Frank "The Tank" Boenzi verbals to NIU 12/7/2009.


http://rivals.yahoo.com/edgytim/football...enzi-87933

Wow...this is very interesting get for us...

Word around was that he was being scouted heavily by the likes of Ohio State n such after his Junior year. However, grades n a horrible attitude (I really can't elaborate on it because that is all I really heard) kept him from getting a BCS offer...but the talent is def there

Let's just hope he sticks around.

ODz.. although you said you can't elaborate, do you know if this horrible attitude means lazy.. or more of has a huge ego and is confrontational, or just hear "bad attitude" w/o any explanation?

Lazyness would be a problem, if a kid isn't motivated to work hard, I just don't think there is much you can do. A kid can be humbled pretty quick though if it's just an ego problem. I'll say that much about Kill, I doubt he has trouble squashing ego's, he's pretty old school.

(12-07-2009 02:03 PM)niuohdeez Wrote:  Wow...this is very interesting get for us...

Word around was that he was being scouted heavily by the likes of Ohio State n such after his Junior year. However, grades n a horrible attitude (I really can't elaborate on it because that is all I really heard) kept him from getting a BCS offer...but the talent is def there

yehhp...new guy sure was right when he said that this staff can't recruit.

(12-07-2009 02:08 PM)HuskieFan84 Wrote:  ODz.. although you said you can't elaborate, do you know if this horrible attitude means lazy.. or more of has a huge ego and is confrontational, or just hear "bad attitude" w/o any explanation?

Lazyness would be a problem, if a kid isn't motivated to work hard, I just don't think there is much you can do. A kid can be humbled pretty quick though if it's just an ego problem. I'll say that much about Kill, I doubt he has trouble squashing ego's, he's pretty old school.

I think it was a bit of both, but if BCS schools passed up on him I'm assuming he can be the type of kid that is not teachable or coachable. Off course that was before this year, he might have changed his attitude but still scared off the big boys.

I also remember watching him play East St. Louis last year for the state championship n he def showed flashes of dominance.

My humble opinion is that he might be one of those guys that will dominate a game but disappear at certain points. Like Tommie Harris of the Bears lately.

BTW, my insider were a couple of coaches from the Western Sun conference (not Geneva).

This is a good get. He is a monster. Also, his head coach is a former Huskie football player. Does not hurt in recruiting. I am surprised that he committed. Guess he made the grades.

Funny. In the Chicago Tribune yesterday, he was on the All State team. It listed NIU as the favorite.

Welcome aboard.

2008 Highlight Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpB2fEZZLQo

Huskie4Life, we've got less than 5 recruits at this point, and this kid sounds like he may have his own baggage or grades issues. I don't think this suggests newguy was wrong in any way. You'd need an entire recruiting class to suggest he was off base.

I do like the pick up though, looks promising. Lets hope he uses the motivation of getting passed over by those BCS programs and stays humble, like so many other MAC success story's.

Hes a bigg boy. And although the stars don't mean to much, he is another 3 star guy we got! Kills recruiting is starting to heat up.

Listen, this guy is a beast. Never mind attitude. He is a 17 year old b.m.o.c. Hopefully he gets his grades in order to be eligable. This guy will be huge for us. This is a guy to build a DL around. Pirkle is a beast, some of our young guys are showing promise. Hopefully come Feb. he will sign on the bottom line.

My concern is he another Chris Cook. That kid has talent (now at Purdue) but he could not cut it academically. Went to JC then on to Purdue.

(12-07-2009 02:49 PM)klake87 Wrote:  My concern is he another Chris Cook. That kid has talent (now at Purdue) but he could not cut it academically. Went to JC then on to Purdue.

Cooke didn't last long at Purdue. I believe he was dismissed prior to the season starting.

Also, Scout does not even list NIU as one of the schools interested. They do have him as 2 stars and 111th ranked DT. They had all Big 10 schools.

Shows how poor a service they are but if no one subscribes, why bother to update too much.

Geneva's Boenzi chooses Northern Illinois
http://football.dailyherald.com/story/?i...88&src=290

In the end, Frank Boenzi honored Northern Illinois University's loyalty.

