Off Season Q: Greatest IHSA Football Player You've Seen

[dapiech]

RB-Justin Jackson-GBN (Put up 300+ yards on teams that hadn't given up 100 up that that point)
Brodner-GBW
Allstott-JC
Dergo, I never got to see him, but I hear he was great.
Tumilty-NC
Geoff Shine-Deerfield
Bobby Sanders-Mt. Carmel

QB-Beujter WWS (60 TD's in 1 season)
Zak Kustok
Tim Lavery-NC
Tim Brylka-WWS
Kent Graham-WN
Mike McGrew-Mt. Carmel
Cory Paus-LW

WR-Schweigardt WWS(25 TD's in 1 season)
Randle El-Thornton

TE-Kellen Winslow-ESL
Tony Moeaki-WWS
......

 

[McCaravan]

RB-Justin Jackson-GBN (Put up 300+ yards on teams that hadn't given up 100 up that that point)
Brodner-GBW
Allstott-JC
Dergo, I never got to see him, but I hear he was great.
Tumilty-NC
Geoff Shine-Deerfield
Bobby Sanders-Mt. Carmel

QB-Beujter WWS (60 TD's in 1 season)
Zak Kustok
Tim Lavery-NC
Tim Brylka-WWS
Kent Graham-WN
Mike McGrew-Mt. Carmel
Cory Paus-LW

WR-Schweigardt WWS(25 TD's in 1 season)
Randle El-Thornton

TE-Kellen Winslow-ESL
Tony Moeaki-WWS
......

Loved Bobby Sanders, was going to put him over Dorham on my list but Dorham tore it up for 2 years and part of his Sophomore year

 

[Bowie50]

RB-Justin Jackson-GBN (Put up 300+ yards on teams that hadn't given up 100 up that that point)
Brodner-GBW
Allstott-JC
Dergo, I never got to see him, but I hear he was great.
Tumilty-NC
Geoff Shine-Deerfield
Bobby Sanders-Mt. Carmel

QB-Beujter WWS (60 TD's in 1 season)
Zak Kustok
Tim Lavery-NC
Tim Brylka-WWS
Kent Graham-WN
Mike McGrew-Mt. Carmel
Cory Paus-LW

WR-Schweigardt WWS(25 TD's in 1 season)
Randle El-Thornton

TE-Kellen Winslow-ESL
Tony Moeaki-WWS
......

This is a good list

 

[tomloner]

Limited to High School career and personal observation limits my list.

RB Wade Weyer - Billy Merek - Jahwon Akwi - John Byrne
LB John Foley - Simeon Rice - Mark Zavagnin
OL Dennis Lick
DL Matt Conrath - Darius Fleming
WR Tony Simmons - Ahmad Merritt
Punter Ryan Donahue
QB McNabb

 

[McCaravan]

Limited to High School career and personal observation limits my list.

RB Wade Weyer - Billy Merek - Jahwon Akwi - John Byrne
LB John Foley - Simeon Rice - Mark Zavagnin
OL Dennis Lick
DL Matt Conrath - Darius Fleming
WR Tony Simmons - Ahmad Merritt
Punter Ryan Donahue
QB McNabb

Wade Weyer was a great running back. IHSA grand idea of putting SR and MC against each other in the first round cut his playoff run short or more would remember him

 

[Illiphyte]

Dick Butkus - CVS High School

I give you credit for admitting that you are old enough to have seen him play in HS. (Just Kidding)

I go pretty far back myself but not that far back. I think the best IHSA LB I actually saw play was Brad Quaast. He went on to IA. and some consider him the greatest LB to ever play there. But because of injuries he didn't go pro.

 

[MWittman]

LB John Foley

tom:

John Foley was the finest football player I ever saw play. He was a virtually unstoppable when playing in the backfield and predator on defense. Tragic his injuries limited playing time after he arrived at Notre Dame. If I recall, one injury was to his neck and another recurring injury hampered him throughout college. After seeing this monster play at Saint Rita, I was convinced his future included greatness at ND and a career in the NFL. I am fairly confident he is living and working in the Chicago area now.

