Bill to limit full-contact in high school football practices introduced

January was a busy month for a couple of state lawmakers trying to bring safety to high school football through legislation.

The Chicago Tribune reported earlier this week that Illinois State Representative Carol Sente introduced legislation that would restrict Illinois schools to one practice of full-contact during the season.

Read more at High School Football America

2013 Illinois High School D-1 Letter of Intent Signees

John Augusta (Peoria) - Missouri
Matt Alviti (Maine South) - Northwestern
Sal Arceo (Mt. Carmel) - Northern Illinois
Aaron Bailey (Bolingbrook) - Illinois
Austin Barnes (O'Fallon) - Eastern Michigan
Aaron Brooks (Simeon) - Bowling Green
Caleb Bailey (Romeoville) - Western Michigan
Khairi Bailey (Morgan Park) - Western Michigan
Jalen Banks (Thornton) - Vanderbilt
Kyle Bosch (St. Francis) - Michigan
Brian Canoy (St. Patrick) - Northern Illinois
Dillan Cazley (Charleston) - Illinois
Demetrius Cooper (Julian) - Michigan St.
Mike Cotton (O'Fallon) - Northern Illinois
Johnny Daniels (Foreman) - Purdue
Corey Davis (Wheaton-Warrenville South) - Western Michigan
Bryce Douglas (Plainfield) - Illinois
Jaylen Dunlap (Crete-Monee) - Illinois
Jack Elliot (Lyons Twp.) - Memphis
Ladell Fleming (Julian) - Northern Ilinois
Perez Ford (Romeoville) - Northern Illinois
Kendrick Foster (Richwoods) - Illinois
Tom Fuessel (Lincoln-Way East) - Northwestern
Conner Gavin (Notre Dame) - Northern Illinois
Colin Goebel (Naperville North) - Iowa
Clayton Glasper (Richwoods) - Northern Illinois
Austin Guido (Waubonsie Valley) - Western Michigan
Keith Harris, Jr. (Leo) - Northern Illinois
Matthew Harris (Lyons) - Northwestern
Michael Hermosillo (Ottawa) - Illinois
Kristof Ifkovits (Geurin College Prep) - Western Michigan
Michael Ippolito (Nequa Valley) - Northern Illinois
Ty Isaac (Joliet Catholic) - USC
Merrick Jackson (Althoff Catholic) - Illinois
Mario Jones (Hubbard) - Northern Illinois
Jackson Keeler (Barrington) - Wisconsin
Mitch Kimble (Jersey Community) - Syracuse
Blake King (Minooka) - Northwestern
Adam Kulon (H.D. Jacobs) - Toledo
Tyler Lancaster (Plainfield East) - Northwestern
Logan Larson (Pleasant Plains) - Bowling Green
Devante Lee (Simeon) - Middle Tennessee
Jarrid Lloyd (Benet Academy) - Ball St.
Pat Maloney (Maine South) - Ball St.
Nathan Marcus (Glenbard West) - Vanderbilt
Boston Mathews (Crystal Lake South) - Toledo
Desroy Maxwell (Amundsen) - Northern Illinois
Tim McAuliffe (Lemont) - Bowling Green
Colin McGovern (Lincoln-Way West) - Notre Dame
Jack Milas (Rolling Meadows) - Ball St.
Kendall Moore (Simeon) - Syracuse
Joe Morrow (Hales Franciscan) - San Diego St.
Darius Mosely (O'Fallon) - Illinois
Evan Panfil (Lincoln-Way Central) - Purdue
Ethan Pocic (Lemont) - LSU
Todd Porter (O'Fallon) - Western Kentucky
Austin Smaha (Belvidere North) - Northern Illinois
Shannon Smith (Marist) - Bowling Green
Reggie Spearman (Simeon) - Iowa
Brad Steger (Rock Island) - Northern Illinois
Kurtis Stirneman (Marian Central) - Wyoming
Omar Stover (Bolingbrook) - Wyoming
John Strauser (St. Thomas More) - Purdue
Chris Streveler (Marian Central Catholic) - Minnesota
Scott Sypniewski (Marquette) - Michigan
Scott Taylor (Marian Central Catholic) - Northern Illinois
Corey Thomas (Lindblom Math & Science) - Northern Illinois
Laquon Treadwell (Crete-Monee) - Mississippi
Logan Tuley-Tillman (Manual) - Michigan
Jordan Watson (Hales Franciscan) - San Diego St.
Matt Williams (Geneva) - Northern Illinois
Derrick Willies (Rock Island) - Iowa

Northern Illinois University to Host State Championships Every Other Year

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

Beginning next fall and then every odd year through 2021, Northern Illinois will be the host of the Illinois High School Association state football championships.

The IHSA announced Monday that NIU was chosen as the site over bids from Illinois State and Southern Illinois.

The move away from the University of Illinois on odd years was made necessary because of the new Big Ten schedule that has the Illini playing at home on Thanksgiving weekend, the same weekend of the state title games.

Loyola Academy to Play in Ireland

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

Courtesy: MG Helmets

Loyola Academy will play quite a road game this year when it hops on a plane to play in Dublin, Ireland.

The Ramblers will play Dallas Jesuit from Texas in the Global Ireland Football Tournament (GIFT 2012) on August 31st.

Last season, Loyola lost to Bolingbrook in the Class 8A championship game after a perfect regular season.  Dallas Jesuit finished 8-3 with a first round loss in the Texas Class 5A Division II playoffs.

In addition to the Loyola/Jesuit match-up, Hamilton (Arizona) will face Notre Dame (California) and Father Judge (Pennsylvania) squares off with Notre Dame Prep (Arizona).  Kent School (Connecticut) will play a game against a team of British All-Stars.

The games will be played the same weekend that Notre Dame will play Navy in Dublin.

To learn more about GIFT 2012, click here to listen to my interview with Global Football founder Patrick Steenberge, a former Notre Dame quarterback, who came-up with the idea of American high school football teams playing the first-ever regular season games overseas.

Sterling's Greg King Steps Down

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

Courtesy: MG Helmets

After 10 successful years leading the Sterling football program, Greg King is stepping down as the school's head coach.

King, who is the school's athletic director, amassed a 78-28 record and ten straight straight playoff appearances.

A search for King's successor will begin once the school board accepts his resignation.

National Letter of Intent Signing Day - Illinois High Schools

Joseph Jones - RB (Plano) - Northwestern
Malin Jones - RB (Joliet Catholic) - Northwestern
Dean Lowry - DE (Boylan Catholic) - Northwestern
Dan Vitale - DB (Wheaton-Warrenville South) - Northwestern

Bryan Stortz Leaves Lake Zurich for Rock Island

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

After six years at the helm of the Lake Zurich football program, Bryan Stortz has resigned to take the head coaching job at Rock Island.

Stortz, who led Lake Zurich to the 2007 Class 7A state title, replaces Vic Boblett, who led the Rocks to a 170-60 overall record in 21 years.

Since 2006, Stortz owns a 19-5 playoff record, which included two runner-up finishes in '06 and '10.