ESPN

St. Rita freshman guard Charles Matthews awoke to a phone call from his high school coach notifying he had been offered by DePaul and Illinois on Tuesday.

Matthews stayed home from school Tuesday because he wasn’t feeling well and had already missed one call from St. Rita coach Gary DeCesare before he was finally reached with the news.

“It was such a blessing,” said Matthews, a 6-foot-4 guard. “It’s truly an honor and a blessing to be offered these opportunities. I’m just a freshman, and I have three scholarship offers. I’m grateful.”

Matthews previously was offered by Arizona in April. DePaul and Illinois watched Matthews while he played with MeanStreets, a club team, during the April recruiting period.

“You always want to have an in-state school on your list,” Matthews said of the two offers. “My doors are going to be open to both of those schools in the long run.”

Matthews didn’t anticipate jumping on any of the offers soon. He said he has seen too many players make mistakes with early commitments.

“I’m going to take my time to look it over,” Matthews said. “I’m not going to rush into it. I notice a lot of people de-committing after they commit early. I don’t want to be one of those people to go back and forth with my college decision. I want to make a firm decision that I’m comfortable with.”

DeCesare, who was previously a Division I assistant coach, has mixed feelings about Matthews’ offers.

“I don’t think I believe in the system offering kids so early,” DeCesare said. “Who knows who’s going to be there three years from now? But I guess it’s a necessary evil because they look at who’s being offered.”

Matthews started for St. Rita’s varsity team as a freshman and averaged nine points and six rebounds.

“I think he’s got great versatility,” DeCesare said. “He could play in high school at all five positions. I think he could be an off-guard in college. I think he could be a point guard. He’s got great size to him. His size for a freshman to be a 6-4, 6-5 and handle the ball is obviously a huge plus for anybody.”

Minooka junior offensive lineman Blake King committed to Northwestern on Tuesday.

King, who is 6-5 and 270 pounds, received an offer from Northwestern earlier in the week. He also had offers from Toledo and Western Michigan.

“Blake King is a great character kid that is truly driven to get better in everything he does in the classroom, weight room and on the football field,” said Bert Kooi, who retired as Minooka’s coach after last season. “The sky is the limit with this kid. I guarantee you we will hear a lot more about Blake King.”

Northwestern now has two Class of 2013 commitments. King joins Maine South quarterback Matt Alviti in the recruiting class.

Junior defensive end Jarrod Clements and junior defensive tackle Merrick Jackson have committed to Illinois, according to a source familiar with the situation.

Clements, who is 6-2 and 270 pounds, attends Trotwood-Madison High School in Trotwood, Ohio. He also had offers from Louisville and North Carolina State.

Jackson, who is 6-2 and 320 pounds, attends Althoff Catholic in Belleville, Ill. Jackson also has offers from Indiana and Missouri.

Illinois now has seven commitments, including four in state, in its Class of 2013.

Illinois coach John Groce and new assistant Isaac Chew made the rounds at Chicago area high schools on Monday and Tuesday.

The coaches hit up Curie, Orr, Proviso East and Whitney Young on Monday. Their first stop was at Simeon on Wednesday, and they planned to visit up to four or five other schools before the day was done.

“It was the first two days I could be out,” Groce said by phone after leaving Simeon. “I wanted to make sure we establish we’re very interested in Chicago and continue to build relationships with people we already know and meeting others we need to get to know better. The state of Illinois is very important to us, and Chicago is a big part of it.”

(Read full post)

CHICAGO -- As John Groce's hiring at Illinois was imminent, and the topic of recruiting Chicago came up, someone with close knowledge of the coach said to me, "Just get him in the living room and it's over."

When it comes to recruiting teenagers, that's the general idea.

Groce is supposedly a great "living room guy", which is to say he's a good salesman. That's how you come up in college basketball, by convincing teenagers you're their friend. Some head coaches can't do that and actually coach on a big-time level.

That's the difference between, say, a Tom Thibodeau and a Tom Izzo. By necessity, college coaches are half-Harold Hill and half-Hank Iba. Groce, a spry 40, looks like he could march half the city's guards from Englewood to Champaign.

Can he? Well, that's why he was hired. If he can't recruit Chicago, not to mention the rest of the state, he'll be looking for a new job in a few years and we'll be talking about some other would-be savior in a blue-and-orange tie.

Read the entire column.

Crete-Monee senior point guard Michael Orris said Monday he plans to remains committed to Illinois after speaking with new Illini coach John Groce over the weekend.

