Easy question but one that I thought could be fun to throw around....whoever is the best IHSA Football player you've ever saw in person...post them here.
Q of the Week: Who's the best IHSA Football player you've ever seen
- Thread starter EdgyTim
- Start date
Sam LaPorta WR/S at Highland that now plays tight end at Iowa. I believe he is top three in IHSA history for both career receiving yards and touchdowns. Most high school players with his size shred defenses with deep routes, but he was at his most dangerous on a simple slant route. On the goalline, some teams put two defenders on him like a gunner for a punt return to stop the fade but even that couldn't stop him.
That I’ve seen IN PERSON.
Offensively- Ricky Smalling. Alstott had a great 4th Q the game I saw him vs MC but this guy killed MC for the 3 years he was on Varsity.
Defensively- Jerry Schumacher, most dominating season I’ve seen from an MC player under Dave Lenti’s defenses.
*I did see John Foley in person officially but I was too young to appreciate what I’m sure was an excellent performance by him!
Offensively- Ricky Smalling. Alstott had a great 4th Q the game I saw him vs MC but this guy killed MC for the 3 years he was on Varsity.
Defensively- Jerry Schumacher, most dominating season I’ve seen from an MC player under Dave Lenti’s defenses.
*I did see John Foley in person officially but I was too young to appreciate what I’m sure was an excellent performance by him!
I am fairly certain I caught a JCA game with Josh Ferguson, Malin Jones, and a freshman named Ty Isaac.
Best player I played against...hmmm...probably Wade Weyer from Rita.
Best player I played against...hmmm...probably Wade Weyer from Rita.
I do have to put LB3 in this conversation. Laquan is comparable with his physical dominance.
What Hickey did, cracking 3100 yards and no one had done so for a couple of decades, was spectacular! Everyone knew what was coming. And he still gained 10-plus a carry.
I think only Hershel Walker and Ken Hall, don’t the 1950s, had more than Hickey - and and we played only 8 regular season games and he got kicked out of one of them in the first quarter. Rarely played more than a series in the second half.
What Hickey did, cracking 3100 yards and no one had done so for a couple of decades, was spectacular! Everyone knew what was coming. And he still gained 10-plus a carry.
I think only Hershel Walker and Ken Hall, don’t the 1950s, had more than Hickey - and and we played only 8 regular season games and he got kicked out of one of them in the first quarter. Rarely played more than a series in the second half.
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Dan Dierking - WWS ‘05
Craig Drummond- Morgan Park ‘08
Dale Martin - Bolingbrook ‘06
Craig Drummond- Morgan Park ‘08
Dale Martin - Bolingbrook ‘06
He might be the most terrifying I ever saw.
Julian Love is the best all-around football player I ever saw, along with Samson Evans, Alante Brown and Bo Flowers.
Best passers were McCarthy, Budmayr and Brasic.
Russel Harvey-RB @Dunbar (1995-1997) -So good and virtually unstoppable.
Justin Jackson-RB@GBN (2013-14) -He's the best RB I've ever seen in person and put up 300 yards on a really good WWS defense. His studder-burst....wow.
Mike Alstott-RB@JCA (1991-1992)-Beast Mode, Old School
Jon Schweighardt-WR@WWS (1997-1998) -Speed, Agility, Hands etc..
Jon Beutjer-QB @WWS (1997-1998)-Best pure passer I've ever seen.
Matt McCarthy-Best dual-threat I've ever seen,
Justin Jackson-RB@GBN (2013-14) -He's the best RB I've ever seen in person and put up 300 yards on a really good WWS defense. His studder-burst....wow.
Mike Alstott-RB@JCA (1991-1992)-Beast Mode, Old School
Jon Schweighardt-WR@WWS (1997-1998) -Speed, Agility, Hands etc..
Jon Beutjer-QB @WWS (1997-1998)-Best pure passer I've ever seen.
