coaching staff - Western Illinois

COACHING STAFF
23 COACHING STAFF
Don Patterson................. 24
Mark Hendrickson........... 28
Thomas Casey................. 29
Josh McCall.................... 30
Monte Henderson............ 31
Thad Ward...................... 32
Steve McKane................ 33
Matt Drinkall.................. 34
Dave Stoltz..................... 34
Tim Yourison................... 34
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HEAD COACH DON PATTERSON
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ne of the Gateway Football Conference’s
all-time winningest coaches, Don
Patterson has guided Western Illinois to
three playoff berths, a pair of Gateway
Football Conference titles and a No. 1 national
ranking. He will enter his ninth season in 2007
needing two victories to move into second place
on the school’s list of career wins, and in search
of a 10-win season which would make him the
winningest coach in Leatherneck history.
Ninth Season at Western Illinois
55-37 (.598)
The quickest Leatherneck head coach to 50
victories, Patterson (55-37, .598) currently
ranks third among the 25 all-time Leatherneck
head coaches, just one win shy of Ray Hanson’s
second-place total. His .598 winning percentage
ranks seventh in school history and among
the top 20 active I-AA coaches, while his 55
victories are the third-most of any coach in
Gateway history.
No other active Gateway coach has more league
victories at his current institution, and only one
league team has produced more player of the
year awards over the last eight years than Western
Illinois. Patterson, the longest-tenured active
coach in the Gateway, has led the Leathernecks
to 29 conference wins and coached five Gateway
players of the year since 1999. His 29 wins rank
fourth in Gateway history and second among
active coaches.
In eight seasons, Patterson has produced
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85 all-conference honorees, 26 academic
all-conference selections, 56 all-Americans,
including two consensus all-Americans, and two
academic all-Americans (Justin Langan, Perry
Cox - 2004 and 2005).
Reaching No. 1
In 2003, Patterson guided the Leathernecks to
their second straight quarterfinal appearance in
the I-AA playoffs, finishing with a 9-4 record.
After a 34-12 win at I-A Eastern Michigan, the
Leathernecks earned the school’s first No. 1
ranking in the I-AA national polls. It took a 357 loss at eventual I-A national-champion LSU
(a game in which the Leathernecks were down
only 13-7 late in the third quarter) to knock
Western out of the top spot, but the Leathernecks
remained in the top three throughout the majority
of the season. A 43-40 overtime win at Montana
in the first round of the playoffs propelled the
Leathernecks into a quarterfinal round matchup
at Colgate. Played in 10 inches of snow, Western
fell 28-27. Quarterback Russ Michna earned his
second straight Gateway Football Conference
Offensive Player of the Year honor and finished
sixth in the Walter Payton Award voting, and
linebacker Lee Russell finished fifth on the Buck
Buchanan Award ballot.
A large factor in Western’s rise to national
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prominence has been its performance against I-A
opponents. Patterson is the nation’s only active
I-AA coach with four I-A wins over the last eight
years. Under his guidance, the Leathernecks own
twice as many victories against I-A opponents
over the past eight years than earlier Western
Illinois coaches registered over the previous
23 years. He defeated Northern Illinois in his
very first game in 1999, defeated Ball State
in 2000, Northern Illinois again in 2002 and
Eastern Michigan in 2003. The Leathernecks
have played at least one I-A team each season
since 1993.
A Second Gateway Conference Crown
In 2002 Patterson earned his second set of
Coach of the Year awards from both the Gateway
Football Conference and the American Football
Coaches Association (regional winner) after
leading Western to an 11-2 record. Picked fourth
in the Gateway preseason poll and 40th in the
national rankings, the 2002 Leathernecks flirted
with perfection as both losses were suffered
on the final play from scrimmage. Patterson’s
squad became just the third team in 99 years
of Leatherneck football to win 11 games as
Western captured its fourth Gateway crown in
the last six years. Key victories over I-A Northern
Illinois and nationally-ranked Western Kentucky
and Youngstown State helped the Leathernecks
climb as high as No. 2 in the national polls.
Northern Illinois boasted the highest Sagarin
rating of the eight I-A teams that fell to I-AA
opponents, and was the only I-A team from that
list with a winning record. Shutouts over No. 14
Western Kentucky and No. 23 Youngstown State
marked the first time Western had shut out two
nationally-ranked teams in the same season.
Establishing Top Offensive Teams
Patterson has put together five of the top eight
scoring teams in Leatherneck history, including
the 2003 squad which averaged 36.3 points
per game, the highest average in more than 50
years. The 2003 offense ranks second in the alltime record books, behind only the 37.4 points
per game scored by the 1951 squad. The 1999
(34.8 ppg), 2000 (32.5 ppg), 2002 (36.2 ppg)
and 2005 (32.0 ppg) teams also rank among the
top eight Leatherneck scoring teams of all-time.
Over Patterson’s eight seasons, the Leathernecks
have averaged 32.3 points per game - more than
any other Gateway team during that span.
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record, set in 1988, by nearly 15 yards per
outing. The 2001 squad also ranks seventh in the
history books in total offense per game, averaging
393.9 yards. Patterson has led five of the top
eight offensive teams in school history and four
of the top seven passing teams.