Orris, a 6-foot-3 point guard, is the lone player Illinois has signed for its Class of 2012. He averaged 12 points and four assists during his senior season.

Orris said it wasn’t one specific thing Groce sold him on remaining in Illinois’ plans, but more of an overall picture.

“Coach Groce is a great guy and seems to be a great coach,” Orris said. “He is a players’ type of coach and values having relationships. He is passionate and excited to get to work and to work hard.”

Orris’ decision to remain signed with Illinois ends what had been a wild recruiting ride for him. He committed to Creighton in May 2011. He decommitted from there in June after his former high school coach and recruiting advisor was charged with aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a minor. Orris then committed to Illinois in September 2011. Bruce Weber was fired from Illinois on March 9, and Groce was hired on Thursday.

“It feels good,” Orris said of having recruitment complete.

One of Chicago’s most powerful club high school coaches said Friday he doesn’t believe Shaka Smart turned down Illinois’ offer because of his reluctance to deal with Chicago recruiting and believes the perception of the city’s recruiting is wrong.

Mike Irvin runs one of Chicago’s most recruited club programs, the Mac Irvin Fire. Its recent players include McDonald’s All-Americans Wayne Blackshear and Jereme Richmond, Illinois sophomore Meyers Leonard and Ohio State freshman Sam Thompson. The Fire’s current roster includes the nation’s No.1 junior Jabari Parker and No. 2 sophomore Jahlil Okafor.

According to sourced reports, Smart was turned off by the politics of Chicago recruiting, and that played a factor in his decision to reject Illinois’ offer. Irvin said Smart has recruited Chicago before and doesn’t believe that soured Smart on the Illinois job.

“Shaka knows he can come in and recruit kids from here,” said Irvin, who took over the program for his recently deceased father Mac Irvin. “When Shaka was (an assistant) at Florida, all of our guys had Florida on their list. I didn’t even know who Shaka was before, and he called me 90 times before he got a hold of me. He knows he can come in here.”

(Read full post)

The struggles of DePaul and Illinois in recent years have been largely blamed on their in-state recruiting. While both programs have attracted some Illinois players, they’ve struggled to sway the most significant ones and in some cases failed to project players who became stars.

Here are my top 100 players the state has produced since 2003, which spans Illinois coach Bruce Weber’s career and that of three DePaul coaches. The criteria for this list included success in college and the pros for the older players and ability and potential for the younger ones.

1. Derrick Rose (Memphis, Class of 2007): DePaul and Illinois were said to be in the mix, but neither seemed to have a real chance. Rose wanted a shot at a national championship in his one year in college. Memphis lost in the national championship game in that one season, and the Tigers later had to vacate the season due to NCAA violations -- some of which had to do with Rose. He was the No. 1 pick by the Chicago Bulls in 2008 and is the reigning NBA MVP.

2. Anthony Davis (Kentucky, 2011): Davis mentioned DePaul for a bit and Illinois tried to get involved like everyone else, but John Calipari trumped everyone again. Davis has all but locked up honors as the top freshman and top defender in the college ranks. He also is a leading candidate to be named National Player of the Year. Kentucky is the No. 1 team in the country, and Davis is expected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2012 NBA draft.

3. Evan Turner (Ohio State, 2007): DePaul and Illinois offered Turner, but Ohio State won out. Turner was undervalued nationally coming out of high school, but he was the second-best player in the state’s Class of 2007 next to Rose. After being named the Big Ten player of the year as a junior, Turner was drafted No. 2 in the 2010 draft and averages 8.4 points and 5.7 rebounds for the Philadelphia 76ers.

4. Shaun Livingston (Duke, 2004): Livingston chose Duke over Illinois and Arizona, but ended up entering the NBA draft instead. He was taken No. 4 overall by the Los Angeles Clippers. He suffered a career-changing knee injury in 2007 and is now a role player for the Milwaukee Bucks.

5. Shannon Brown (Michigan State, 2003): Brown was already committed to Tom Izzo by the time Weber took over at Illinois. Brown started nearly every game of his three-year career at Michigan State. He was taken in the first round of the 2006 NBA draft. He averages 8.7 points for the Phoenix Suns.

6. JaVale McGee (Nevada, 2006): McGee played his senior year in Chicago and didn’t receive a whole lot of interest. Northwestern recruited him, and he signed with Nevada. He spent two years at Nevada and was selected in the 2008 NBA draft. He now starts for the Washington Wizards and is averaging 12.0 points, 8.8 points and 2.7 blocks.

