Quarterback Matt Morrissey (7) was chosen for the All-Missouri Valley Football Conference team following the regular season. (Photo by Barry Bottino, PrairieStatePigskin.com)
By Dan Verdun
Western Illinois suffered its second straight winless season under Myers Hendrickson, prompting the school to fire the former WIU player-turned-head coach.
The Leathernecks were 0-11 overall and 0-8 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. Western has lost a program-record 24 games, which is also the longest current skid in FCS.
WIU, a charter member of the MVFC, will join the Ohio Valley Conference next season. The Leathernecks will do so under new leadership after Western announced Hendrickson’s dismissal Nov. 19.
Here’s our look back on Western’s 2023 season:
Interim head coach: Brandon Kreczmer
Closest WIU came to a win: With a reunion of Leatherneck greats from the 1990s on hand, Western let a 24-7 lead slip away in a 43-40 loss to future OVC opponent Lindenwood Sept. 16 in Macomb.
Most frustrating loss: The aforementioned defeat in which everything seemed to be going the Leathernecks’ way with a 31-14 halftime lead. Lindenwood drove 75 yards in 10 plays in just under four minutes for the winning score. Lion QB Cole Dugger found big play receiver Jeff Caldwell for the 16-yard game-winning strike with only 73 seconds left on the clock.
All-MVFC Honorable Mention: QB Matt Morrissey, LB Juan DelaCruz, RS Jay Parker
Breakout players:
Offense – Morrissey, a Northern Iowa transfer who earned All-MVFC honorable mention accolades, threw for 2,014 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Defense – LB Ryan Crandall, a sophomore credited with four pass breakups, emerged as the team’s second-leading tackler with 66 stops. The Iowa native registered 5.5 tackles for loss to accompany a QB hurry, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
Player WIU will most miss: Morrissey, who provided a steadying influence despite being sacked 50 times and leading a WIU offense with virtually no running game, announced on social media that he was entering the transfer portal.
2024 season opener: According to FBSchedules.com, the Leathernecks open at FBS Northern Illinois, a Mid-American Conference member, Aug. 31 in DeKalb.
Later this week: Barry Bottino examines 5 Burning Questions facing Western Illinois football.
Dan Verdun is a co-founder of Prairie State Pigskin. He has written four books: NIU Huskies Football, EIU Panthers Football, ISU Redbirds Football and SIU Salukis Football.
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