His First Gateway Title
In his second year, Patterson was able to lead
the Leathernecks to an undisputed 2000
Gateway title. As a result, he was a finalist for
the Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year
Award, and was named the Gateway Conference
and American Football Coaches Association
Region 4 Coach of the Year. Patterson guided
the Leathernecks to the league crown after the
team was picked fifth in the Gateway preseason
poll, becoming the lowest-picked team to ever
win an outright title. Picked No. 23 in the
national preseason poll, the Leathernecks rose
as high as No. 3 with an eight-game winning
streak which marked the fourth-longest streak
in school history.
In his first two seasons, Patterson coached three
Leathernecks to five Gateway players of the
year awards and one national honor. Edgerton
Hartwell earned back-to-back Gateway Defensive
Player of the Year honors in 1999 and 2000,
and capped his career with the Buck Buchanan
Award as the nation’s best I-AA defensive player.
Patterson also coached Charles Tharp to a pair
of Gateway honors - 1999 Newcomer and the
2000 Offensive Player of the Year.
The Leathernecks swept the Gateway’s
postseason awards in 2000, as Patterson was
named Coach of the Year, joining Tharp and
Hartwell on the honors list, and Lee Russell was
named Freshman of the Year. The Leathernecks
became the first team in Gateway history to win
four of the conference’s five postseason awards
in a single season.
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THE PATTERSON FILE
Year
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
Totals
School
W. Illinois
W. Illinois
W. Illinois
W. Illinois
W. Illinois
W. Illinois
W. Illinois
W. Illinois
8 years
Overall
7-4
9-3
5-5
11-2
9-4
4-7
5-6
5-6
55-37
Gateway
2-4 (T-4th)
5-1 (1st)
4-3 (4th)
6-1 (1st)
5-2 (T-3rd)
2-5 (T-5th)
3-4 (6th)
2-5 (6th)
29-25
4Coaching Experience
Western Illinois, head coach....................1999-present
Iowa, offensive coordinator............................ 1992-98
Iowa, assistant coach.................................... 1979-98
North Texas State, assistant coach......................1978
4Education
U.S. Military Academy, West Point...............grad. 1973
Blooming Grove High School........................grad. 1969
4Personal
Born.............................................. December 10, 1950
Hometown..........................................Corsicana, Texas
Family ............................... wife Lisa, daughter Brooke
4Bowl Games as a Coach
14 total, including three Rose Bowls
(following 1981, 1985 and 1990 seasons)
4Playoff Appearances
2000 (first round)
2002 (quarterfinals)
2003 (quarterfinals)
Promptly establishing the best record for a
first-year Leatherneck coach in over 20 years,
Patterson guided his 1999 squad to a 7-4
record, winning the first three games in which he
coached. He also became the first Leatherneck
I-AA coach to record a winning season in each
of his first two campaigns, earning a 9-3 record
in 2000.
In his third year, Patterson established the top
passing team in school history, averaging 285.5
yards per game and surpassing the previous
Don Patterson enters the 2007 season as the nation’s 18th winningest active FCS coach.
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CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
4Owns twice as many wins over FBS teams than the
previous four Leatherneck head coaches combined.
4The first coach to lead Western Illinois to a
No. 1 national ranking.
4Won 50 games faster than any other Western
Illinois coach.
4Named the 2000 and 2002 Gateway Football Conference
Football Coaches Association Regional Coach of the Year.
4Recognized as a finalist for Eddie Robinson
National Coach of the Year honors in 2000 and 2002.
4Established five of the top eight scoring teams
in school history.
4Coached five of the top eight offensive teams
in school history.
4Established four of the top seven passing teams
in school history.
4Coached seven Gateway players of the year.
4Coached the first two FCS players chosen in
the 2001 NFL Draft.
4Developed 86 all-conference and 58
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Patterson also kept the Western Illinois tradition
of sending players to the National Football
League intact when two Leathernecks were
not only drafted, but were the first two I-AA
players taken in the draft. Will Peterson became
Western’s third-highest draft pick when he was
selected by the New York Giants in the third
round, and Edgerton Hartwell was taken in the
fourth round by the Baltimore Ravens.
Patterson became a member of the I-AA Football
Board of Directors in July 2001, representing the
Gateway Conference on the panel. He served as
President of the Board from 2005-06.
Bruce Craddock Memorial Coach of the Year.
4Voted by his peers as the 2000 and 2002 American
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all-America honorees.
One of Seven Division I Head Coaches
Produced by Hayden Fry
Patterson came to Western Illinois from the
University of Iowa where he was a member of
Hayden Fry’s original staff. Patterson served
for 20 years under Fry, working as the offensive
coordinator for the last seven years after serving
in a variety of assistant coaching positions.
He is currently one of seven Division I head
coaches to have worked under Fry at Iowa (Bret
Bielema - Wisconsin; Kirk Ferentz - Iowa; Jim
Leavitt - South Florida; Chuck Long - San Diego
State; Bob Stoops - Oklahoma; Mike Stoops
- Arizona).
During his tenure at Iowa, the Hawkeyes
appeared in 14 bowl games, including three
Rose Bowls. The 1985 Iowa team was ranked
No. 1 in the nation for five weeks, en route to a
school-record 10 wins.