7. Julian Wright (Kansas, 2005): Bill Self swooped in and convinced Wright to commit to Kansas during a home visit. Wright was thought to be heavily considering DePaul and Illinois. He spent two years at Kansas before being picked No. 13 in the 2007 NBA draft. He last played in the NBA in 2011.

8. Wayne Blackshear (Louisville, 2011): Blackshear included DePaul and Illinois on his list, but Louisville was the team to beat after he visited there. He just recently began playing for Louisville after suffering an injury prior to the season. He’s expected to be a future NBA player.

9. Iman Shumpert (Georgia Tech, 2008): Shumpert eliminated Illinois before his final list. He chose Georgia Tech over Marquette and North Carolina. Shumpert led Georgia Tech in scoring, rebounding and assists his junior season. He left school early and was drafted No. 17 in the 2011 NBA draft. He’s started 17 games in his rookie season for the New York Knicks.

10. Jon Scheyer (Duke, 2006): Scheyer came down to Duke and Illinois, and the lure of Coach K and the Blue Devils’ storied program won out. Scheyer won a national championship as a senior. He averaged double-digit points throughout his career and is now playing overseas.

11. Sherron Collins (Kansas, 2006): Collins chose Kansas and former Illinois coach Self over the Illini. Collins’ class won 130 games and a national championship in his four years at Kansas. Collins was among the top guards in the country his last two seasons and is now playing overseas.

12. Meyers Leonard (Illinois, 2010): The Illini were on Leonard as early as anyone, and he awarded them with his commitment. He was ranked No. 47 overall in the Class of 2010 by ESPN. He’s blossomed as a sophomore for Illinois and is expected to be a future lottery pick. He could be among the nation’s premier college players if he stays for another season.

13. Jereme Richmond (Illinois, 2010): Richmond committed to the Illini as a freshman. He wavered in his commitment at times, but remained loyal to the Illini. He showed glimpses of his potential as a freshman, but his first year at Illinois was defined by its rockiness. He entered the NBA draft after one year and was not selected. He was later arrested for gun charges. Richmond is now playing for the Sauk Valley Predators of the Premier Basketball League.

14. Jerel McNeal (Marquette, 2005): McNeal chose Marquette over Dayton and Purdue. Despite being one of top players in the Chicago area, McNeal wasn’t highly touted nationally. He is Marquette’s career leader in points and steals. He is now playing overseas.

15. Jacob Pullen (Kansas State, 2007): Pullen had considered Illinois, but decided on Kansas State. Pullen was a star in the Big 12 during his final seasons at Kansas State. He averaged 19.2 and 20.2 points in his last two years. He is now playing overseas.

16. Ryan Boatright (Connecticut, 2011): Boatright committed to USC as a freshman, later committed West Virginia and finally ended up at Connecticut. He wasn’t given much national respect out of high school, but he was the best high school player in the Chicago area last season. He’s now starting as a freshman for the Huskies.

17. Jeremy Pargo (Gonzaga, 2005): Pargo also considered Illinois during his recruiting process. He had a memorable career at Gonzaga and is now a backup guard for the Memphis Grizzlies.

18. Demetri McCamey (Illinois, 2007): McCamey was outshined by high school teammate Evan Turner his senior season, but was still among the state’s top players. McCamey was a four-year starter for the Illini and earned all-conference honors his final three seasons. He is now playing overseas.

19. Patrick Beverley (Arkansas, 2006): Illinois was in the mix for Beverley. He starred at Arkansas for two seasons before being suspended and then leaving the team. He was selected in the 2009 NBA draft and is now playing overseas.

20. DeAndre Liggins (Kentucky, 2008): Liggins played his final high school season at an out-of-state prep school. Liggins started for Kentucky his junior year and helped the Wildcats to the Final Four. He entered the draft early and was taken in the second round in 2011. He plays for the Orlando Magic.

21. John Shurna (Northwestern, 2008): Shurna wasn’t highly recruited and fell into Northwestern’s lap. He recently became the school’s all-time leading scorer. He has a shot at being drafted after this season.

22. Brandon Paul (Illinois, 2009): Paul was the state’s top high school player in 2009, but didn’t receive a lot of national recruitment. Paul was erratic his first two years at Illinois, but has taken strides to becoming a star this year. He has NBA potential.

