Charter members of the Three Rivers Conference since its 1975 inception, the Morrison football squad sailed into new waters last fall.

Making their debut as members of the Northwest Upstate Illini Conference, the Mustangs nearly overcame a bumpy start to their first NUIC campaign to book themselves a third consecutive trip to the IHSA postseason.

Unfortunately for Morrison, a three-game losing streak over the final third of the season coupled with three losses in its first four games resulted in a disappointing 3-6 finish.

However, third-year head coach Nate Vandermyde is hoping that the experience his club gained during its first year of NUIC play will translate into a turnaround year in 2025 after finishing seventh out of nine teams with a 2-6 league mark.

“That was something we preached last year, that in the NUIC, there are no off-weeks,” said the 2008 Morrison graduate, who quarterbacked the Mustangs to the Class 2A semifinals in 2006 and the 2A quarterfinals the following season.

“You’ve got to bring your best to the table every week, or you’re going to end up on the wrong side of things. With the TRAC, we’d gotten accustomed to several teams after playing them multiple times. With the NUIC, we knew it would be tough, but it was still something new.

“Last year gave us that chance to see it and feel it for ourselves, and now the guys know what it’s all about,” added Vandermyde. “It’s not just us as a coaching staff letting them know.”

The strength of the Mustangs’ 2024 schedule was such that five of their six losses came against playoff teams, including conference champion and Class 1A state runner-up Lena-Winslow and 3A quarterfinalist Durand-Pecatonica.

The final setback in Morrison’s season-ending three-game skid stung on a deeper level. In the resumption of their Wooden Shoe Bowl rivalry game with longtime Three Rivers adversary Fulton (which joined the NUIC in ’21), the ‘Stangs went into the offseason with a 41-7 loss.

The loss to the Steamers came one week after a hard-fought 18-13 setback to Eastland-Pearl City, a setback that eliminated Vandermyde’s team from playoff contention.

“The way we finished, with a tough loss to Stockton (54-14 in Week 7) and then losing to EPC took the wind out of our sails, we did not respond well the following week against Fulton,” he said. “Our guys are using that finish as motivation going into this year.”

Returning six starters on the offensive side of the ball along with five defensive starters, the Mustangs return a pair of All-NUIC standouts in junior placekicker Josh McDearmon (first team) and senior linebacker Noah Robbins (second team), with McDearmon taking on a wider role this fall at wide receiver.

“Josh has been our kicker the last two years, but he’s been very important to us this off-season with his route running,” said Vandermyde, “and we’ve got senior Carson Blade coming into the role of quarterback, and he’s taken the ship, if you will.”

The senior running back/defensive back duo of Brady Anderson and Levi Milder are among those Vandermyde is looking at to fill key roles for Morrison, which lost All-Conference picks Austin Boonstra (second team defensive line) and Donny Reavy (honorable mention running back) to graduation.

Looking to return to the form that produced a 9-2 finish and a trip to the 1A second round in Vandermyde’s coaching debut season of ’23, Morrison will be tested right away in its Aug. 29 opener at Galena, a 1A quarterfinalist last fall.

“That’s a great one for us to open with,” Vandermyde said. “Last year really left a sour taste in all of our mouths. The guys are ready to get back at it.”