IHSA Football 2023 Season Preview Biggest Headlines and Questions With Coach Big Pete
Well #IHSA Football Family It's 2023
I'm Back For One More Year
Season Is Here And There Are Plenty Of Storylines/Questions
LETS GET THIS STARTED!!!
THIS IS A LONG ARTICLE
Make Sure To Watch Video On The Bottom For Full Preview
2023 CONFERENCE PREVIEWS BELOW
So who are the best recruits in Illinois?
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2023 HERE WE ARE
Ref Shortage AGAIN & AGAIN....
3 straight years now I have put this in my article. Helicopter parents, snowplow parents, yelling coaches mix for a horrible future of getting refs for youth sports and high school sports. Like I said in 2021 & 2022 the future is not bright for youth sports all together and something has to change for the better. Have more games moved from Friday to Thursday and Saturday due to the shortage. Parents don't listen and we had numerous parents hop on the field last season.
VARSITY SEASONS CANCELLED
Sparta cancels Varsity schedule and stick to a JV Schedule. Again, it's something that we must except. Luckily, the three teams last year that that didn't play varsity will be back with varsity rosters with Fisher, Sandwich, Urbana.
IHSA TRANSFER PORTAL STRIKES AGAIN & AGAIN
We got top recruits transferring out of powerhouses to other powerhouse, and we got IHSA players transferring out of state to national powerhouses. We have had a weird IHSA transfer period this offseason. . We got some big out of state recruits transferring into Illinois. Talk about a topsy turvy world.
Chaos Is Coming
Never in my 7 years of covering IHSA football have I seen so many teams with new starters. Class of 2023 left some serious holes on teams this season for contenders. Not to mention the fact that we have a lot more questions on the private school side this season. Last year we were back to normalcy but this this 2023 Fall we might have a nice dosage of parity.
Who Can Repeat State Title Winner?
Lena Winslow, ICCP, St. Theresa, Loyola Academy, Nazareth, Mount Carmel, Sacred Heart Griffin, East St. Louis. Mount Carmel, Lena-Winslow, and Nazareth all three have real good shots. ICCP moves to the CCL/ESCC they need to get to 5 wins.
Mount Carmel Got Better
Caravan looks good, and I mean they won the transfer portal this season. Returning top unit in the backfield and not to mention their line has gotten one more year of experience. Caravan looks ready to repeat.
Who is looking to go on winning streak and shock some people in November?
Minooka, St. Bede, Downers Grove North, Edwardsville, Maroa Forsyth, Stevenson, Fairfield, Geneseo, Antioch, Hinsdale Central, Montini, Marian Central Catholic, Althoff Catholic, Fairfield, Crystal Lake Central, Eureka, Springfield, Rockford Boylan, Naperville Central, Geneseo
Will the Chicago Public School Conference have a team at state for 2023? Part 3
Morgan Park & Kenwood Academy come into mind for 2023 Fall. They are boasting almost all-star teams that you must know. Kenwood needs to play a complete season. Morgan Park could be huge this November. Simeon and Phillips look to challenge but it's going to be a tough test for them.
NEW FACES & OLD FACES COACHING BUT SAME WINNING RESULT
Lemont, St. Rita, Bolingbrook, Loyola, Kankakee, Kaneland
These Schools Scare Me Because They Are Too Silent.
Prairie Ridge, Cary-Grove, South Elgin, Wilmington, Morris, DU-PEC, Camp Point Central, Jacksonville, Maroa-Forsyth, Mt. Vernon, Moline, St. Bede, Kaneland, Phillips
NEW CONFERENCES FOR SOME TEAMS
Lincoln, ICCP, St. Francis moves to talent heavy conferences.
Can We Get A Southern Illinois Team NOT NAMED East St. Louis in State Title Game?