23. Michael Dunigan (Oregon, 2008): Dunigan, a McDonald’s All-American, and his AAU teammate Matt Humphrey were considering Illinois, but opted to attend Oregon together. Dunigan left Oregon after two seasons and has been playing overseas since.

24. Mac Koshwal (DePaul, 2007): Koshwal was ranked as high as No. 18 in the Class of 2007 by one scouting service. Koshwal was near a double-double throughout his career at DePaul. He left after his junior season and was not drafted.

25. Bobby Frasor (North Carolina, 2005): Frasor, a McDonald’s All-American, picked North Carolina over Stanford. Injuries derailed his career, but Frasor was still a role player for the Tar Heels and helped them to a national championship. He recently retired from playing overseas to pursue a coaching career.

The next 10

26. Jamarcus Ellis: Junior college, Indiana, 2004
27. Stefhon Hannah: Junior college, finished at Missouri, 2004
28. Jerome Randle: California, 2006
29. Michael Thompson: Northwestern, 2007
30. Chasson Randle: Stanford, 2011
31. Tracy Abrams: Illinois, 2011
32. Drew Crawford: Northwestern, 2009
33. Jack Cooley: Notre Dame, 2009
34. D.J. Richardson: Illinois, 2009
35. Lenzelle Smith Jr.: Ohio State, 2010

Next 65*

•Maurice Acker: Ball State, finished at Marquette, 2005
•Joseph Bertrand: Illinois, 2009
•Ben Brust: Wisconsin, 2010
•Calvin Brock: Illinois, 2004
•Brian Carlwell: 2006, Illinois, finished at San Diego State
•Joevan Catron: 2006, Oregon
•Justin Cerasoli: 2004, Seton Hall, finished at Loyola
•Bill Cole: 2007, Illinois
•D.J. Cooper: 2009, Ohio
•Jamee Crockett: 2011, DePaul
•Justin Dentmon: 2004, Washington
•Kevin Dillard: 2008, Southern Illinois, now at Dayton
•Dion Dixon: 2008, Cincinnati
•Alex Dragicevich: 2011, Notre Dame
•Osiris Eldridge: 2006, Illinois State
•Brandon Ewing: 2005, Wyoming
•Nnanna Egwu: 2011, Illinois
•Myke Henry: 2011, Illinois
•Colin Falls: 2003, Notre Dame
•Carlton Fay: 2007, Southern Illinois
•Tony Freeman: 2005, Iowa, finished at Southern Illinois
•Reggie Hamilton: 2007, now at Oakland
•Crandall Head: 2008, Illinois, now at a junior college
•Matt Humphrey: 2008, Oregon, now at Boston College
•Lewis Jackson: 2008, Purdue
•Othyus Jeffers: 2003, junior college, finished at NAIA
•Aaron Johnson: 2007, UAB
•Anthony Johnson: 2010, Purdue
•Jeremy Jones: 2009, junior college, now at Kansas State
•Lazeric Jones: 2008, junior college, now at UCLA
•Roosevelt Jones: 2011, Butler
Verdell Jones: 2008, Indiana
•Frank Kaminsky: 2011, Wisconsin
•Jeremiah Kelly: 2008, DePaul
•Robert Kreps: 2007, UIC
•Mario Little: 2006, junior college, finished at Kansas
•Kevin Lisch: 2005, Saint Louis
•Sam Maniscalco: 2007, Bradley, now at Illinois
•Dameon Mason: 2003,Marquette, finished at LSU
•Richard McBride: 2003, Illinois
•Mike McCall: 2010, Saint Louis
•Chas McFarland: 2006, Wake Forest
•Charles McKinney: 2011, DePaul
•Trent Meacham: 2004, Dayton, finished at Illinois
•Nate Minnoy: 2005, Purdue, finished at NAIA
•Bryan Mullins: 2005, Southern Illinois
•Jeremy Nash: 2006, Northwestern
•Cully Payne: 2008, Iowa, now at Loyola
•Shaun Pruitt: 2004, Illinois
•Jason Richards: 2004, Davidson
•Brian Randle: 2003, Illinois
•Rayvonte Rice: 2010, Drake
•Justin Safford: 2007, Missouri
•Matt Shaw: 2004, Southern Illinois
•Mike Shaw: 2011, Illinois
•Stan Simpson: 2008, Illinois, now at Memphis
•Jamar Smith: 2005, Illinois, finished at Southern Indiana
•Ahmad Starks: 2010, Oregon State
•David Sobolewski: 2011, Northwestern
•Mike Stovall: 2007: Oregon State, finished at DePaul
•Sam Thompson: 2011, Ohio State
•Mike Tisdale: 2007, Illinois
•DeAndre Thomas: 2005, junior college, later at Indiana
•Willie Veasley: 2006, Butler
•Will Walker: 2006, DePaul

* In alphabetical order

The father of one of state’s top high school basketball prospects said he was unsure how he’d feel about Illinois if Bruce Weber wasn’t its coach.

