Rock Island Alleman will not field varsity football team next fall

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. — Seven of the eight Western Big 6 Conference football programs suddenly have an open date on their schedules for next fall.

Wednesday, at a meeting of WB6 principals and athletic directors in Galesburg, Rock Island Alleman informed the rest of the league it will not field a varsity football team in the fall of 2023. The Pioneers administration said the decision was made “primarily in consideration of the health and safety of our players.”

The decision means Quincy High School needs to find an opponent for Week 8.

Alleman had just 30 players on its varsity roster last fall, 10 of whom were seniors. The Pioneers were forced to forfeit their Week 6 game against Moline due to lack of linemen because of injuries. Alleman had only five linemen available that week, all of whom were underclassmen.

The Pioneers finished 1-8 last fall, going 0-7 in the WB6 while getting outscored 333-33 in league play. Alleman has lost 14 consecutive WB6 games and has been shut out eight times in that stretch.

Alleman informed the other WB6 schools it intends to field a junior varsity team in the fall and complete its conference schedule at that level.

“This gives us the best chance to allow our seniors to have a season and take the field without risking us having to forfeit games because of bodies,” Alleman coach Fritz Dieudonne told the Quad City Times.

Schools officials said they plan to resume full conference play in 2024, but will “reevaluate the decision next spring.”

Below is the letter sent to Alleman parents and community from the school’s administration: