Getty UT Martin head coach Jason Simpson looks to have his team start off strong against Western Illinois.
New Western Illinois head coach Myles Hendrickson gets an opportunity to open his tenure with a bang on Thursday, September 1, when the Leathernecks take on FCS No. 15 UT Martin.
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The game (7:30 p.m. ET start time) won’t be on TV, but anyone in the US can watch Western Illinois vs UT Martin live on ESPN+ right here:
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Western Illinois vs UT Martin Preview
Western Illinois can make some noise in new head coach Myers Hendrickson’s debut on Thursday against No. 15 Tennessee-Martin.
Hendrickson, who once played for the Leathernecks, looks to turn around a program chosen to finish 11th in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. WIU went 2-9 last season.
“We’ve got the right student-athletes in that locker room and I’ve known that all along because of what we’re doing off the field. I’m even more proud of what we’ve done off the field than what we’ve done on it,” Hendrickson said via WIU Athletic Communications. “It’s been awesome to see our players really take ownership of these events and that’s something I’ve really seen — they don’t participate because it’s on a schedule, they do it because they actually enjoy doing it.”
𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘨𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘚𝘬𝘺𝘩𝘢𝘸𝘬𝘴!
𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘵 6:30 🔸🦅🔹
UT Martin enters this season with high expectations after going 10-3 before falling to FCS runner-up Montana State in the playoffs. The Skyhawks have a strong defense with preseason All-American candidates Deven Smis at safety and John Ford II at linebacker. Preseason All-Conference candidate safety Oshae Baker is also a threat.
“We will always play with a chip on our shoulder whether we are ranked number one or number 51,” UT Martin head coach Jason Simpson said via WPSD Local 6. “I take pride in that. There are things that I can do to challenge a team on using last year’s team. It does give you a blueprint. I wish it gave seven points before the game started or a 14 point lead before the game started, but it doesn’t. But you hope those traits and characteristics that the team demonstrated last year that you do hope carry over into the next season.”
Sixth-year quarterback Dresser Winn will run the Skyhawks offense. He had playing time in each of the previous five seasons with the program.
“It is hard to overcome five years worth of being in somewhat of the same system,” Simpson said via WPSD Local 6. “The verbiage can get to go different directions, but it’s the same system. Dresser has really improved as a passer over the years and he has really worked hard in his mechanics and in his delivery. He has made some big throws for us.”
WIU returns its top-two leaders in tackles, cornerback J.J. Ross and linebacker Juan De La Cruz. They will look to help the Leathernecks defense turn around from giving up 38.8 points and 455.16 total yards per game last year.
Offensively, the Leathernecks will look to running back Ludovick Choquette to produced on offense against the Skyhawks. Choquette averaged 3.4 yards per carry and 8.13 yards per run.