A quick review of Edgy Tim's site reveals that 2016 was a particularly bad year for recruiting in Illinois. According to that site here's how many P5 and G5 conference signings there were by position:

QB - No P5, three G5

RB - One P5, three G5

TE - Three P5, two G5

WR - Two P5, four G5

OL - Twelve P5, four G5 (Edgy has Jack Heflin listed at OL)

DL - Nine P5, four G5

LB - Three P5, four G5

DB - Three P5, three G5

ATH - Two P5, one G5

K - One P5, one G5


So there were a total of 36 P5 signings out of the state of Illinois in 2016, 6 at the skill positions (if you include tight end). There were 29 G5 signings.

As bad as it was overall, it was probably one of our better years recruiting Illinois as we got quite a few players. Not sure what that says about the quality of our class though.

Is this the result of concussions and football? It would be interesting to see the numbers that participated in youth football. I bet the trend is down. Illinois kids have many options (soccer, basketball, Lacrosse, Volleyball). I would assume each year less and less kids are playing organized football.

According to The Internet,

*Football remains the most popular HS sport with 1,088,158 players (1,086,627 boys; 1,531 girls)

*Across the country, only 2.4% of HS seniors go onto play NCAA Division 1 football.

I couldn't find the number of Illinois HS football players, but if someone could we can find the percentage of Illinois HS players who will go onto Division 1 football.

ESPN has their top 300 prospects for next year's class and 3 of them come from Illinois, 2 come from Indiana, 1 comes from Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota have 0. This could be a bias toward the players located in the warmer states or it could mean that the football talent up north is in a down period.

(02-10-2016 10:38 AM)klake87 Wrote:  Is this the result of concussions and football? It would be interesting to see the numbers that participated in youth football. I bet the trend is down. Illinois kids have many options (soccer, basketball, Lacrosse, Volleyball). I would assume each year less and less kids are playing organized football.

Disproportionately in Illinois to the other 49 states?

(02-10-2016 03:51 PM)Field Turf Wrote:  

(02-10-2016 10:38 AM)klake87 Wrote:  Is this the result of concussions and football? It would be interesting to see the numbers that participated in youth football. I bet the trend is down. Illinois kids have many options (soccer, basketball, Lacrosse, Volleyball). I would assume each year less and less kids are playing organized football.

Disproportionately in Illinois to the other 49 states?

Just wondering. Football is life in Texas, Florida, California, Ohio. In Chicago, most of best athletes play basketball. In North and Northwest suburbs, Lacrosse is all the rage.

People are moving FROM IL not to IL. Jobs are shrinking and taxes increasing, not want volunteers wanting chug that toxic cocktail.

(02-10-2016 10:38 AM)klake87 Wrote:  Is this the result of concussions and football? It would be interesting to see the numbers that participated in youth football. I bet the trend is down. Illinois kids have many options (soccer, basketball, Lacrosse, Volleyball). I would assume each year less and less kids are playing organized football.

I know this is a little off-topic...I have a 9 year old son who has already played three years of organized tackle football. After reading a number of articles and doing some web-related research I am strongly considering putting an end to his playing football. The research is extremely frightening. In fact, I wonder how much longer high schools can continue to sanction the sport.

Will there be a surgeon general's warning for football similar to smoking? "Football is a violent sport that can cause head trauma, both concussive and sub-concussive, and that such trauma may result in permanent irreparable brain damage over time."

Anyone else in the same situation?

(02-11-2016 04:18 PM)Huskie359 Wrote:  

(02-10-2016 10:38 AM)klake87 Wrote:  Is this the result of concussions and football? It would be interesting to see the numbers that participated in youth football. I bet the trend is down. Illinois kids have many options (soccer, basketball, Lacrosse, Volleyball). I would assume each year less and less kids are playing organized football.

I know this is a little off-topic...I have a 9 year old son who has already played three years of organized tackle football. After reading a number of articles and doing some web-related research I am strongly considering putting an end to his playing football. The research is extremely frightening. In fact, I wonder how much longer high schools can continue to sanction the sport.

Will there be a surgeon general's warning for football similar to smoking? "Football is a violent sport that can cause head trauma, both concussive and sub-concussive, and that such trauma may result in permanent irreparable brain damage over time."

Anyone else in the same situation?

There has been talk of getting rid of High School football and letting the "club" style leagues handle football. From a liability standpoint, school districts can not risk the exposure.

(02-11-2016 04:22 PM)klake87 Wrote:  

(02-11-2016 04:18 PM)Huskie359 Wrote:  

(02-10-2016 10:38 AM)klake87 Wrote:  Is this the result of concussions and football? It would be interesting to see the numbers that participated in youth football. I bet the trend is down. Illinois kids have many options (soccer, basketball, Lacrosse, Volleyball). I would assume each year less and less kids are playing organized football.

I know this is a little off-topic...I have a 9 year old son who has already played three years of organized tackle football. After reading a number of articles and doing some web-related research I am strongly considering putting an end to his playing football. The research is extremely frightening. In fact, I wonder how much longer high schools can continue to sanction the sport.

Will there be a surgeon general's warning for football similar to smoking? "Football is a violent sport that can cause head trauma, both concussive and sub-concussive, and that such trauma may result in permanent irreparable brain damage over time."

Anyone else in the same situation?

There has been talk of getting rid of High School football and letting the "club" style leagues handle football. From a liability standpoint, school districts can not risk the exposure.