Under Patterson’s guidance, the Iowa offense
was explosive, leading the Big Ten in rushing
(217.0 yards/game) and scoring (34.3 points/
game) while finishing second in pass efficiency in
1997. Iowa finished the 1997 campaign ranked
4Coached student-athletes to 26 academic
records
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eighth in the nation in rushing offense and ninth
in scoring, and had its highest pass efficiency
ranking of any Iowa team since 1985.
Patterson was instrumental in Iowa’s success,
making the Hawkeyes one of only three Big
Ten teams (also Ohio State and Michigan) to
play in 14 bowl games during his tenure. Iowa
appeared in the Rose Bowl after the 1981, 1985
and 1990 seasons, and made eight consecutive
bowl appearances from 1981-88. The success of
the Hawkeyes was immediate upon Patterson’s
arrival with Fry, evidenced by a Rose Bowl berth
in their third season (1981), which was Iowa’s
first Rose Bowl appearance since 1958.
Iowa ranked third among Big Ten teams in
victories from 1979-98, and was one of three
Big Ten teams to win more than 100 games
between 1984-98.
From 1979-98 the Hawkeyes produced 38
first-team all-Big Ten selections, as well as six
special teams first-teamers. Six Hawkeyes were
first round NFL draft picks while five others went
in the second round and seven more in the third.
Patterson directly coached five of Iowa’s top
seven career receivers, with the other two playing
during his time. Prior to being named offensive
coordinator, Patterson coached the Iowa tight
ends - two of which, Marv Cook and Jonathan
Hayes, enjoyed lengthy NFL careers.
Patterson was the last member of Fry’s original
Hawkeye staff. His association with Fry began
in 1978 as an assistant at North Texas State
coaching the defensive secondary. He joined
Fry, serving in the same capacity, at Iowa in
1979. He served as recruiting coordinator in
1980 before coaching tight ends in 1981, a
segment he coached until he began instructing
quarterbacks and receivers in 1989.
Patterson was born December 10, 1950 in
Corsicana, Texas. He graduated as valedictorian from Blooming Grove High School in 1969
and earned a Congressional appointment to the
U.S. Military Academy. The 1973 West Point
graduate served on the cadet honor committee
and was named to the highest-ranking cadet
staff while at the Academy. He and his wife,
Lisa, have a daughter, Brooke, who earned her
doctorate in pharmacy from Purdue University
in May 2004 and is currently employed as a
university professor.
on the NCAA FCS Board of Directors; served
as President of the Board from 2005-06.
Coach Patterson with Lisa (seated) and Brooke
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From Texas to the U.S. Military
all-conference and two Academic All-America honors.
4Represents the Gateway Football Conference
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Q & A with COACH P
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WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING...
“Don Patterson is truly an outstanding coach, recruiter and
gentleman. He takes great pride in his relationships with the
players, fans and faculty. His experience and intelligence as a
college football coach translates into WINNING.”
4Hayden Fry Retired Head Coach, Iowa
“Don Patterson is one of the coaches who helped mold my
coaching style. He represents a lot of the things I try to
emulate. He has a very complete knowledge of the game, yet
maintains a common sense approach to working with his staff
and players. That perspective is something I appreciate and a
key component in his success.”
4Bob Stoops Head Coach, Oklahoma
Patterson, here with Nebraska head coach Bill Callahan, has four FBS victories in his career.
4How do you describe your leadership style?
I learned about “positive leadership” during my years at West Point. It can be best described as
“leadership through motivation” rather than “leadership through intimidation.” Our players play hard
for us because they know that we genuinely care about them - both on and off the field.
4Is it an advantage to have the only natural grass field in the Gateway Conference?
We think so. Our experience in twenty years at the University of Iowa was that it was easier for players
to transition from practicing on grass to playing on artificial turf than the other way around. In support
of our findings at Iowa, the home record here at Western Illinois these last 11 years is an outstanding
50-16. As an added bonus, we have also experienced fewer injuries on grass than artificial turf.
4You have produced five of the top eight scoring teams in Leatherneck history. What is the secret
to your success on offense?
Our success is tied into our ability to be effective with both our running and passing games. Since
we’re a threat both on the ground and through the air, defenses have to play us a little more honestly.
If they “load up” to defend the run, we will throw the ball and throw it well. If they overcompensate
to defend the pass, we will pride ourselves in being able to run the football.
4Why have so many Western Illinois football alumni been so successful, both in the NFL and in
other endeavors?
When our freshmen players report to campus, they arrive as young men. Four or five years later,
they leave us as men. In the meantime, they have learned the true meaning of competition. They
understand what dedication, sacrifice, teamwork, work ethic and mental toughness really are. And as
a result of their experiences with Leatherneck football, they leave here well prepared to tackle life’s
extreme challenges.
4What do games against Bowl Subdivision opponents mean to the team?
We feel extremely honored to have the opportunity to play against teams like Illinois (2007), Wisconsin
(2006), Nebraska (2004) and LSU ( 2003), as they represent the very best of FBS football. Our ability to schedule games of this magnitude separates us from almost all other FCS programs. And our
players, fans and alumni certainly look forward to the challenge of playing big-time opponents.
4How do you explain your success at Western Illinois?
We always place a high priority on the character of our recruits and look more closely at the intangibles
within the individual. Does he have a great work ethic? Is he mentally tough? Does he show true
commitment to the sport? Is he a “team” player? Does he demonstrate great self-discipline? Is he an
honorable person? Character really does matter, and we will recruit with that in mind. We will always
put a team on the field that represents our university and community with class, honor, and dignity.