Dell Yarbrough, the father of Zion-Benton 6-6 sophomore forward Milik Yarbrough, said he was closely watching what unfolds at Illinois and thinks it could affect where the Illini stand with his son.

Milik Yarbrough is the No. 8 nationally-ranked small forward in the Class of 2014 by ESPN Recruiting. He’s considered among the top five prospects in the state.

“I don’t think Milik is interested, but I am,” said Dell, whose oldest son Vincent Yarbrough played at Tennessee. “I’m really curious. I like Weber. If he’s not there, I don’t know who would come in. I don’t know how they would approach Milik, how they would recruit Milik.

“I like Weber. That’s one of the schools we liked. I don’t know how long he’s going to be there.”

Dell said he had developed a good relationship with Weber over the past few years.

“I just like his charisma,” Dell said. “I thought he was a good coach. I’ve talked to him several times. I think he’s a man of his word. Plus, us being in the same area where Jereme Richmond came from, we knew him then. We know him pretty well.”

Yarbrough is being strongly recruited by DePaul, Illinois, Marquette, Purdue and Tennessee, according to Dell.

Yarbrough had 25 points, eight rebounds, three assists, four blocks and two steals in a win over Mather in Chicago on Friday. He scored 40 points in a win earlier this month.

Here’s an in-depth look at Illinois’ 2012 recruit class:

Top prospect - Outside linebacker Tajarvis Fuller received the highest ESPN recruiting grade (79) of Illinois’ recruits. Fuller, who is 6-1 and 197 pounds, had 166 tackles, 76 solo tackles, six sacks, five forced fumbles and two interceptions at Dunbar High School in Florida this past season. He’s been described as a “very active and productive linebacker when defending the past and run.”

Offensive stars - Illinois is hopeful it has found a future star running back in Dami Ayoola and wide receiver in Jason Robertson. The pair are Illinois’ highest-rated offensive players. Ayoola, who is 5-9 and 200 pounds, is ranked the 32nd running back in the country. Robertson, 5-11, 180-pounder, is ranked the 115th-best wide receiver. Both also come from well-known programs. Ayoola played at St. Thomas Aquinas in Florida, and Robertson is from Lincoln-Way East in Illinois.

Kicking replacement - Illinois loses one of the nation’s best kicker in Derek Dimke to graduation, but hopes to replace him with Ryan Frain. Frain, a native of Indianapolis, has the ability to comfortably kick anywhere from 50 yards and in. He made a 63-yarder in practice last season.

Defensive tackle tandem - Teko Powell and Vontrell Williams, two of Illinois’ most highly-touted defensive players, both play defensive tackle and could be a dominant duo down the line for the Illini. Powell, who is 6-2 and 250 pounds, played at Norland in Miami. Williams, is 6-2 and 270 pounds, played at Mount Carmel in Chicago.

Late steal - Northern Illinois thought Devin Church could be a star running back. Illinois had a similar thought and recently began recruiting Church. Last week, he changed his commitment from Northern Illinois to Illinois. The Illini also swayed Lincoln-Way West linebacker/safety B.J. Bello from Western Michigan recently.

ESPNU 150 recruits - This will be only the second Illinois recruiting class since 2007 to not include an ESPNU 150 recruit. The Illini’s 2006 and 2007 classes each had three ESPNU 150 recruits. Illinois freshman tight end Jon Davis was an ESPNU 150 recruit in 2011, and he caught 22 passes for 187 yards and one touchdown during his freshman season.

After coaching change - Since Tim Beckman was hired on Dec. 9, Illinois has received eight of its current 18 commitments. Beckman’s biggest loss was Keith Brown. Brown, who is ranked the 29th-best outside linebacker, was committed to Illinois when Ron Zook was still coach and then decommited after Beckman was hired. Beckman’s greatest addition has been Tyrone Neal, who is ranked the 62nd-best outside linebacker.

Recruiting the country - Illinois’ recruiting class includes a number of states. It has five players from Florida, four players from Illinois and Ohio and one from Indiana, Kentucky, Kansas, Michigan and Pennsylvania.

