Western Illinois quarterback Nate Lamb was named Big South-OVC Football Association Co-Offensive Player of the Week this week. (Photo by Sarah Ritter, GoLeathernecks.com)
By Dan Verdun
While Western Illinois is in the midst of its bye week, the Leathernecks surely won’t be idle.
“We need to keep looking at every player on our roster and say, ‘How can they help? Where do they fit?’,” first-year head coach Joe Davis told Prairie State Pigskin after Saturday’s 51-34 loss at nationally ranked Illinois State. “Competition is wide open.”
Davis said the coaching staff will look at some of its younger players in “competitive situations” that includes scrimmaging and live-tackling situations.
“We’re not going to back off on this football team. They need to learn how to compete and push through. This team needs competitive reps wherever we can find them,” he said.
After three straight road games, WIU (0-3) will finally have its home opener at Hanson Field Sept. 28 when the Leathernecks host Division II McKendree.
This is the latest Western has held its home opener since 2017. WIU, then under head coach Charlie Fisher, played its first game in Macomb on Sept. 30. That Leatherneck team went on to make the FCS playoffs.
Lambastic performance
Quarterback is one position that isn’t open.
Senior Nate Lamb shared Big South-OVC Offensive Player of the Week honors with Tennessee State quarterback Draylen Ellis this week.
Lamb set a WIU record by completing his first 11 passes against Illinois State. He finished the day 24-for-33 passing for 269 yards and a touchdown.
The California native also rushed for 59 yards on 15 carries. His three rushing touchdowns were the most in a game since Nikko Watson ran for a trio against Indiana State in 2015.
“Getting ourselves in more third and manageable (downs against ISU) was a big positive,” Davis said. “Having the quarterback run game certainly helped with that.”
Davis, who has coached several successful quarterbacks in his 20-plus-year coaching career, continues to see growth and promise in Lamb.
“He possesses a lot of the physical traits that you look for in a quarterback,” Davis said during Tuesday’s league media address on Zoom. “He has flashed at times during these first three games.
“Things that he still has to work on are things that you expect for a quarterback that hasn’t played a ton of football at this level.”
Lamb transferred to Western last season, but only saw limited action backing up starter Matt Morrissey.
Before arriving in Macomb, Lamb played 11 games at College of Sequoias in 2022 where he threw for 2,166 yards and 22 touchdowns.
Stiff competition
Western Illinois ranks 14th in strength of schedule among the nation’s 129 FCS teams, according to this week’s Massey ratings.
WIU has faced three teams on the road that have shown up in the national collegiate rankings this season.
Northern Illinois (2-0), which defeated Western in the season opener, is ranked No. 23 in the Associated Press FBS Top 25.
Indiana (2-0) is listed among those receiving votes in that same poll.
Illinois State (2-1) is ranked No. 15 in the American Football Coaches Association poll and No. 17 in the Stats Perform FCS poll.
“We certainly have had our work cut out for us but are excited about the future here this fall,” Davis said.
News & notes
Transfer Cameren Smith rushed for a team-high 77 yards on 20 carries against Illinois State. Smith also caught two passes out of the backfield. … Defensive back Jordan Anderson, a true freshman from Detroit, had six tackles against Illinois State, the third-most on the team. … Chris Irvin, Lamb’s backup, got playing time Saturday against ISU. The sophomore completed 7-of-9 passes for 48 yards and a touchdown in late-game action. … Nine different Western receivers caught passes, led by Matthew Henry’s seven-reception, 124-yard performance. … The Leathernecks will play their first ever Big South-OVC game Oct.5 at Charleston Southern. WIU hosts UT Martin for its first league game Oct. 12. That game is also Western’s homecoming.
Barry Bottino contributed to this story.
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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