Matt McCarthy-Best dual-threat I've ever seen,
While there can be a vigorous debate at St. Rita as who the best football player was at any given position, there is one player who in my mind stands out above the crowd. That is John Foley.
Foley was all everything in Illinois and rated as the USA Today’s National Defensive High School Player of the Year. Gatorade All America, Parade All America, US Army All America. Chicago Sun Times and Chicago Tribune Player of the Year. Ohio Club Top three players in the USA.
Rated top 22 High School football players of all time by Tom Lemming and Taylor Bell book The Second Season. Played college football at Notre Dame. Foley did not play in the National Football League because he suffered a spinal Injury in 1988 Cotton Bowl.
Foley was all everything in Illinois and rated as the USA Today’s National Defensive High School Player of the Year. Gatorade All America, Parade All America, US Army All America. Chicago Sun Times and Chicago Tribune Player of the Year. Ohio Club Top three players in the USA.
Rated top 22 High School football players of all time by Tom Lemming and Taylor Bell book The Second Season. Played college football at Notre Dame. Foley did not play in the National Football League because he suffered a spinal Injury in 1988 Cotton Bowl.
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I get some pushback when discussing, but Dale IMO was the best Bolingbrook runningback I've seen when accounting for competition and OL.
Really liked Budmayr
Budmayrs are Roadrunners now tho. Wonderful family.
I have heard lol. Not actually hated him, but watching him drop dimes from the horizontal position was insane.
I have been watching high school football for close to 40 years and have seen some unbelievable players. Overall, I would say Ty Isaac was the best high school player I have seen. He was a threat every time he touched the ball. He looked like a man against boys out there. When he was healthy, he was unstoppable.
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Few Honorable mentions that I’ve seen in person.
Offensively- Miles Boykin Providence and Jake Marwede LA.
Defensively- Mike Goolsby JCA, Matt Kingsbury (the Dad) SR and Rory Steinbach PC.
All Around player- Tyler “F’ing” Nubin SCN and Kennena Odeluga MC. I really think if he played a normal fall season in 2020 he would have had one of the best MC seasons of all time. He played with with a severely sprained ankle in the Spring games among other injuries and still did well.
Offensively- Miles Boykin Providence and Jake Marwede LA.
Defensively- Mike Goolsby JCA, Matt Kingsbury (the Dad) SR and Rory Steinbach PC.
All Around player- Tyler “F’ing” Nubin SCN and Kennena Odeluga MC. I really think if he played a normal fall season in 2020 he would have had one of the best MC seasons of all time. He played with with a severely sprained ankle in the Spring games among other injuries and still did well.
Tim Brasic Riverside Brookfield 99-01
Samson Evans Prarie Ridge
Jordan Westerkamp Montini
Joey Goodspeed Oswego
Ryan Clifford Naperville Central
Mike Alstott JCA
JR Zrwienski JCA
Tommy Zbikowski BG
Kyle Kleckner DGN
Samson Evans Prarie Ridge
Jordan Westerkamp Montini
Joey Goodspeed Oswego
Ryan Clifford Naperville Central
Mike Alstott JCA
JR Zrwienski JCA
Tommy Zbikowski BG
Kyle Kleckner DGN
I'm guilty too - but I did not think of him earlier because I was thinking sexy players ... but how can it not be DERGO?
Let's examine the question:
Let's examine the question:
Who's the best IHSA Football player you've ever seen?
Ty Nubin playing now in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl. Actually just went into medical tent with injury, but hopefully will return!
In person, not on TV, it is easily Carlos Polk - LB from Rockford Guilford back from 1993-1995. As part of a successful opposing team during his time, it was the only player I‘ve ever seen basically an entire team fearful for their physical well being by stepping on the field with. A true man amongst boys. His success at Nebraska and then in NFL cemented his lore
He was great but his offensive line was even better, still the best high school line I’ve seen I believe they had multiple kids get D1 scholarships.
Too many to pick one.
But I sure liked Dergo when he was playing.
But I sure liked Dergo when he was playing.
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