Although he did not play in Illinois, I saw Tommy Maddox in 1989 during a visit to Dallas. A superior passer, he played only two years at UCLA before making the monumental error of declaring early for the draft. Completely underdeveloped for the NFL after only two years in college, Maddox held a clipboard for several years before re-emerging with the Steelers about 15 years ago. He never achieved the potential I saw in 1989. He was brilliant.

 

[McCaravan]

tom:

John Foley was the finest football player I ever saw play. He was a virtually unstoppable when playing in the backfield and predator on defense. Tragic his injuries limited playing time after he arrived at Notre Dame. If I recall, one injury was to his neck and another recurring injury hampered him throughout college. After seeing this monster play at Saint Rita, I was convinced his future included greatness at ND and a career in the NFL. I am fairly confident he is living and working in the Chicago area now.

Although he did not play in Illinois, I saw Tommy Maddox in 1989 during a visit to Dallas. A superior passer, he played only two years at UCLA before making the monumental error of declaring early for the draft. Completely underdeveloped for the NFL after only two years in college, Maddox held a clipboard for several years before re-emerging with the Steelers about 15 years ago. He never achieved the potential I saw in 1989. He was brilliant.

Foley getting hurt was a blessing in disguise. I read a great article about how he was a below average student at SR because he was 100% football 24/7. I believe he may have been ineligible his freshman year at ND. Either way he dove into his studies at ND, took advantage of the education and degree from ND and is a very successful businessman in Chicago now.

 

[bronco man]

Foley getting hurt was a blessing in disguise. I read a great article about how he was a below average student at SR because he was 100% football 24/7. I believe he may have been ineligible his freshman year at ND. Either way he dove into his studies at ND, took advantage of the education and degree from ND and is a very successful businessman in Chicago now.

This may be the story you are referring to, Mr. Foley's story should be required reading for incoming football recruits;

https://www.ndinsider.com/football/...cle_b82545a4-363f-11e4-bbce-0017a43b2370.html

 

[USD24]

How about Tim Brasic? Pretty special QB

 

[DeanOfSelection]

i thought Tony Temple was pretty good seeing him vs JC in '02

 

[EdgyTim]

i thought Tony Temple was pretty good seeing him vs JC in '02

I remember seeing the video of him and Rockhurst that season and damn...

 

[Wassup13]

Offense - Dergo/Morris, Turner/Driscoll, Love/Naz

 

[Sparty Jones]

Tom Zbikowski

 

[eireog]

Greg Turner (Driscoll) was amazing in the couple games I saw him play.

 

[Cross Bones]

Aaron Bailey.
DJ Pirkle
Philip Macklin

 

[tomloner]

tom:

John Foley was the finest football player I ever saw play. He was a virtually unstoppable when playing in the backfield and predator on defense. Tragic his injuries limited playing time after he arrived at Notre Dame. If I recall, one injury was to his neck and another recurring injury hampered him throughout college. After seeing this monster play at Saint Rita, I was convinced his future included greatness at ND and a career in the NFL. I am fairly confident he is living and working in the Chicago area now.

Although he did not play in Illinois, I saw Tommy Maddox in 1989 during a visit to Dallas. A superior passer, he played only two years at UCLA before making the monumental error of declaring early for the draft. Completely underdeveloped for the NFL after only two years in college, Maddox held a clipboard for several years before re-emerging with the Steelers about 15 years ago. He never achieved the potential I saw in 1989. He was brilliant.

Foley getting hurt was a blessing in disguise. I read a great article about how he was a below average student at SR because he was 100% football 24/7. I believe he may have been ineligible his freshman year at ND. Either way he dove into his studies at ND, took advantage of the education and degree from ND and is a very successful businessman in Chicago now.

Thanks guys. Named USA High School Defensive Player of the Year. In the 1987 game vs Alabama Brent Musburger said John was a future Lombardi Award winner. But he got hurt. He had six months of grueling daily workouts to rehabilitate the severely damaged nerve linking his brain to his right arm. That ended football for John. John's done well since graduating from ND. Last I heard he was an investment banker in Memphis.

