Tag: western Illinois leathernecks

Western Illinois set to join Ohio Valley Conference, will play football in Missouri Valley in 2023

The Leathernecks will play their final season in the Missouri Valley before moving to the Ohio Valley Conference.

The Western Illinois Leathernecks are gearing up for one more season as members of the Missouri Valley in 2023. Following the season, the football team will move over to the Ohio Valley Conference with the rest of their sports.

The school announced the move effective July 1. The Leathernecks football team is coming off an 0-11 campaign in 2022 and hoping for better success this coming year. Western Illinois will open conference play in week 2 of the season against Illinois State on Sept. 2.

“This represents a new start, and a new era for Leatherneck athletics against some old rivalries, as well as some new teams in our geographic footprint,” athletic director Paul Bubb stated. “When you look at the schools in the Ohio Valley Conference, you see schools which are similar in enrollment, the size of communities where they exist, the academic programs they offer and the athletic budgets each has to work with at the Division I level.”

Western Illinois will remain at the FCS level despite moving conferences. Their last winning season came in 2017 when they were defeated in the first round of the FCS playoffs.

JaTarvious Whitlow enrolls, expected to join team in Missouri Valley Conference

Whitlow led Auburn in rushing in both the 2018 and 2019 seasons.

Former Auburn running back JaTarvious Whitlow has found a new home.

On Monday, it was announced that the Tigers’ leading rusher for the 2018-19 seasons has enrolled at Western Illinois University and is expected to join the football team. The Leathernecks play in the Missouri Valley Conference in FBS.

From 247Sports:

Last season Whitlow was Auburn’s starting running back for most of the 2019 campaign, leading the Tigers with 763 rushing yards (4.9 average) and 10 touchdowns in 11 games. He also added six catches for 106 yards (17.7 average).

Whitlow emerged as a key cog in the Tigers offense as a redshirt freshman in 2018 after moving from wide receiver to running back. He played in all 13 games and finished third-among Auburn’s all-time freshman rushers with 787 yards gained. On the season Whitlow recorded 150 carries for 787 rushing yards (5.2 average) and six touchdowns while adding 15 catches for 173 yards (11.5 average) and two receiving scores. He was named to the SEC All-Freshman team for his performance.

Prior to Auburn, Whitlow was rated as a 3-star prospect out of LaFayette High School (Al.) where he played quarterback. According to the 247Sports’ Composite, Whitlow was ranked as the No. 26 player in Alabama as well as the No. 36 athlete in the country for the class of 2017. He accounted for 17.7 points per game, 2,292 passing yards, 2,147 rushing yards, and 33 total touchdowns as a senior.