE IN THE COUNTRY: If the preseason rankings are any indication, Western Illinois will be in for its toughest schedule ever in program history. Of the 10 FCS opponents, all 10 received votes for the poll and eight were in the preseason 'Top 25'... Season-opening opponent Eastern Illinois came in at 25th in the coaches poll. Following a road game at bowl participant Illinois, Western travels to #5 Coastal Carolina... The MVFC season opens at home versus Southern Illinois and South Dakota (both received votes)... #W1U then travels to #10 Northern Iowa and #2 Illinois State in consecutive weeks. After a Halloween home game versus #14 Youngstown State, Western travels to four-time defending national champion North Dakota State... The regular season ends with a road game at #20 Indiana State and at home versus #15 South Dakota State.
RIVALRY NOTES: Notes on the Eastern-Western series...
• The series is the second-most played in WIU history, even with just one meeting since the 1997 season-opener.
• Several staff members and coaches in various sports, past and present, have worked at both institutions, including former defensive coordinator with both programs John Smith. He's currently an Associate Athletic Director at Eastern. Smith was the defensive coordinator under Bruce Craddock (1983-86).
• Since 1985, Western has played a nationally-ranked Eastern squad six times. After losing the first three games, Western is on a three-game win streak when facing a ranked EIU team. The Panthers are currently No. 25 in the FCS preseason Coaches poll.
ALL-TIME AT HANSON FIELD: On September 23, 1950, Hanson Field was dedicated and became the home of Leatherneck Football... In 64 years, Western has compiled a 229-116-7 record at home. In 50 of those years Western finished at least .500 at home, including a perfect 6-0 record at home in 2010 and 3-3 last season.
HANSON FIELD TOUGH ON NON-CONFERENCE TEAMS: Playing at Hanson Field has been a tough task for non-conference teams in recent years... The Leathernecks are 31-4 against non-MVFC teams since 1999, including a current nine-game win streak following a 2-0 mark in both 2013 and 2014.
SEASON-OPENING SUCCESS AGAINST FCS: The Leathernecks have had great success in season-opening games against Football Championship Subdivision opponents... Western's 45-6 victory over Valparaiso marked the 10th win in the last 11 opportunities (only loss 20-6 at Sam Houston State in 2011).
2014: 45-6 vs. Valparaiso
2013: 42-9 vs. Hampton
2012: 23-15 vs. Butler
2010: 45-0 vs. Valparaiso
2009: 35-28 at Sam Houston State
2007: 29-26 (4OT) win vs. #20 South Dakota State
2006: 31-6 vs. Morehead State
2002: 64-7 vs. Drake
2001: 17-13 vs. #3 Western Kentucky
1997: 41-0 vs. #6 Eastern Illinois.
Since 2000 the Leathernecks have defeated Division II Wayne State (35-3 in 2003) and lost to Football Bowl Subdivision teams Missouri (50-20 in 2000), Nebraska (56-17 in 2004), Toledo (62-14 in 2005) and Arkansas (28-24 in 2008).
TURNOVERS THE KEY: Since the start of 2013, when WIU commits fewer turnovers than the opponent Western is 7-4. However, when the turnovers were equal (1-3) or WIU made more miscues (1-8) the squad was winless until finally breaking the streak against Drake (minus-1) then later at Youngstown State (even on turnovers)... On seven occasions Western has not committed a turnover, and the team owns a 6-1 record in those games.
VALLEY FOOTBALL > GROUP OF 5: According to the Sagarin rankings, the Missouri Valley Football Conference ranked ahead of FOUR Division I FBS Conferences and half of a fifth that comprise the 'Group of 5'... The MVFC (64.18) ranked ahead of: Conference-USA East Division (62.24), MAC-West Division (61.58), American Athletic Conference (60.85), Conference-USA West Division (60.85), Mountain West-West Division (57.61), Sun Belt Conference (55.85), and MAC East Division (53.03). The MVFC went 2-10 versus the FBS, but nine losses came against 'Power 5' Conference teams. The MVFC owned a 30-2 record out of conference against the FCS.
PRESEASON ALL-AMERICAN: Coming off his record-setting sophomore year, wide receiver Lance Lenoir, Jr. earned STATS FCS Second Team preseason All-America honors... Lenoir, a First Team All-MVFC pick last year, caught a WIU-record 75 passes for 1,030 yards and seven touchdowns... When he broke the 1,000-yard mark in a season, Lenoir became the only WIU underclassman to accomplish that feat... His five 100-yard receiving games last year also tied a season record... Lenoir enters his junior year ranked ninth all-time in yards (1,519), seventh in receptions (114) and tied for sixth in touchdowns (14).
WATCH NORVELL: Junior quarterback Trenton Norvell also joined the preseason recognition list, as he was one of 30 selected nationally to the College Football Performance Awards Player of the Year watch list... Norvell, an Honorable Mention All-MVFC pick last fall, threw for 2,891 yards and 24 touchdowns... In just two short seasons, Norvell already ranks sixth all-time in yards (5,031), completions (414) and touchdowns (40).
