One of the Missouri Valley Football Conference's all-time winningest coaches, Don Patterson (historically referred to as "Coach P") led the Leathernecks to three NCAA playoff berths, a pair of Gateway Football Conference titles and a No. 1 national ranking in 2003. In his decade as head coach, Patterson produced 108 all-conference honorees, 34 academic all-conference selections, 37 academic all-conference selections, 59 All-Americans, including two consensus all-Americans, and two academic All-Americans.

Coach P led Western Illinois to the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs in 2000 (first round), 2002 (second round) and 2003 (second round). Western Illinois won Gateway league titles in 2000 and '02.

Coach P has been honored with the MVC Coach of the Year twice in his tenure (2000, 2002). Furthermore, Coach P has produced four MVC Offensive Player of the Year, two MVC Defensive Player of the Year, and one Freshman/Newcomer of the Year.