No quarterbacks - Beckman has recruited an assortment of positions, but he hasn’t added a quarterback to his recruiting class yet. It is a position Illinois shouldn’t have to worry about for at least three years. Nathan Scheelhaase will be a junior next season, and Reilly O’Toole will be a sophomore. Illinois has already offered a number of quarterbacks in the 2013 class, including Bolingbrook’s Aaron Bailey and Maine South’s Matt Alviti.

More to possibly come - Illinois could add a few more recruits in the next week. Edwardsville defensive tackle Vincent Valentine will decide between Florida, Illinois and Nebraska on Wednesday. Crete-Monee defensive back Anthony Standifer, who was previously committed to Michigan, has also mentioned Illinois as a possible destination.

Scouts take - ESPN Midwest recruit analyst Jared Shanker said, “New Illini coach Tim Beckman and his staff were known as arguably the best recruiters at Toledo, and he’s showcasing that recruiting prowess early on at Illinois. Beckman has picked up eight commitments since being named coach and held on to several others who committed to Ron Zook. Teko Powell and Vontrell Williams make for a good tandem at defensive tackle and those big bodies will help free up the four linebackers (five if B.J. Bello moves from safety) committed to the 2012 class."

Here’s an in-depth look at Northwestern’s 2012 football recruiting class:

Top prospect - Defensive end/linebacker Ifeadi Odenigbo received the highest ESPN recruiting grade (82) of Northwestern’s recruits. He actually received the highest grade of any of the in-state schools’ recruiting classes. Odenigbo, who is 6-3 and 212 pounds, is the sixth-ranked defensive end and the 51st-ranked overall player in the country by ESPN. Athleticism and toughness are two attributes most often associated with him.

Sleeper prospect - Plano safety Joseph Jones could be one to watch out in the future. Jones missed most of his junior season due to injury, but it didn’t stop the Wildcats from recruiting him. He has good size (6-1) and speed and he can jump. To add to the story, he was Plano’s first Division I athlete since 1971.

Illinois winners - Northwestern’s recruiting class only includes four Illinois players, but three of them played in a state championship game. Dean Lowry played on Boylan’s Class 7A state championship team. Dan Vitale was on Wheaton Warrenville South’s Class 7A runner-up team. Malin Jones was on Joliet Catholic’s Class 5A runner-up team. Lowry and Vitale also won state championships their junior seasons.

Versatile Vitale - Northwestern is sure to find a place on the field for Wheaton Warrenville South’s Dan Vitale. Vitale was Mr. Everything for his high school team last year. He led the Tigers in rushing, receiving and touchdowns. He’s expected to play superback at Northwestern.

Penn men - Pennsylvania has become a popular recruiting stop for Northwestern’s coaches. The Wildcats will sign five recruits from the state, and three of their top-five recruits are from Pennsylvania. The state has been kind to Northwestern before. Just off last year’s roster, the Pennsylvania natives included Dan Persa, Quentin Williams, Jeravin Matthews and Ibraheim Campbell.

Building an O-line - Four of Northwestern’s top-five recruits are offensive linemen. Adam DePietro is the 46th-ranked offensive tackle; Ian Park is the 38th-ranked offensive guard; Kenton Playko is the 80th-ranked offensive tackle; and Connor Mahoney is the 64th-ranked offensive guard. The class also includes Eric Olson, who is the 143rd-ranked offensive tackle.

No quarterbacks - Northwestern’s recruiting class does not include any quarterbacks. It should be a position the Wildcats are firm in for at least a few years. Kain Colter will be a junior next season, Trevor Siemian will be a sophomore, and Zack Oliver will be a redshirt freshman. The Wildcats have offered a number of 2013 quarterbacks, including Bolingbrook’s Aaron Bailey and Maine South’s Matt Alviti.

Safety boost - Northwestern’s 2011 recruiting class included one safety. Its 2012 class has three of them. Dwight White Jr. is the 102nd-ranked safety, Terrance Brown is No. 112, and Joseph Jones is No. 131.

Searching for a running back - Northwestern’s running game improved in 2011, but the Wildcats are still in search for a lead back. Mike Trumpy could be that guy when he returns from injury. Treyvon Green and Adonis Smith also carried the ball last season. Northwestern’s 2012 recruiting class includes at least two potential running backs in Joliet Catholic’s Malin Jones and Traveon Henry, who played at Pine Crest in Florida. Jones is ranked the No. 87th running back. He rushed for 1,681 yards and 25 touchdowns last season. Henry is ranked the 121st running back.