“Don Patterson is a bright and well-organized coach. That and
his compassion and genuine concern for people will bring him
to the forefront of this profession.”
4Bill Snyder Retired Head Coach, Kansas State
“I’ve known Coach Patterson for a long time, having served on
the same coaching staff at Iowa. He is a hard-working coach
with a great attention for detail. Don is an excellent recruiter
and a strong people person. There is no doubt that he has
what it takes to be a success in running his own program at
Western Illinois.”
4Barry Alvarez Retired Head Coach, Wisconsin
“I got to know Don Patterson when I was televising University of
Iowa football games. I felt then that Don was going to make a
fine head coach someday. As offensive coordinator under Hayden
Fry, Don’s offense was imaginative, efficient and dangerous.
He brings the type of commitment and expertise necessary to
keep his program on its customarily high level.”
4Dick Vermeil Former NFL Head Coach
“Coach Patterson not only gave me an opportunity to fulfill a
lifelong dream, but helped to make it a reality. Through his
guidance and coaching, he taught me how to be a professional.
He developed me from a 190-pound high school quarterback
into a 236-pound All-American tight end. Not only was he a
great coach, but he had the time and concern to become a great
friend. He will truly be successful at everything he undertakes.
He is driven to perfection and will settle for nothing less than
100% effort in that direction.”
4Marv Cook Former Iowa Hawkeye & NFL All-Pro
“Coach Patterson is definitely a player’s coach. He is very
detailed in the realm of football. He knows what everyone on
the field is doing. Even though he coached the receivers, he was
also very aware of what the offensive line and running backs
were doing, and was always prepared for what the defense was
doing. He is very thorough with his Xs and Os. We always tried
to put him in a situation where we could prove him wrong, but
he really excelled at knowing everything that was going on at
all times. He was a lot of fun to play for. He is a great human
being with very sound morals and values.”
4Tim Dwight Former Iowa Hawkeye and NFL star
“Don is a great coach, an outstanding recruiter and one of the
finest gentlemen I have met in coaching.”
4Lloyd Carr Head Coach, Michigan
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MARK HENDRICKSON
Assistant Head Coach | Offensive Coordinator | Ninth Season
Recruiting focus: Northern Illinois, Central Illinois, Iowa
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THE HENDRICKSON FILE
4Coaching Experience
W. Illinois, asst. head coach....................2000-present
W. Illinois, offensive coordinator..............1999-present
Iowa, assistant coach.................................... 1994-98
SE Missouri State, offensive coordinator..............1993
Iowa, assistant coach..........................................1992
Georgia Tech, assistant coach........................ 1983-91
Clinton High School, assistant coach............. 1981-82
Cedar Falls High School, assistant coach............1980
4Education
Northern Iowa, bachelor’s degree.........................1980
Northern Iowa, master’s degree............................1982
4Personal
Born........................................................ July 10, 1958
Hometown.............................................Richland, Iowa
Family ........................................................wife Ericka
children Myers, Davis, Georgie
4Bowl Games as a Coach
1985 All-American Bowl..................Georgia Tech (win)
1991 Florida Citrus Bowl*...............Georgia Tech (win)
1991 Aloha Bowl.............................Georgia Tech (win)
1995 Sun Bowl................................Iowa (win)
1996 Alamo Bowl............................Iowa (win)
1997 Sun Bowl................................Iowa (loss)
*National championship game
n eight seasons as Western Illinois’ offensive
coordinator, Mark Hendrickson has virtually
rewritten the offensive record book, producing
five of the top eight scoring teams in school
history, five of the top eight offensive teams and
five of the top 11 passing teams, along the way
tutoring the school’s all-time leading rusher and
its all-time leading receiver.
history. The 2003 offense mixed a threatening
combination of a 3,000-yard passer in Michna
and a 1,000-yard rusher as Glasford became
the first sophomore in school history to rush for
more than 1,000 yards. Two of Western’s three
1,000-yard receivers, Frisman Jackson (2001)
and Stacy Coleman (2002), have come under
Hendrickson’s tutelage.
Last season, Herb Donaldson became the
Leathernecks’ all-time leading sophomore rusher,
recording 1,437 yards while the Leathernecks
set a school record for fewest turnovers in a
season (15). Both of Hendrickson’s starting wide
receivers - senior Marco Thomas, who signed with
the New York Giants in 2007, and sophomore
Carl Sims - earned all-conference recognition
and ranked among the top-10 league leaders.
Quarterback Steve LaFalce finished his threeyear starting career as the second-leading passer
in school history, amassing 6,512 yards.
Hendrickson, who also coaches punters and
kickers, developed punter Mike Scifres into
just the second player in school history to earn
three first-team all-conference honors. Scifres
averaged a school-record 43.5 yards per punt
during his four-year career, garnered consensus
all-America honors as a senior, and was the first
punter taken in the 2003 NFL Draft. Placekicker
Justin Langan twice earned first-team allAmerica honors, setting a I-AA record for most
points scored in a season by a kicker (116 in
2002). Langan became the school’s all-time
leading scorer and set school records for most
career field goals and most career extra points.