 

[DeanOfSelection]

I remember seeing the video of him and Rockhurst that season and damn...

@USD24
If memory serves me correctly, JC (despite losing most off the '01 team) hung in there with them until mid 4th Q. Was 14-9 and he turned a 4th and 6-8 or so screen pass made something out nothing got a first down that kinda clinched it.

 

[eagles2k3]

Aaron Bailey.
DJ Pirkle
Philip Macklin

That's a good one. I saw Proviso East play OPRF in the playoffs in 98. He was a man child. I think OPRF had a really good Qb that year. The name Hill rings a bell.

 

[eagles2k3]

Aaron Bailey.
DJ Pirkle
Philip Macklin

http://www.news-gazette.com/sports/illini-sports/football/2008-08-17/phil-macklin-fallen-star.html

Sad...

 

[Cross Bones]

http://www.news-gazette.com/sports/illini-sports/football/2008-08-17/phil-macklin-fallen-star.html

Sad...

Yeah its a shame. Need more mentors. He could have went SEC and got one of those bags dropped off if could only hold out.

 

[Trojanman79]

Pierre Thomas- TF South, had a really solid career at Illinois as well

 

[McCaravan]

Pierre Thomas- TF South, had a really solid career at Illinois as well

Another MC transfer

 

[Trojanman79]

Another MC transfer

How long was he at MC? I did not know that.

 

[DeanOfSelection]

Frosh year 99 . Was in backfield with Greg Owens

 

[McCaravan]

Frosh year 99 . Was in backfield with Greg Owens

I honestly think Owens was better...they lose Thomas and that class still wins State...Harney and Medlock combined to be one Thomas as Owens running mate

 

[guerinfbfan]

Dergo

 

[King MJ]

Seen live: flozell Adams and it isn’t close
Seen on tv: brian cox
Played against: Kenny carrington

 

[krock the house]

Lee Lafayette (great name as well)
Mike Alstott (man among boys)
Simeon Rice (another man among boys and late bloomer).

 

[krock the house]

I will also put Eric Steinbach on that list.

 

[rfb321]

Dick Butkus - CVS High School

Unstoppable at fullback. Not being able to go in the CPL title game back then was front page Trib news. Would have beaten both Taft and Carmel.. He was that good. Quags may me the only one who knows what I'm talking about

 

[goomsback]

If you give me 1 person in my generation it's Justin Jackson. If it's not 6 am on the east coast I would think of more.

 

[Oddy]

Lot's of great players mentioned. Limiting it to someone I have seen in person, Riley Lees from Libertyville.

 

[HoopinHawk]

Riley Lees Libertyville, I believe the first to ever pass for 2,000 yards and rush for 2,000 yards in a season.
Mark Carlson Deerfield QB 1975

Awfully glad to see someone remember Mark Carlson. Just an incredible athlete!

 

[septon34]

Thanks guys. Named USA High School Defensive Player of the Year. In the 1987 game vs Alabama Brent Musburger said John was a future Lombardi Award winner. But he got hurt. He had six months of grueling daily workouts to rehabilitate the severely damaged nerve linking his brain to his right arm. That ended football for John. John's done well since graduating from ND. Last I heard he was an investment banker in Memphis.

As a SR guy, I wanted Foley to star at ND very badly. But to be honest, I don't think he was ever going to start at LB at ND. Wes Pritchett, Mike Stonebraker, and Ned Bolcar were all ahead of Foley on the depth chart in 87 and 88. Foley was moved to DT for the final game against Miami in 87 and also for the bowl game against Texas AM. Ironically, he took away playing time from Brother Rick graduate Gorman. It would have been interesting to see how Foley did on the DL. Presumably, he would have put on 20-30 pounds of muscle. Or maybe played a role similar to that of Frank Stams.

If he didn't get hurt, I still believe Foley would have found a way to be a major contributor at ND. And what a tough SOB. The play that ended his career was a KO return against A&M right before the half. He doesn't even go down to the ground and ran off the field.