The List so far 2023

[Total Red]

Birds with a big commitment today at Running back today, Joshua Robinson from Bolingbrook a 3* recruit, top running back in the state and 13 D1 offers commits to the Birds.

Nice look. Do we really have black uniforms and helmets ready for next year or did the Tech/Media people just paste a Redbird logo on a Bolingbrook helmet?

 

[DaveBird10]

View attachment 890
Nice look. Do we really have black uniforms and helmets ready for next year or did the Tech/Media people just paste a Redbird logo on a Bolingbrook helmet?

That and the stripe down the middle of the helmet was a nice touch as well.

 

[cubird]

Does he have a cousin playing for the Jets

 

[MadBird]

Today's Springfield Journal-Register has a preview of the Williamsville - Tolono Unity Class 3A football semi-final tomorrow, and says Williamsville OT Jacob Finley, 6'8, 290 lbs. has been "offered" as a preferred walk-on at ISU, and got a schollie offer from EIU. His coach said he expects him to receive more offers.

Today's (Friday Jan 6) Springfield paper has a story about the Williamsville-St.Joe-Ogden basketball game earlier this week featuring our hoops commit Ty Pence from SJO. Williamsville which is 10-1 won the game 52-48 at Williamsville. Jacob Finley, the OT mentioned above, plays hoops for W-Ville and had 8 pts and 8 boards in the game. The article mentions Pence going to ISU, and says Finley plans on playing football at ISU. Doesn't say whether he'll walk on or get a late schollie.

 

[cpacmel]

 

[cubird]

Finally got that tall WR. Can he get separation? Hopefully, at least can get up and get the ball.

 

[Redbird222]

Not sure where to post this but an article about the two receivers that transferred to ISU

 

[MadBird]

And here I thought I had a scoop - Total Red is way ahead of me.

Here's a link to the Madison newspaper on-line story today on Mark Haering. Edgewood is the local Catholic HS, not a power by any stretch but a decent program year to year. The article mentions that he is a long snapper too. Dad was an assistant coach at UW under Paul Chryst regime. Mentions he chose us over Toledo and UW-Platteville and UW-Whitewater.

Edgewood's Mark Haering makes commitment to play Division I football

The son of a former Wisconsin football assistant coach opted for a FCS program with postseason success, and not to play for a Division III power or FBS school.

madison.com

Edit: on a side note, Edgewood HS is the alma mater of Mr. Chris Farley.

 

[Total Red]

Does anyone know if we are recruiting Malachi Washington from Peoria High? Seems like someone we could look at.

I'm not exactly sure why he's not getting offers, but I have seen similar situations before. Back in 2015 we got a commit from a D-Lineman from Peoria High. His name was LaCale London. We got the commit but he never arrived here. It turns out he went to Iowa Central JC and then Western ILL. London was good enough to get a free agent contract with the Bears.
Maybe the state championship game will spark some interest in Washington or maybe he will need to go Juco.

Not Juco but close. M Washington is headed to D-II Mckendree

 

[MadBird]

Write-up about our preferred WO Jacob Finley, from Williamsville, in today's Springfield Journal Register, as he was named to the small school all-area offensive team. Sounds like he may have some upside?

Jacob Finley, Williamsville The 6-foot-9, 290-pound senior offensive tackle will be a preferred walkon at Illinois State University after helping the Bullets generate more than 5,500 total yards of offense and 39 points per game. That included 2,760 rushing yards and 38 TDs on the ground. Head coach Aaron Kunz said Finley was the most improved player that he has ever coached from Week 1. Finley garered all-Sangamo Conference first team accolades to boot.

 

[cpacmel]

 

[MadBird]

QB or WR? He played both in HS it seems. The pictures in the Twitter aren't passing the ball. Geez, I was thinking here was the next HS QB for Spack!

 

[cpacmel]

QB or WR? He played both in HS it seems. The pictures in the Twitter aren't passing the ball. Geez, I was thinking here was the next HS QB for Spack!

He posted his stats on a tweet.

Senior Year Highlights
3,002 yards passing (school record)
45 total tds (38 passing 6 rushing 1 receiving)
184/270 (68%)
481 yards rushing

 

[MadBird]

More on preferred WO Jacob Finley from Williamsville - basketball team is scheduled to play at U High tonight at 7pm in regional finals. He hit winning bucket to beat Tremont.

Jacob Finley tossed in the go-ahead putback with under five seconds remaining for the Bullets. Teammate Blake Shoufler’s missed layup attempt found its way to 6-foot-9 Finley for the win. Finley finished with 21 points.

 

[Total Red]

He posted his stats on a tweet.

Senior Year Highlights
3,002 yards passing (school record)
45 total tds (38 passing 6 rushing 1 receiving)
184/270 (68%)
481 yards rushing

I like the QBs in this class even though both of them were not highly recruited and they both fall into the "sleeper" category. Brad Vierneisel didn't become a full-time QB until his senior year. Vierneisel had a lot of competition at Prospect HS, including Frank Covey. Covey was and is a versatile 3-star athlete that also played QB in HS but was recruited to Northwestern as a WR. When Vierneisel finally got his chance as a Senior he put up really good numbers for a 7A power (shown above), but it was too late to attract the attention of recruiters. Most D-I programs evaluate players as Sophs and Juniors and then offer them at some point during their Jr. year. If you're not a starting QB as a Jr. they assume you aren't very good. There are some exceptions to this. Even backup players at a national program like IMG Academy players can draw D-I attention and scholarship offers because everyone knows that IMG stockpiles talent.
Mason Kaplan, the Valpo QB transfer, was a different kind of sleeper as I detailed in an earlier post. To repeat, he simply hadn't grown up yet as 5'9 junior in high school. He's now 6'2 with a solid frame. I think the technical term for it is that he is now a "grown ass man." He has skills too. He looked good against us. Bottom-line we don't want Annexstad to get injured, but if he does, we are in better shape than last year. Rittenhouse rec'd valuable playing time and Kaplan is an experienced college QB.

 

[cpacmel]

 

[MadBird]

Bio says he's only seen the field in two games in 4 years at Duke. Maybe the light bulb will go on for him in Normal!.

 

[MadBird]

This is Class of 2024 news, and "bad news", but interesting to me anyway. Indianapolis Star is reporting two top central Indiana players have committed to Miami of Ohio - both had offers from ISU.

Ben Davis quarterback Thomas Gotkowski and Fishers running back Khobie Martin announced their commitments to the RedHawks within minutes of one another Friday morning.

Gotkowski, who completed 63% of his passes for 2,341 yards and 24 touchdowns with eight interceptions as a junior, posted his commitment to the RedHawks on social media. He selected Miami of Ohio over offers from Ball State, Austin Peay, Eastern Michigan, Illinois State and Western Michigan.

Martin emerged as one of the top running backs in the state as a junior, rushing for 1,194 yards and 16 touchdowns. He also had offers from Austin Peay, Eastern Kentucky, Illinois State, Indiana State and Northern Illinois.

saintcloudtimes

This full replica of our printed product provides you the newspaper as you know and love it from the convenience of the web.

saintcloudtimes-mn.newsmemory.com

 

[cpacmel]

 

[topiarydan]

Had some nice offers coming out of high school (Baylor, Minny, etc.) D'Marion Alexander, Kansas Jayhawks, Edge