Western Illinois redshirt freshman Dylan Van (left) has moved from running back to wide receiver. The Leathernecks wrapped up spring practice Friday night in Macomb under first-year head coach Joe Davis. (Photo by Barry Bottino, PrairieStatePigskin.com)
By Dan Verdun
MACOMB — When Western Illinois was winding down its 2023 season at Indiana State last November, freshman Dylan Van made his first start at running back under then-head coach Myers Hendrickson.
Perhaps that came as no surprise, given the difficulties of WIU’s veteran backs running the ball last season. In addition, Van arrived at Western as an 1,100-yard rusher and two-time state champion from Christian Brothers College High School in St. Louis.
Van responded by rushing for a team-leading 57 yards on 16 carries against the Sycamores.
However, the promise of that late fall day in Terre Haute has changed shape.
This spring, new WIU head coach Joe Davis and his staff made the decision to shift the 6-foot, 180-pound Van to wide receiver.
“Initially, my thought was, man, I’m a running back. That’s all I knew,” Van said following WIU’s annual Bruce Craddock Memorial spring game Friday at Hanson Field, a 66-65 win by the defense over the offense. “But, I’m an athlete so I can do whatever the coaches need me to do.”
Now in his redshirt freshman year, Van admits he would still like to come out of the backfield next fall, but knows “it’s best for the team” to line up split wide in the Leatherneck offensive sets.
Van performed well in WIU’s spring finale. He caught a pair of touchdowns, the first for 10 yards and the second covering 64 yards.
Yet, Van knows he still has plenty to learn about his new position.
“I’ve been a running back my whole life so I really haven’t had to line up and run all these different alignments and routes. It’s really a big difference from running back,” he said.
Certainly WIU needs talent at receiver. The top eight pass catchers from last season have either graduated or entered the transfer portal. Those that remain caught a combined 12 passes for 61 yards and zero touchdowns.
Position change or not, Van feels the excitement building in Macomb.
“This spring went great,” he said. “Bringing in Coach Davis and his staff has been a big addition to this team. We’re moving in a way better direction (now) so I feel confident.”
Van realizes there’s still work to be done.
“This summer’s going to be really important because I feel if we don’t continue what we’re doing, we’re just going to fall and take a step back (to last year),” he said.
Running back room
Despite Van’s move to receiver and veteran back Ludovick Choquette entering the transfer portal, WIU still returns senior Torrance Farmer Jr. as well as adding transfers Cameren Smith (D2 Missouri S&T) and Shawn Shipman (FCS St. Thomas) to the backfield.
Smith, listed at 6-foot and 210 pounds, led all rushers with 12 carries for 64 yards Friday night.
“I’m all about rebuilding. My whole life has been about rebuilding and going against the odds,” Smith said. “I’m used to it, and I think I have a lot to bring to this team.”
Farmer, who transferred to WIU from FBS Arkansas State in 2023, had 28 yards on five attempts Friday. He is Western’s top returning runner after a 37-carry, 113-yard season a year ago.
Davis has made it clear that he wants his team to be physical, and that running the ball is crucial to success.
Newly added offensive lineman Isaiah Foote discussed his head coach’s goals.
“(Coach Davis has emphasized) always finishing,” Foote said. “One thing he wants us to be No. 1 in the league is effort. You can’t coach effort. He wants us to finish every play. Don’t be standing around ball-watching. That’s one of his biggest pet peeves. He wants effort on every play.”
Co-captains named
Following Friday’s spring game, Davis announced Leatherneck co-captains: linebacker Juan DelaCruz and quarterback Nathan Lamb. Both addressed the team after Davis’s introduction.
“This is my last year, so to be named captain means a lot,” said Lamb, a senior who transferred to WIU last year from a junior college. “I appreciate it. It’s a great honor to have a whole group of men look at you as a leader and captain. It means so much. It’s the best honor in college football.”
Smith, the running back, said that Lamb “brings everything.”
“He’s got the style and charisma. He’s checking (on our formations and assignments). If I don’t know what I’m doing or the other backs don’t know what they’re doing, he’s correcting us and making sure we’re in the right position. He’s a great leader overall and a great captain,” Smith said. “I can’t wait to go to bat for him.”
Metallica lives on amid program upgrades
Davis said that more than $50,000 has been raised by alumni and other sources for the program.
“Our first goal was to have money to feed the kids. We do a dinner here, a big family dinner here every single week,” the first-year head coach said.
Foote, a 6-foot-3, 329-pound transfer offensive lineman from FBS East Carolina, appreciates the team dinners – and not just for the food.
“It not only gives everybody a chance to sit around and eat and talk and have a good time, but you also get to learn a little bit about people that you really don’t get to spend much time around (otherwise),” Foote said. “That’s pretty big.”
Davis said that WIU supporters will see a different Hanson Field come fall when the Leathernecks join the Big South-Ohio Valley Conference.
“Fans are going to notice a lot of improvements in the stadium in the fall, from brand new turf going in to all the new logos and the branding and the signage,” he said.
Hanson Field last received a new playing surface in 2011, according to assistant athletic director for communications Scott Holland.
Davis, who spent the last two seasons as offensive coordinator at Eastern Illinois, also said that football offices and the locker room have been improved.
“It shows the players that football really matters in the community,” Davis said.
The program also matters to its player alumni group, which gathered in Macomb over the weekend to rekindle friendships as well as raise more funds through its annual golf outing.
Davis recognizes and appreciates the group’s support.
“They built the foundation here,” Davis said.
The group, which is headed by WIU graduate and former linebacker Brian Spotts, has embraced Davis.
That excitement continued Friday night when the Leathernecks entered Hanson Field to the strains of Metallica’s “Enter Sandman,” a song dear to the WIU alumni.
“That’s actually something that has been done for some time,” Davis noted. “I didn’t realize how big of a deal it was until some alums were texting me lyrics to the song this week.
“So, I thought we’d better play that tonight. Whatever gets the crowd going and gets our players going is important to me.”
Hitting the portal
Davis and his staff will next train their attention to the transfer portal, which sees an influx of potential candidates as schools end their spring practices.
The official WIU spring roster posted Friday listed 73 players, 21 of which are transfers this semester.
Last week, the NCAA ruled that student-athletes can transfer an unlimited number of times and be eligible immediately.
“Any coach or staff or program that shies away from that is not living in reality,” Davis said. “Our focus now shifts to that transfer portal and finding young men that fit this program and this university. We will make our roster better over the next four to six weeks.”
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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