A horde of major college programs had been interested in Geneva's 6-foot-3, 310-pound defensive tackle. Boenzi's academic standing deterred most all of them, but not Huskies coach Jerry Kill and Boenzi's recruiter, former record-setting Kaneland receiver P.J. Fleck.

A three-year starter for Geneva, on Friday, Dec. 4, Boenzi committed to play football at NIU. On Dec. 3, Kill and Fleck extended a scholarship offer during an in-home visit and dinner with the Geneva student and his parents, Patrice and Frank.

"No one decided to take a chance on me except NIU," said the younger Boenzi, who this season was credited with 20 solo tackles, 53 assists, 5 sacks and 2 fumble recoveries for the 9-2 Vikings. He also saw spot duty in short-yardage situations at tight end and fullback.

"I could have gone the juco (junior college) route and maybe played somewhere else, but they (NIU) have a great football program, a great coaching staff and great academic help to go along with it," Boenzi said. "I'm not going to go somewhere to set myself up to fail."

Boenzi admitted to "terrible" grades as a freshman and sophomore, when he got rolling with the Geneva varsity football team and also qualified downstate in wrestling as a sophomore heavyweight. He said he's "stepped up" academically his junior and senior years, though he said NIU granted his only offer. Geneva coach Rob Wicinski said Michigan State came on strong late.

Boenzi, who will not wrestle this winter but will try to become a three-time all-state shot putter in 2010 track and field, will rejoin former Geneva teammate Pat Schiller, a redshirt sophomore starting at linebacker for NIU. Boenzi has not yet taken his official visit.

"I know it's kind of funny committing before visiting, but that's the kind of confidence I have," he said.

"Big Frank" felt affirmed by Kill's own confidence - "to have the head coach come to your house and tell you he believes in you," said.

"The ultimate goal is the NFL," Boenzi said. "I'll take my shot, and if it doesn't happen at least I know I'll get through college and land a good job."

Good lord what a pick up for us. Scouts have been talking this guy as a can't miss BCS prospect all year.

BEAST.

That is of course if he passes NCAA Clearinghouse with his grades. I believe he has a learning disability so don't be so hard on him.

http://blogs.suntimes.com/secondseason/2...keyes.html

Quote:Another big-time prospect who could command attention from Iowa and other Big 10 schools is 6-3, 305-pound defensive tackle Frank Boenzi of Geneva. He was a standout on Geneva's 13-1 state runnerup last season.

However, Boenzi is a borderline student at best. He is enrolled in special education courses and plans to go to summer school to improve his academic standing. He has great size and looks good on film. If he can improve his grades, he would be a major college recruit.

Learning disorder I feel better about then just lazyness. Sounds like he's really tried to turn it around, and he's putting the work in. That's a good sign for the long term picture, on or off the field.

The team should be able to help him out a lot with the study tables, and tudoring. if the kid is willing to put the work in, he should be OK.

Being close to home should really help on that front too. If he went farther away, could have been more of an issue for him. With his family in Geneva, he'll have that support base only a half hour away, probably a good decision on his part to go with NIU.

Sounds like a good one, good luck Frank and welcome!

Jerry Kill looks like he is making up ground on the recruiting trail....I'm sure I can speak for everyone that all us naysayers hope to eat crow.

Can anybody remember how high EdgyTim ranked him in the state before grades became an issue? He was at least top-15

(12-07-2009 04:16 PM)HuskieFan84 Wrote:  Learning disorder I feel better about then just lazyness. Sounds like he's really tried to turn it around, and he's putting the work in. That's a good sign for the long term picture, on or off the field.

The team should be able to help him out a lot with the study tables, and tudoring. if the kid is willing to put the work in, he should be OK.

Being close to home should really help on that front too. If he went farther away, could have been more of an issue for him. With his family in Geneva, he'll have that support base only a half hour away, probably a good decision on his part to go with NIU.

With the academic center within the Yordan Center this could have assisted in this pickup. Recruiting is finally starting to heat up for coach Kill. An excellent highlight video by the way. This guy looks huge and can move!