ESPNU 150 recruits - Northwestern obtained a commitment from an ESPNU 150 recruit for the second consecutive year. Christian Jones was an ESPNU 150 recruit in 2011. Jones made 16 catches for 195 yards during his freshman year.

Worth noting - Kyle Prater isn’t technically a 2012 recruit, but his recent decision to transfer to Northwestern from USC was a major recruiting coup for the Wildcats. Prater was ranked No. 45 in the Class of 2010 by ESPN coming out of Proviso West High School in Hillside, Ill. He had 64 receptions for 1,151 yards and 13 touchdowns his senior season.

Scouts take - ESPN Midwest recruiting analyst Jared Shanker said, “Signing day should be pretty quiet for Northwestern, which received its biggest gift of the 2012 class on Jan. 7 when Ifeadi Odenigbo, ranked No. 51 in the ESPNU 150, committed to the Wildcats. Odenigbo could redshirt next season, but if he plays as a freshman he could make an immediate impact as a third-down rush linebacker. The Wildcats did a great job bolstering both the offensive and defensive lines as their top seven recruits are all lineman if Odenigbo, who played end in high school, is included. Three-star offensive linemen Adam DiPietro, Ian Park, Kenton Playko and Connor Mahoney could make up four of the five line spots in a few years."

Here’s an in-depth look at Northern Illinois’ 2012 football recruiting class:

Top prospect - Marian Central offensive guard Scott Taylor received the highest ESPN recruiting grade (79) of Northern Illinois’ recruits. Taylor is 6-foot-3 and 270 pounds and has been described as “having a toughness about him” and being “well coached.” Northern Illinois’ offense was stellar this past season largely because of its offensive line. Taylor should be a key piece to the line in years to come.

Building the line - Northern Illinois also appears to have another key offensive line piece in Levon Myers, who is 6-5 and 260 pounds. Myers, an offensive tackle, received a late offer from Wisconsin, but he decided to stick with Northern Illinois.

Sleeper prospect - Amundsen’s Desroy Maxwell has only played organized football for four years. Originally from Jamaica, he picked up the sport in high school and added three inches and 50 pounds during his four years at the Chicago-based school. He played wide receiver, linebacker and kicker for his high school team. He could be a special player down the road.

Defensive star - Northern Illinois has high hopes for Neuqua Valley defensive end Michael Ippolito. He drew rave reviews over the summer and had a strong high school season in Illinois.

Home-grown talent - Eleven of Northern Illinois’ 18 recruits come from Illinois. Comparably, both Northwestern and Illinois have four in-state recruits.

Future quarterbacks - Northern Illinois feels good about both of the quarterback recruits it has coming in. Drew Hare is 6-2 and 190 pounds from Missouri. Matt Williams is 6-2 and 190 pounds from Illinois. Both could have a shot along with freshman Matt McIntosh at the starting position after Jordan Lynch graduates.

Late steal - O’Fallon linebacker Mike Cotton decommitted from Indiana and recently committed to Northern Illinois. Cotton, who is 6-4 and 220 pounds, has good size and tackling ability. He had a team-high 79 tackles, five sacks and a fumble recovery this past season. He could be a big-time player for the Huskies.

Running back tradition - Northern Illinois has produced its share of quality running backs, including Garrett Wolfe, Michael Turner and Chad Spann. The Huskies are hopeful Romeoville’s Perez Ford could be another star in the making. Ford has size and speed. He’s 6-2 and 225 pounds, and he’s run the 100-yard dash in 10.5 seconds.

Scouts take - ESPN Midwest recruiting analyst Jared Shanker said, “The MAC champion Huskies are doing well on the recruiting front in coach Dave Doeren’s first full recruiting class. Doeren was able to get a steal in three-star guard Scott Taylor, ranked No. 28 in the country at his position and No. 9 in Illinois. Taylor received interest from BCS schools and had an offer from Cincinnati. The biggest surprise is the Huskies found a way to hold on to Levon Myers, a Wisconsin native who received a late offer from the in-state Badgers.

Scott Daly began long snapping out of necessity.

Daly was the only one capable of snapping the ball out of his fifth-grade peers, so he automatically was given the role.

What Daly didn’t know then was his unique skill would become his ticket to a college football scholarship and lead him to sign with Notre Dame, which he will sign with on Wednesday morning.