In 2005, two-time Walter Payton Award
candidate Travis Glasford ended his four-year
starting career as the first player in school history
to rush for 4,000 yards. Along the way, wide
receiver Reggie Gray, another four-year starter,
amassed more receptions and more receiving
yards than any other Western Illinois player. The
pair became just the second set of teammates in
Gateway history to end their careers among the
league’s top 10 leaders in all-purpose yardage.
Hendrickson has also developed two Gateway
Conference Offensive Players of the Year,
including quarterback Russ Michna who won
back-to-back awards in 2002 and 2003.
Running back Charles Tharp was named the
2000 Player of the Year after rushing for 1,555
yards - the second-highest total in school
The Hendricksons (clockwise from lower left): Georgie, Myers, Davis and Ericka
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Hendrickson’s 2001 offense is still the top
passing team in school history (285.5 ypg),
while his 2005 team ranks third (267.3 ypg)
and two others (2003 and 2002) rank among
the top seven. Western’s 36.3 points averaged
in 2003 is second only to the 1951 team (37.4
ppg), and ranks just above the 2002 mark of
36.2 points per game.
Hendrickson began his collegiate coaching
career as an assistant at Georgia Tech in 1983
under Bill Curry, working with running backs
and wide receivers. From 1987-89 he served
as the assistant line coach and special teams
coordinator under Bobby Ross. In 1990 he was
part of Georgia Tech’s national title team as the
tight ends coach and special teams coordinator,
and held the same position in 1991.
He joined the Iowa staff in 1992, spent the
1993 season as Southeast Missouri State’s
offensive coordinator, then returned to Iowa for
a five-year stint under Hayden Fry. Hendrickson
served as the special teams coordinator during
his entire tenure with the Hawkeyes, coaching
return specialist Tim Dwight who was a 1997
consensus All-American after leading the nation
in punt return average.
The Richland, Iowa, native attended Pekin
(Iowa) High School and graduated from Northern
Iowa with honors in 1980. He was a four-year
letterwinner for the Panthers, starting three
seasons at wide receiver.
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THOMAS CASEY
Defensive Coordinator | Third Season
Recruiting focus: West Suburbs of Chicago, Northern California Junior Colleges
T
homas Casey enters his third season as the
Leathernecks’ defensive coordinator, after
helping develop the Gateway Conference’s
second-best pass defense in 2006. With
the help of all-conference linebackers Jerome
Bennett and Jason Williams and all-conference
defensive back Fu’ad Khaleel, Casey’s defense
allowed just 183.6 passing yards per game.
Nine different Leathernecks combined for 10
interceptions last season.
Casey has been instrumental in bringing west
coast recruits to Western Illinois, most recently
helping sign Patrick Stoudamire (Portland,
Ore.), who led all conference freshmen in passes
broken up and earned a spot on the 2006
Gateway Conference All-Newcomer Team.
In his first season, Casey inherited a rushing
defense that ranked last in the nation (117th)
and turned it into the nation’s 39th best, allowing
just 141.2 yards per game and five 100-yard
rushers. He produced an all-region linebacker
and three Gateway Conference all-newcomer
selections. Wyatt Green, a Football Gazette
All-Region First Team honoree, was the only
Gateway player to rank among the league’s top
10 in sacks, tackles for loss, forced fumbles and
fumble recoveries.
Prior to coming to Macomb, Casey served three
seasons as defensive coordinator at Feather
River (Calif.) College and Tyler (Texas) Junior
College, and was also at the United States
Military Academy Preparatory School and Oregon
State University.
seasons in a variety of positions for the USMAPS
in Ft. Monmouth, N.J., including offensive and
defensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator.
Casey has also made assistant coaching stops
at the prep level, at Corvallis (Ore.) High
School from 1989-92, as defensive coordinator
at Salem Academy (Ore.) High School from
1992-93 and at Corvallis again from 1997-98.
Throughout his career, his student-athletes have
included nine-year NFL defensive back Reggie
Tongue (retired) and 11-year NFL offensive guard
Brad Badger.
Casey was a three-year letterman at center and
on the defensive line at Corvallis High School,
helping his team to the 1987 Valley League title,
before earning a bachelor’s degree in history and
a master’s degree in college student services
administration from Oregon State. He and his
wife, Kimberly, have two daughters, Ashley and
Madeline.
THE CASEY FILE
4Coaching Experience
Western Illinois, defensive coordinator....2005-present
Feather River, defensive coordinator...............2002-04
USMA Prep School, offensive coordinator........2000-01
USMA Prep School, defensive coordinator........1998-99
Oregon State, assistant coach........................1993-97
Corvallis H.S., defensive assistant....................... 1992
Salem Academy H.S., defensive coordinator......... 1991
Corvallis H.S., defensive assistant..................1989-90
4Education
Oregon State, bachelor’s degree........................... 1995
Oregon State, master’s degree............................. 1996
4Personal
Born...............................................December 21, 1970
Hometown......................................... Corvallis, Oregon
Family .................................................... wife Kimberly
daughters Ashley and Madeline
Casey was in charge of the 2002, 2003 and
2004 defense at Feather River, helping the
Golden Eagles to three consecutive bowl games
and a 21-11 overall record. In the school’s
inaugural football season, Casey’s 2002 defense
was ranked second in the Bay Valley Conference,
allowing an average of 340 yards of offense per
game. Just prior to his arrival at Western Illinois
he was named the defensive coordinator at Tyler
in January 2005.
