Nathan Lamb delivers a pass during the Western Illinois spring game. Lamb, who was named a captain for the 2024 season, and the Leathernecks open the season Aug. 31 at Northern Illinois. (Photo by Barry Bottino, PrairieStatePigskin.com)
By Barry Bottino
When it came to installing new head coach Joe Davis’ offense, Western Illinois quarterback Nathan Lamb had quite a few study aids to work with.
Davis, whose past two years were as offensive coordinator at Eastern Illinois, has spent 16 years as a play caller. So, the new coach has examples of his offense from multiple stops in his career.
That gave Lamb plenty of film to watch to get ready for the 2024 season.
“A lot of our cut-up clips are of the other schools he’s been at to learn how to run it,” Lamb said Wednesday during the Big South-Ohio Valley Conference Football Association’s virtual media day. “It was a lot of Eastern, a lot of UAlbany. Just seeing how it’s done and how the quarterback goes through his reads and his mannerisms (was helpful).
“You can take away from what that quarterback has done and why he was successful in this system, and you can add that to your game,” said Lamb, who noted the offense has been fully installed.
Davis, meanwhile, compared Lamb to EIU quarterback Pierce Holley, who was named Big South-OVC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year on Wednesday.
“He has a lot of similar traits to Pierce,” Davis said. “Nate has probably grasped our offense as quick as any quarterback I’ve had.”
When the Leathernecks open the season Aug. 31 at FBS Northern Illinois, Lamb said his competitiveness and athleticism will show.
“I’m someone who gives it everything I have,” he said. “I can play from the pocket and I can move a little bit. Being able to make plays is what I bring. I’m a competitor.”
WIU was picked to finish ninth Wednesday in the nine-team league’s preseason poll as a first-year member of the Big South-OVC.
On the defensive side, veteran linebacker and fellow captain Juan DelaCruz spent plenty of time this off-season with defensive coordinator Dan McKeown, who coached the past five seasons at D-II Saginaw Valley State in Michigan.
“It was lots of meetings with Coach McKeown and watching his old school,” Delacruz said. “It’s a very simple and straightforward defense. It allows me to play fast, play sideline to sideline.”
Ready to roll
Davis said his staff spent the first several months on the job with several key priorities.
“When we were hired back in January, there was such an emphasis put on recruiting and on the physical development of this football team,” he said. “It was also a priority for us as a staff and a team to reconnect with alumni.”
Just weeks from the start of fall camp, Davis said the main focus has changed.
“It’s football time now,” he said. “I’m ready to start coaching, to get out on the grass and watch our team from a football standpoint and see how far we’ve come since spring football and during the summer.”
Lots to learn
Being back on the field in less than two weeks will help answer plenty of questions about the 115 players Davis said will be in camp.
“We’ll have approximately 65 new guys,” he said. “There’s still a lot of unknowns about our team. How do you get those 60-plus guys integrated? How do you figure out what pieces fit where? Those are the fun challenges as a coach. We have a lot of very talented players that just haven’t played yet.”
News and notes
Despite the team’s current 24-game losing streak, enthusiasm is high. “We haven’t won a game in two years, but I haven’t felt this confident in a team since I first got here back in 2020,” DelaCruz said. “We’re making a lot of strides.” … Lamb will be part of an offense that welcomes back only 3% of its receiving yards from a year ago. He and his teammates have been getting familiar with each other by watching film, talking about the offense and more. “Hanging out on the weekends, going through the play scripts with the new guys to make sure they’re locked in. It’s also doing things outside of football like going golfing.” Delacruz said a lot of players have another passion. “This new group of guys is obsessed with playing cards. I’m not a big card guy but I sit there and watch. We grill out.” … Western’s unique non-conference schedule begins with FBS games at NIU and Indiana (Friday, Sept. 6), followed by a trip to former Missouri Valley Football Conference rival Illinois State Sept. 14. “I joke with (athletic director) Paul Bubb,” Davis said. “I’m trying to remember if he told me we had three straight road games and two FBS opponents to start the year or not.” Davis does expect the early schedule to strengthen his team’s resolve. “Playing a difficult early season schedule pays dividends later in the year.” The WIU home opener is Sept. 28 against D-II McKendree.
Barry Bottino is a co-founder of Prairie State Pigskin and spent 19 years at three Illinois newspapers. He has covered college athletics since 1995.
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