“I didn’t really think much of it,” Daly said on Tuesday. “I was a baseball player. I thought I would play baseball in college.”

Baseball was Daly’s targeted sport until his sophomore year at Downers Grove South. He had shown a knack for long snapping, and he was encouraged to attend a camp run by long-snapping guru Chris Rubio.

Rubio also noticed Daly’s skill and pulled him aside to tell him so. From there on, Daly devoted himself to the craft.

“He said I had a lot of potential,” Daly said of Rubio. “It really lit a fire under me. I started working my tail off.”

Daly quickly learned what it took become an elite long snapper. He had to spend six days a week snapping 40-50 balls. He needed to lift weights to build muscle. He had to do yoga to be flexible. There was also speed training involved.

Daly continued to flourish at the position, and he understood what had to happen next. It wasn’t easy, but he decided to quit playing baseball and give closure to his childhood dream.

“It was a little tough,” Daly said. “I was very committed in my life to baseball. I thought I would be playing baseball. Once I found the hidden talent of long snapping, I put all my focus into it.”

Being a snapper is a lot being a kicker. It’s not an easy role. Perfection is what it’s expected every time out. Daly understands that, too.

“The only time you hear about a long snapper is when they mess up,” Daly said. “You only go out there a few times. You have to be on every time or you hurt your team.

“There is some pressure out there, but Chris Rubio always talks about concentration, and concentration comes with working hard, snapping and preparing yourself to be in place to be successful. I take that seriously.”

Rubio works with some of the nation’s best long snappers, and he included Daly in that category. Daly is currently ranked the No. 3 long snapper by ESPN.

“He has a great combination of skills,” Rubio said. “He has great size, got incredible smoothness and speed and a great work ethic. He’s a good all-around kid, too.”

Daly arrived on Notre Dame’s radar when he attended a special teams’ camp in South Bend, Ind. He and the Irish’s coaches kept him touch from then on. When he offered a scholarship prior to the spring game in April, he committed on the spot.

“It’s unbelievable,” Daly said. “I still can’t believe it. I never thought I would get a full-ride scholarship to the best school in the country, let alone to play for one of the best football teams in the country.”

In his senior season, Daly helped Downers Grove South to a 10-2 record as a tight end and long snapper.

“It’s something he’s worked at,” Downers Grove South coach John Belskis said. “He found a niche. There are certain skills that come natural to people and snapping came natural to him.”

Lincoln-Way West senior linebacker/safety B.J. Bello committed to Illinois on Sunday.

Bello, who is 6-2 and 210 pounds, had been originally committed to Western Michigan. Illinois began showing him interest last week, and he visited the campus over the weekend. He had also been recently contacted by Boston College, Minnesota and Tennessee.

Illinois coach Tim Beckman had been recruiting Bello when he coached at Toledo.

“It definitely feels good,” Bello said of heading to the Big Ten. “I feel more confident. It’s definitely something I wanted to do. I definitely thought I could play in the Big Ten because I’ve been working hard.”

Illinois now has 18 Class of 2012 commitments.

Crete-Monee senior cornerback Anthony Standifer said Tuesday he will likely commit to Notre Dame Fighting Irish if the school allows him to complete an academic requirement online.

Standifer said he’s lacking sufficient Spanish credits to be admitted into Notre Dame. He said Notre Dame’s coaches were looking into whether he could take a Spanish course online to fulfill the credits.

“They’re trying to see if I can take an online class,” said Standifer, who is 6-1 and 180 pounds. “That’s pretty much it. It would be hard to decide, but most likely I would commit there. I liked the facilities, the city, the coaches, the players, the food, pretty much everything.”

Standifer was previously committed to Michigan Wolverines, but backed out of it in December for an undisclosed reason. He’s the 38th-ranked Class of 2012 cornerback in the country, according to ESPN.

Aside from Notre Dame, he’s also looking at Boise State Broncos, Illinois Fighting Illini and Pittsburgh Panthers. He recently visited Notre Dame and planned to visit either Boise State or Pittsburgh this weekend. Illinois hasn’t officially offered him, but he said its coaching staff has been actively recruiting him.

“I might sign on signing day or I might not,” Standifer said. “It’s basically coming down to whether I get my visits in. I’m starting to get an overall feel.”

Standifer is looking forward to ending his recruitment. It hasn’t exactly been all fun and games.

“It’s been stressful at times,” he said. “I’m trying to get it over with. I can’t wait to get it over with. I can then plan everything and get going with my future.”