A 1995 Oregon State graduate, Casey’s collegiate
coaching career began during his undergraduate
days with the Beavers. He served as director of
video operations and administrative assistant in
the football office while earning his bachelor’s
degree, then later worked with the defensive
staff as a graduate assistant during the 1995
and 1996 campaigns. In 1995 the Beavers’
defense was ranked 17th in the nation. After
earning his master’s degree from Oregon State
in 1996, Casey spent the 1998 through 2001
Ashley (left), Kimberly and Madeline Casey
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JOSH McCALL
Offensive Line Coach | Seventh Season
Recruiting focus: Southern Illinois, St. Louis
J
THE McCALL FILE
4Coaching Experience
W. Illinois, assistant coach......................2004-present
W. Illinois, restricted earnings coach.............. 2001-03
4Education
W. Illinois, bachelor’s degree................................1998
W. Illinois, master’s degree...................................2002
4Personal
Born..................................................January 18, 1977
Hometown........................................... Jacksonville, Ill.
Family ....................................................... wife Amber
osh McCall is in his fourth season as
Western’s offensive line coach after having
served three seasons as assistant line
coach.
Last season, McCall produced a pair of honorees
- senior all-conference nominee Chad Walker
and senior all-academic nominee Frank Valle.
His line allowed just 18 sacks and an average
of just 4.3 tackles for loss per game, an average
that ranked 14th in the nation. For the fourth
consecutive season, the Leathernecks had a
1,000-yard rusher, this time Herb Donaldson
(1,417 yards) who became the school’s all-time
leading sophomore rusher. Donaldson averaged
6.1 yards per carry and lost just 20 yards on 233
carries all season.
In 2005, McCall’s offensive line helped produce
the third-best passing team and third-best
offensive unit in school history. They paved the
way for Western’s all-time leading rusher, Travis
Glasford, and its all-time leading receiver, Reggie
Gray. The 2005 season also saw Perry Cox, a
four-year letterwinner at center, become one of
just five linemen from across the country to earn
First Team Academic All-America honors.
Having been with the Leatherneck program since
1995 as an offensive lineman, graduate assistant
coach and now assistant coach, McCall has
been instrumental in six of the top 10 passing,
scoring and offensive teams in school history.
Coach McCall and Amber
30 | 2007 WESTERN ILLINOIS FOOTBALL
Both the 2002 (36.2 ppg) and 2003 squads
(36.3 ppg) advanced to the quarterfinal round
of the I-AA playoffs. The 2003 squad’s 36.3
points per game, 247.0 passing yards per game
and 416.7 yards of total offense per game each
rank among the top four all-time school marks.
McCall has helped produce five all-conference
linemen, including three-time first-teamer and
2003 all-America honoree Fred Layne.
The Macomb, Ill., native worked one season
under Scott Anderson and two seasons under Rod
Holder as the assistant line coach, and played
one year under current Buffalo Bills assistant
Dan Neal.
McCall was a three-year letterwinner and a
two-year starter at center for the Leathernecks,
anchoring an offensive line which paved the way
for playoff success in 1998 and scoring success
in 1999. In 1998, the Leathernecks advanced to
the semifinal round of the I-AA playoffs - further
than any other Leatherneck team. With McCall
over the ball, the 1999 team averaged 34.8
points per game - then the second-highest mark
in school history, only to the 1951 team. Running
backs Aaron Stecker (1998) and Charles Tharp
(1999) rushed for 1,506 and 1,311 yards,
respectively, behind McCall’s offensive lines.
McCall was a two-time GTE/CoSIDA Academic
All-America honoree and was a Burger King
Scholar Athlete as a senior. He earned a
bachelor’s degree in computer science from
Western Illinois in 1998, and graduated with a
master’s degree in computer science in 2002.
He and his wife, Amber, were married in May
2004.
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MONTE HENDERSON
Defensive Backs Coach | Third Season
Recruiting focus: Chicago Public League, Texas
M
onte Henderson enters his third season
as the Leathernecks’ defensive back
coach, after helping develop the Gateway
Conference’s second-best pass defense in
2006. Henderson’s defensive backfield allowed
just 183.6 passing yards per game after being
ranked 110th in the nation a year ago.
Through two seasons as Western Illinois’
defensive backs coach and recruiting coordinator,
the former University of Arkansas assistant has
helped produce a pair of true freshmen Gateway
All-Newcomer Team honorees - Trokon Tompo in
2005 and Patrick Stoudamire in 2006. Tompo
led all Gateway Conference freshmen in tackles
(61), started all 11 games and was the team’s
second-leading tackler with 35 solo stops and
eight tackles for loss. Stoudamire led all league
freshmen in passes broken up and started the
final four games of the season. Henderson has
also had a pair of all-conference nominees sophomore Milan Woodard in 2005 and senior
Fu’ad Khaleel in 2006.
Henderson spent the previous seven years in
a variety of capacities with the Razorbacks,
working with the Arkansas secondary under 21year veteran coach Bobby Allen and assisting a
2004 Arkansas defense which ranked fourth in
the SEC and 21st nationally. The Razorbacks
held opponents to 187.0 passing yards per
game, and picked off 17 passes, the third-most
in the SEC.
