Former WIU quarterback Nate Lamb is now working with the Leathernecks’ defense as a graduate assistant coach this season. (Photo by Barry Bottino, PrairieStatePigskin.com)
By Barry Bottino
MACOMB – With quarterback Nate Lamb running the Western Illinois offense last season, the Leathernecks put up gaudy numbers.
This fall, Lamb will be busy helping the WIU defense put a stop to opposing offenses.
“He’s officially Coach Lamb now,” Western head coach Joe Davis said after Friday’s practice. “We did hire him as a graduate assistant this summer. We had one (GA) on the defensive side of the ball get a full-time high school teaching and coaching job. I already had two offensive graduate assistants.
“So I said, ‘Hey Nate, for your career it might be kind of cool to go to the defense and learn and provide a perspective over there,’” Davis recalled. “He said, ‘Absolutely, I’m all in.’ We’ll be happy to have him back for another year or two.”
During practice, Lamb was playing quarterback in a drill run by WIU defensive coordinator Landon Fox.
The session featured Lamb identifying where to throw the ball against WIU’s coverage. He also coached several Western defenders directly throughout the drill.
“He’s very well respected among the team,” Davis said. “He’s got very good vision for the game. I think he’s got a bright future as a coach.”
After completing only 2 of 6 passes during the 2023 season in a backup role, Lamb blossomed when Davis – the former Eastern Illinois offensive coordinator – took over as head coach and offensive play caller.
Lamb finished the season fourth nationally in total offense per game (306.2 yards), along with seventh in passing yards (3,332) and 11th in points responsible for (174). While completing 65.2% of his passes in 2024, he threw 21 touchdowns and rushed for eight more.
Lamb and the offense scored 31 points a game while helping WIU to a 4-8 record, which came after back-to-back 0-11 seasons.
Davis said he expects Lamb to offer both defensive players and coaches the opportunity “to see things from a QB’s perspective.”
Barry Bottino is a co-founder of Prairie State Pigskin and a 19-year veteran of three Illinois newspapers. He has covered college athletics since 1995.
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