PRESEASON ALL-MVFC: A pair of Leathernecks were tabbed preseason All-Missouri Valley Football Conference, both on offense and both juniors... Wide receiver Lance Lenoir, Jr. and offensive lineman Matt Zobrist represented the Leathernecks... Lenoir was a First Team selection in 2014 while Zobrist earned Honorable Mention accolades.
PRESEASON MVFC POLL: Playing in the toughest conference in all of FCS, Western Illinois was picked to finish eighth in the Missouri Valley Football Conference preseason poll... Four-time defending national champion North Dakota State was picked to win the league again, tallying 32 first-place votes and 389 points. National runner-up Illinois State was next with 366 points and the remaining eight first-place votes. UNI (300), Youngstown State (265) and South Dakota State (251) rounded out the top five... Indiana State (190) was sixth followed by Southern Illinois (143) and Western (139) right behind the Salukis. Missouri State (91) and South Dakota (66) rounded out the poll.
THREE WITH 24 CONSECUTIVE STARTS: Entering their junior year, three Leathernecks have started every game in their career... Quarterback Trenton Norvell, wide receiver Lance Lenoir, Jr. and kicker Nathan Knuffman have been a mainstay in the starting lineup... Fellow junior wide receiver Joey Borsellino has played in all 24 games with 16 starts.
SENIORS IN THE LINE-UP: Senior defensive lineman Gavin Ricketts is the only one in the group of seniors to play in all 35 of 35 games over the past three years... Senior tight end Larry Harris is close with 34 of 35 games played, missing one contest in 2013.
IN THE CAREER TOP 10 THROWING: Just 24 games into his Western Illinois career, Trenton Norvell stands sixth in several WIU career 'Top 10' categories:
• 6th in career completions (414)
• 6th in attempts (757)
• 6th in passing yards (5,031)
• 6th in passing touchdowns (40)
• 6th in total offense (5,214)
• tied 7th in rushing TDs by a quarterback (4)
He now owns three career 300-yard passing games, two of those coming in consecutive weeks (310 yards vs. Illinois State and Northern Iowa).
NORVELL THREATENS SEASON RECORDS: Quarterback Trenton Norvell made a run at several WIU season records as well in 2014... He ranked among the season 'Top 10' in:
• 5th in passing yards (2,891)
• 4th in completions (219)
• 3rd in touchdowns (24)
• 4th in total offense (3,035)
• 6th rush yards by a QB (144)
NATIONAL RANKINGS FOR NORVELL: Trenton Norvell wrapped up the 2014 season among the national leaders in several passing categories... His 24 touchdown passes ranked him 11th nationally, while ranking 29th in passing efficiency (139.2)... The All-MVFC quarterback was 17th in the country throwing for 2,891 passing yards... His 13.0 points responsible for per game was second in the MVFC and 33rd nationally... Norvell's 252.9 total offense yards per game also placed him third in the MVFC and 37th in the country.
LENOIR BREAKS RECEPTIONS RECORD, TIES A YARDAGE MILESTONE: Lance Lenoir, Jr. wasted no time tying the WIU season record for receptions during the 2014 season finale... Needing one to tie and two for the mark, Lenoir caught a pass during the Indiana State game first play to match Stacy Coleman's record... Midway through the second quarter he broke the record, finishing his sophomore season with 75 receptions... With five 100-yard receiving games in 2014, Lenoir joined Terriun Crump (2011), Lito Senatus (2010) and Coleman (2002) with that WIU season record.
SIXTH 100 AND APPROACHING THE RECORDS: Lance Lenoir, Jr. picked up his sixth career 100-yard receiving game (vs. Northern Iowa), and continues to climb up the career receiving leaders chart... Lenoir became (at the time) the 26th player in program history to record 1,000 receiving yards and now ninth all-time with 1,519 yards in 24 games.
LENOIR, JR. 100-YARD GAMES
195 - Illinois State (career-high 12 rec, 2TD/2014)
132 - at Youngstown State (8 rec, 2TD/2014)
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)
LENOIR ON CAREER RECORD WATCH: Lance Lenoir, Jr. already ranks among the WIU career receiving leaders in just two years... On the career listing, Lenoir is:
• 7th in receptions (114)
• 9th in yards (1,519)
• tied 6th in touchdowns (14)
• tied 4th in 100-yard games (6)
BORSELLINO JOINS THE 1,000 CLUB ALSO: 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 1,014 yards in 24 games as a Leatherneck... He became the 28th WIU player all-time to reach that impressive milestone.
ZOBRIST EARNS WEEKLY AWARD: All-MVFC offensive tackle Matt Zobrist received the first weekly 'Player of the Week' award in his career following the North Dakota State... Zobrist was selected as the Missouri Valley Football Conference 'Offensive Lineman of the Week' as the Leathernecks rushed for more than 250 yards versus the nation's third-best rushing defense... It was the most rushing yards versus the Bison in NDSU's previous 21 games... Zobrist and the offensive unit allowed only one sack in the game.
KNUFFMAN IN CAREER LISTING: Junior Nathan Knuffman moved into three career 'Top 10' listings... He moved into sole possession of eighth place in field goals (14), ninth in extra points (66) and now tied for seventh place in scoring among kickers (108).
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