In addition to a 2003 Independence Bowl victory,
Henderson was a part of the 2002 Music City
Bowl (29-14 loss to Minnesota) and the 2001
Cotton Bowl (10-3 loss to Oklahoma).
Henderson was also actively involved in
conducting Bible studies through Arkansas
Athletes Outreach (AAO), an organization which
focuses on building Champions for Life through
the influence of sports on campus and in the
community. At Western he is actively involved in
the University’s chapter of Athletes in Action.
An all-American in football and a track and field
standout at Conway High School, Henderson
was a cornerback at UA-Pine Bluff prior to
transferring to Arkansas. A native of Conway,
Ark., he received his undergraduate degree from
Arkansas in 2001, earning a Bachelor of Science
degree in kinesiology.
THE HENDERSON FILE
4Coaching Experience
W. Illinois, assistant coach......................2005-present
Arkansas, graduate assistant........................ 2003-04
Arkansas, administrative assistant........... 1998-2002
4Education
Arkansas, bachelor’s degree.................................2001
4Personal
Born.............................................. November 18, 1978
Hometown................................................ Conway, Ark.
4Bowl Games as a Coach
2001 Cotton Bowl.................................Arkansas (loss)
2002 Music City Bowl...........................Arkansas (loss)
2003 Independence Bowl..................... Arkansas (win)
Henderson served two seasons as a defensive
graduate assistant at Arkansas, coordinating
the offensive scout team and assisting in the
breakdown of opponents’ offensive game film.
He spent his first year working directly with
defensive line coach Tracy Rocker. In those
two seasons, the Razorbacks compiled a 14-10
record and a win over Missouri in the 2003
Independence Bowl.
Before becoming an assistant at Arkansas,
Henderson worked as an administrative assistant
on the Razorback staff from 1998 to 2002,
aiding in game planning and preparation,
recruiting, academic development and game
day management.
In his seven seasons in Fayetteville, Henderson
was part of three bowl teams and two SEC
Western Division championship squads (1998,
2002).
Coach Henderson has tutored two Gateway All-Newcomer Team honorees in as many seasons at WIU.
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THAD WARD
Running Backs Coach | Third Season
Recruiting focus: Florida
THE WARD FILE
4Coaching Experience
W. Illinois, assistant coach......................2005-present
Illinois, offensive assistant.................................. 2005
Independence C.C., defensive backs coach.......... 2005
Tallahassee Rickards H.S., interim head coach.... 2004
Tallahassee Rickards H.S., assistant coach....2003-04
Florida A&M, graduate assistant.......................... 2002
4Education
Central Florida, bachelor’s degree........................ 2001
4Personal
Born............................................. September 17, 1978
Hometown..........................................Tallahassee, Fla.
Family........................................................wife Jocelyn
daughter Jayda and son Thaddaeus, Jr.
T
had Ward has produced back-to-back
1,000-yard rushers in his first two seasons
as Western Illinois’ running backs coach.
In his first year, 2005, Ward helped turn
running back Travis Glasford into the school’s
all-time leading rusher as the multi-faceted
back became the first player in school history to
rush for 4,000 yards in a career and the school’s
top receiving running back. Last season, Ward
developed Herb Donaldson into Western Illinois’
all-time leading sophomore rusher as he gained
1,417 yards and averaged 6.1 yards per carry.
Donaldson’s totals included a 328-yard, 6touchdown game that set a Gateway Conference
record and was the 16th-best single-game
performance in I-AA history.
Ward joined the Western Illinois staff after
gaining three years of coaching experience at a
variety of levels, from the Big Ten to high school.
The Tallahassee, Fla., native spent the 2003-04
seasons at Tallahassee Rickards High School as
the wide receivers and defensive backs coach
and also served as the interim head coach. Ward
was the defensive backs coach at Independence
Community College during the 2005 spring
season, and spent the month of July assisting the
University of Illinois football program.
Ward began his collegiate coaching career at
Florida A&M as a graduate assistant in 2002
where he coached All-American free safety and
Buck Buchanan Award candidate Levi Brown.
Ward was a three-year wide receiver at Central
Florida (1999-2001), ranking second on the
team as a senior with 43 receptions for 446
yards and an average of 40.5 receiving yards per
outing. He ranked 22nd among all independent
I-A players in all-purpose running that year,
averaging 43 yards per game and 9.85 yards per
play. The Golden Knights went 7-4 in 2000 and
6-5 in 2001 when Ward was named the team’s
most improved player. A 1998 all-Jayhawk
Conference team selection, he was a team
captain as a redshirt freshman at Coffeyville
Community College.
Coach Ward with Jocelyn, Jayda (top) and
Thaddaeus, Jr.
32 | 2007 WESTERN ILLINOIS FOOTBALL
Ward received his bachelor’s degree in criminal
justice from UCF in 2001. He was an allconference and all-state honoree at Godby High
School, graduating in 1997. Ward’s brother,
Travis Fisher, joined the Detroit Lions in 2007
after five seasons as a starting cornerback for
the St. Louis Rams.