These Offensive Line Units Scare Me
Carmel, Loyola Academy, Providence, Montini, ICCP, Mount Carmel, Lemont, Batavia, Naperville North, Lyons Township, Maine South, Mahomet-Seymour, Nazareth, Lincoln Way East, Homewood-Flossmoor, Burlington Central, Minooka, Libertyville, Wilmington, Lena-Winslow, O'Fallon, Kaneland, Crystal Lake South, Joliet Catholic
THEY ARE HUNGRY AND WANT A STATE TITLE
Kankakee, South Elgin, Glenbard South, Hersey, Coal City, Batavia, St. Francis, Normal, Warren Township, Ottawa Marquette, Moline, Sterling, Carmel, Maroa Forsyth, Morris, Kaneland, Montini, Johnston City, Mahomet Seymour, Glenwood, Mater Dei, Normal, Quincy Notre Dame, Peoria, Bradley-Bourbonnais, St. Charles North, Edwardsville, O'Fallon, Neuqua Valley, Sycamore, Johnston City, Joliet Catholic
IHSA SURPRISE TEAMS FOR 2023
Streator, Christopher, Maine East, EPC, Hinsdale South, Montini, McHenry, Crystal Lake Central, Lincoln, University, Wheaton Warrenville South, Althoff Catholic, Waubonsie Valley, East Aurora, Limestone, Marshall, Bishop McNamara, Taft, Leo
Way To Early Pre-Season List Of Coach Of The Year Candidates For The IHSA In 2023
Marques Stevenson Leo
Brody Walworth University
Brian Iossi Central (Burlington)
Tommy Spillan Christopher
Michael Thorgesen Kaneland
Harvey Jackson Plainfield East
Anthony Dedmond Freeport
John Allison Sacred Heart Griffin
Orlando Gooden Cahokia
Zach Elder Taft
Kolton Hammond Havana
Jared McNutt EPC
Joe Horeni Downers Grove North
Jon Hebb Springfield
Sean Norris Wheaton Warrenville South
Dirk Stanger Crystal Lake Central
Daniel Finger Whitney Young
Mike Barry Hinsdale South
Liam Kirwan Marian Central Catholic
Titcus Pettigrew Bolingbrook
Some Of Top 2026 & 2027 Players You Need To Know About This Season In Illinois
CLASS OF 2026
Jonas Williams QB Bolingbrook
Leon Howard LB East St. Louis
Matthew Plumb QB St. Charles North
King Liggins DE Brother Rice
Tanner Glock ATH St. Francis
Hawken Anderson OL Glenbrook South
Bryce Tencza ATH Providence Catholic
Hunter Niklos ATH Harvest Christian Academy
Kellen Gamble OL Homewood Flossmoor
Jack Getz DB Benet
Jaquaris Green OL Peoria
Cedric Terrell ATH Kankakee
Jamari Brown WR Mount Carmel
Zachary Washington WR St. Francis
Brady Palmer QB St. Francis
Rico Schrieber OL Marist
AJ Jones ATH Washington
Gene Riordan OL Hinsdale Central
Casey Thomann OL Olney
Devin Hamilton WR Marist
Jayden Marshall DB Crete-Monee
Riley Contreras ATH Hinsdale Central
Logan Abrams ATH Cary-Grove
Owen Lansu QB Downers Grove North
Mack Sutter ATH Dunlap
Travis Dudycha ATH Huntley
McHale Blade DE Hillcrest
Logan Popovich OL Bishop McNamara
Niko Kokosioulis ATH Maine South
Xavier Coleman RB Providence Catholic
Kai Owens WR Carmel
Colin Ford QB Waubonsie Valley
Karter Krutsinger QB Bishop McNamara
CLASS OF 2027
Trae Taylor QB Carmel
Jayden Ellington ATH Atlhoff Catholic
Nate Lang QB Montini
Quentin Burrell WR Mount Carmel
Jameson Purcell QB Maine South
Way To Early Pre-Season List Of Player Of The Year Candidates For The IHSA
Ryan Boe Batavia
Arthur Palicki Willowbrook
Dominik Ball Palatine
Max Bray St. Bede
Noah Battle Downers Grove North
Jaydon Wright Bishop McNamara
Michael Champagne Glenbard South
Matt Lawson Hoffman Estates
Deon Davis Downers Grove South
Derrick Stewart St. Rita
Ethan Middleton Kenwood
Darion Dupree Mt. Carmel
Logan Malachuk QB Nazareth
Brandon Brigham Homewood-Flossmoor
Tony Phillips Kankakee
Aric Johnson Kaneland
Taryan Martin East St. Louis
Ethan Plumb St. Charles North
Bradyn Little Quincy
Supreme Muhammed Winnebago
Jake Melion York
Kamren Schumacher El Paso-Gridley
Cooper Kmet St. Viator
Jacob Bell Naperville North
Blayne Sisson Mt. Carmel
Parker Gillespie Rochester
Colton Gumino Hersey
Jordyn Beverly O'Fallon
Marcus Thaxton Morgan Park
Waleed Johnson Plano
Julius Ellens Glenbard West
Jake Curry Edwardsville
Caden Casimino Crystal Lake South
Cale McThenia Marian Central Catholic
Ethan Kohl Bradley Bourbonnais
Marcus Brown Brother Rice
Dennis Mandela ICCP
Alessio Milivojevic St. Francis
Braden Tischer Lincoln Way East
Troyer Carlson Kaneland
Jack DeFilippis Maine South
Johny Weber Carmel
Jett Hilding St. Rita
Carter Button Morris
Colin Hayes Bloomington Central Catholic
Nacari McFarland Kenwood Academy
Tino Gist Peoria
Ryan Jackson Lyons Township
Robert Battle East St. Louis
WARNING THEY HAVE COME OUT OF THEIR SLUMBER. THEY NEED SUBSCRIPTIONS
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Remember Deep Dish Football Is Just Not About Recruiting
But About The Love Of The Game Of IHSA Football
RESPECT THE GAME
