Spent Tuesday night watching a nice collection of teams out at Naperville North. Naperville North has hosted teams on Tuesday nights over the past few years and this has grown in to a pretty solid field to watch. Thanks as always to Sean Drendel and everyone at Naperville North for the always terrific hospitality. North will host one more Tuesday night next week and then a bigger 7on7 a week from Friday.
Like with all team summer 7on7 camps...odds are you aren't seeing a full roster as several kids also playing travel baseball AAU hoops etc. so that's always part of the equasion. Also this is 7on7 and observations are just that...observations only and in more cases than not you can only take so much from these events which will translate into on the field in 2023. I try to watch a series or two for each team....sometime more sometimes less....just depends on the field layouts etc. I can and will miss seeing kids at these events.
Teams in attendance:
Naperville North- The home team was one of the teams I wanted to watch pretty closely, mainly to see junior QB Jacob Bell who has been one of the more intriguing names in the 2025 class. Bell is finally getting his shot to run the Huskies offense, taking over for graduated QB Aidan Gray (Northwestern) along with a good core of receivers led by Purdue bound WR/DB Luke Williams. Overall impressions? Bell was a little off early then seemed to settle in nicely and Bell's arm strength, touch and his size/strength no question reminds me a little bit of a high school version of Justin Fields. Bell will be dangerous running the football in 2023 along with having a big arm as well. Luke Williams is no question a leader for the Huskies, will again play WR and S for the Huskies and he's just gotten bigger, stronger and just seems taller this summer. Williams will be no question a top priority to stop for the Huskies in 2023. The remaining skills are solid, the defense was also solid here as well. Overall I thought this was a good early showing for the home team.
Lincoln Way West- The Warriors were missing some kids most noticeable was QB Cole Crafton who I'm sure is traveling the country for baseball (Crafton is a top notch outfielder prospect) yet West I felt looked pretty solid here. Senior WR Austin Rowswell is going to be a big time player and recruit in my opinion. Rowswell has really impressive speed and hands, showed really good hands and he has a chance of a big 2023 breakout season. The overall talent level and depth looks pretty solid here as well. This team looks like a potential playoff tam to me.
Lincoln Way East- It's East so you know going in that the Griffins will just run it's base offense, work on it's pass defense and just get it's work in then go home. The Griffins are never really flashy, and this group doesn't really have a ton of athletic freaks just like many other East teams of the recent past. All East does is execute, plays hard, makes plays, doesn't make mistakes and just seems to find a way. Senior QB Braden Tischer already looks to be in mid-season form and the remaining offensive skills are just really solid and deep while this team always has very good team speed. The East defense also always has 5-foot-10, 180 pounds linebackers who will just drill you and a secondary with good speed and athleticism. New year same ole East.
Downers Grove South- The Mustangs are no question younger in 2023 and graduated several multi-year starters this past spring. Didn't atch a ton here but I'll see DGS later this summer especially when they host it's own 7on7 (always one of the better events of the summer)
Downers Grove North- l didn't watch enough of the Trojans here to be honest.....but the offense seemed pretty solid and I already knew going in that the defense would be a strength. That definitely looked to be the case here on Tuesday night and defensively in particular played out this way. I will definitely watch the Trojans closer here next week. North offensively is a much more run first team once the season begins so these events are good from the defensive side of the football more than anything.
Neuqua Valley- Confidence seems to be pretty high from the NV people on this team and from what I saw this looked to be the case. I always enjoy getting caught up with Bill Ellinghaus and the Wildcats have some impressive play makers on both sides of the football. A few key names were missing here but I'll get a chance to see NV a few more times this summer and will get a bit more details on specific kids to watch etc.
Lockport- Lockport has a new assistant coach this season on the offensive side of the football who looks really, really familiar. Former Lemont HC Bret Kooi is on the offensive side of the football, back at the school where he won back to back state titles before leaving to take over Lemont. Yep....it was strange yet also pretty cool to see Bret Kooi back at Lockport. The Porters are another school that's going to run the football 70 percent plus times a game so the Porters won't wow you offensively. The Porters have good depth and numbers again and the starting offense was pretty solid overall.
St Charles East- This was the first time in years I've seen East at a 7on7. The Saints have a solid yet not spectacular squad here and the overall offensive skills level seems to be a bit green this summer. The defense played well in the handful of reps I saw here.
Lemont- The Lemont program has been one of the winningest programs in the South suburbs and the Lemont Football Team (and yes no sign of a new nickname coming anytime soon) looked really good this summer. One of the biggest storylines will be the arrival of QB Nathan Kunickis. Kunickis, who played receiver and safety in 2022 behind then senior QB Payton Soloman will get his shot at leading the Lemont offense this fall. Kunickis has high level college physical tools (6-foot-3, 210 pounds) and was just throwing a very impressive football here. I'm not sure what position Kunickis will eventually play in college....but I can see him going say the PWO route at the Power 5/higher D1 levels and developing into a big time player. The remaining Lemont kids are talented, good sixed and they all seem to know where the weight room is located. I just saw a lot to like here from Lemont this summer.
Glenbard West- The Hilltoppers also are a run first team so 7on7 is more of getting work in and then getting the pass defense coverage in line and ready for the season. The West offense was pretty solid here....I saw a few different quarterbacks who threw the football pretty well.,. senior WR Julius Ellens is one of the best game breakers at this event who just catches everything in his vicinity....and the defense has speed and is very athletic. Again just a lot to like here early.
Next Up: St. Charles North Thursday IHSFCA Class 7A 7on7