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STEVE McKANE
Defensive Line Coach | Second Season
Recruiting focus: Chicago Northern Suburbs, Arizona
THE McKANE FILE
4Coaching Experience
W. Illinois, assistant coach......................2006-present
BYU, graduate assistant ............................... 2004-05
Glendale Independence H.S., asst. coach....... 2002-03
4Education
S
teve McKane is in his second season as
the Western Illinois defensive line coach,
after coaching an all-conference honoree
and an academic all-conference honoree
in his first season.
McKane’s defensive line unit recorded 12
sacks in 2006, including three by all-Gateway
honorable mention nominee Darron Boone.
McKane also coached academic all-Gateway
selection Chad Groenhagen, who appeared in 10
games and started three as a sophomore.
Utah, bachelor’s degree........................................2001
“Steve is a bright young coach with a great work
ethic,” said Mendenhall. “He has an excellent
knowledge of defense and will be one of the great
upcoming coaches.”
McKane and his wife, Kami, are the parents of
two sons, Parker and Klarke.
4Personal
Born.................................................... March 13, 1975
Hometown.......................................... Bellflower, Calif.
Family.......................................................... wife Kami
sons Parker and Klarke
4Bowl Games as a Coach
2005 Las Vegas Bowl...................................BYU (loss)
Prior to Western Illinois, McKane spent two years
as the assistant defensive line coach at BYU,
serving as a graduate assistant under defensive
coordinator and head coach Bronco Mendenhall.
The 2005 Cougars recorded their first regularseason winning record since 2001 and earned
a trip to the Las Vegas Bowl to face California.
The Cougar defense allowed just 147.8 rushing
yards per game and recorded 23 sacks, both of
which ranked among the top-five marks in the
Mountain West Conference.
McKane, a Mesa, Ariz., native, started for two
seasons at center for the University of Utah,
where he received his Bachelor of Science
degree in exercise and sports science in 2001.
Before arriving at BYU, where he is currently
pursuing a master’s degree in exercise science,
he coached for two seasons as the defensive
coordinator, linebackers coach and offensive line
coach, and was a physical education teacher, at
Independence High School in Glendale, Ariz.
Coach McKane with Kami, Parker (right) and Klarke
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MATT DRINKALL
Tight Ends | Second Season | Restricted Earnings Coach
In Matt Drinkall’s first season as tight ends coach at Western Illinois, he inherited former
Penn State linebacker J.R. Zwierzynski and tutored him to 2006 Gateway Conference
All-Newcomer honors.
Drinkall came to Western Illinois after serving as the strength and conditioning coordinator
and defensive backs coach at Bettendorf (Iowa) High School from 2003-06. There he was
a member of a coaching staff that helped Bettendorf to a No. 13 national ranking by USA
Today and an undefeated Class 4A state championship in 2004. Bettendorf compiled a
30-4 overall record through three seasons with Drinkall on staff, and he was twice named
the Mississippi Athletic Conference Defensive Backs Coach of the Year (2004, 2005).
The all-state honoree in football and track is one of only two players in Bettendorf history to
have both 1,000 yards rushing and 500 yards receiving. He went on to play wide receiver
at the University of Iowa where he helped the Hawkeyes win the 2002 Big Ten title with a
perfect 8-0 record. Iowa went 11-1 that season before falling to USC in the Orange Bowl.
Drinkall graduated from Western Illinois’ Quad Cities campus in 2005 with a grade point
average of 3.86 and earned a master’s degree at Western Illinois in Recreation, Parks
and Tourism Administration in July 2007.
DAVE STOLTZ
Assistant Offensive Line | Second Season | Restricted Earnings Coach
Dave Stoltz is in his second season as the assistant offensive line coach. In 2006, he
helped lead former high school teammate Chad Walker to all-conference honors. The line
allowed just 18 sacks and an average of just 4.3 tackles for loss per game, an average
that ranked 14th in the nation. Running back Herb Donaldson (1,417 yards) became
the school’s all-time leading sophomore rusher, averaging 6.1 yards per carry and losing
just 20 yards on 233 carries.
Stoltz was a two-year all-conference lineman at Augustana College from 2003-04, helping
his team rank fourth in the nation in rushing in 2003 and third in 2004. He earned
a bachelor’s degree in geography in 2005, and remained at his alma mater, helping
Augustana to the 2005 conference title as assistant offensive line coach.
Prior to joining the Leatherneck football staff, Stoltz was an assistant strength coach at
Western from January to May 2006, and served as the interim football strength coach in
the Spring of 2006. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree in health education.
TIM YOURISON
Assistant Defensive Line | Second Season | Restricted Earnings Coach
Tim Yourison is in his second season as assistant defensive line coach under Steve
McKane. In his first season, 2006, Yourison helped coach an all-conference honoree and
an academic all-conference honoree. The Leathernecks’ defensive line unit recorded 12
sacks in 2006, including three by all-Gateway honorable mention nominee Darron Boone.
Yourison also tutored academic all-Gateway selection Chad Groenhagen, who appeared in
10 games and started three as a sophomore.
A 2006 graduate of Luther (Iowa) College, Yourison played one season at linebacker before
an injury required him to finish the last three years of his college career as a student
coach. He spent two years as an assistant linebackers coach, then served as the defensive
coordinator and co-special teams coordinator for the junior varsity team as a senior in
addition to his duties as assistant defensive backs coach with the varsity team.
Yourison earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education with an emphasis in exercise
science and sport psychology, and is pursuing a master’s degree in kinesiology.
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