Ultimately it may be the insurance companies that put an end to the sport at the high school level... as the premiums that the schools must pay to be insured will become astronomical.

(02-11-2016 04:18 PM)Huskie359 Wrote:  

(02-10-2016 10:38 AM)klake87 Wrote:  Is this the result of concussions and football? It would be interesting to see the numbers that participated in youth football. I bet the trend is down. Illinois kids have many options (soccer, basketball, Lacrosse, Volleyball). I would assume each year less and less kids are playing organized football.

I know this is a little off-topic...I have a 9 year old son who has already played three years of organized tackle football. After reading a number of articles and doing some web-related research I am strongly considering putting an end to his playing football. The research is extremely frightening. In fact, I wonder how much longer high schools can continue to sanction the sport.

Will there be a surgeon general's warning for football similar to smoking? "Football is a violent sport that can cause head trauma, both concussive and sub-concussive, and that such trauma may result in permanent irreparable brain damage over time."

Anyone else in the same situation?

There's quite a bit written out there that discourages youth football for health reasons. If you and your son really love it he can take a few years off and pick it back up in high school.

Either that or all players will have to sign a waiver to play the sport.

(02-11-2016 04:18 PM)Huskie359 Wrote:  

(02-10-2016 10:38 AM)klake87 Wrote:  Is this the result of concussions and football? It would be interesting to see the numbers that participated in youth football. I bet the trend is down. Illinois kids have many options (soccer, basketball, Lacrosse, Volleyball). I would assume each year less and less kids are playing organized football.

I know this is a little off-topic...I have a 9 year old son who has already played three years of organized tackle football. After reading a number of articles and doing some web-related research I am strongly considering putting an end to his playing football. The research is extremely frightening. In fact, I wonder how much longer high schools can continue to sanction the sport.

Will there be a surgeon general's warning for football similar to smoking? "Football is a violent sport that can cause head trauma, both concussive and sub-concussive, and that such trauma may result in permanent irreparable brain damage over time."

Anyone else in the same situation?

Funny, I saw an article that stated that there were more concussions in soccer last year than football. (ratio wise, because more kids play football then soccer) Plus, the article went on to say that there are more kids dying from cancer in soccer than any other sport due to the black pellets in the turf. Especially the goalies. I guess we can get to the point that we shouldn't let our kids play anything anymore. There are so many studies these days it gets to be overwhelming in my mind. For me, what ever my kid want to play, we will play it.

(02-12-2016 04:23 PM)NIU13 Wrote:  ....an article that stated that there were more concussions in soccer last year than football. (ratio wise, because more kids play football then soccer) Plus, the article went on to say that there are more kids dying from cancer in soccer than any other sport due to the black pellets in the turf. Especially the goalies.

Have to question the credibility of that article for a couple reasons. Heading the ball is being banned more and more at the youth levels but unless you're talking flag football, tackling takes place in youth football. Obviously proper tackling technique is as important as teaching proper heading technique for soccer, however, that still doesn't rule out the possibility in either sport.
If the black pellets in the turf are to blame, why would they affect soccer players differently than football players? Majority of high schools I cover switched to turf fields so that football, soccer and, those with lacrosse, could use the same field. Those black pellets wind up inside the socks, shoes, eyelids, and jerseys of all athletes, regardless of position. Don't know about a link to cancer, but there are concerns about the bacteria from blood, mucous, and sweat sticking to the pellets enough to spread all types of germs.

Rivals shows 124 IHSA & COD players received offered from FBS & FCS programs in 2016 with 96 committed. The others may not have qualified academically or for whatever reason have not yet made a commitment.

The number of players who got at least 1 offer to me is more important than the number who committed.

Ohio was the only midwestern state with more players who received FBS/FCS offers at 149. Illinois and PA were pretty much dead even in number of players with offers 124 vs 128. Illinois had more players nationally ranked at their position per Rivals 21- 14.

Lackawanna JC (Scranton) had 19 players get D1 offers this season

(02-13-2016 09:25 AM)Skinut Wrote:  

(02-12-2016 04:23 PM)NIU13 Wrote:  

(02-11-2016 04:18 PM)Huskie359 Wrote:  

(02-10-2016 10:38 AM)klake87 Wrote:  Is this the result of concussions and football? It would be interesting to see the numbers that participated in youth football. I bet the trend is down. Illinois kids have many options (soccer, basketball, Lacrosse, Volleyball). I would assume each year less and less kids are playing organized football.

My nephew played hockey (goalie and he was good) until a couple of years ago a kid slipped in practice and drove him into the crossbar of the goal. He was injured in the one place a goalie's mask/helmet doesn't protect, where the straps converge in back. He's not been the same since..

Not to say we should ban sport in any way. However, the damage from concussions are very real and we need to be ever more cognizant of them.

Which is why IL has banned heading for U-10 as of yesterday. My nephew played hockey, goalie, and got concussed when a kid slipped in practice and drove his head into the goal crossbar. He was injured in the 1 place a goalie's helmet doesn't protect, where the straps bind on the back of the head. He had to give up hockey and honestly, hasn't been the same since. Every sport has risk, but the ramifications are real.

Please know I'm not saying do away with sport at all - just we need to be more cognizant of the potential unintended consequences.

I know this is a little off-topic...I have a 9 year old son who has already played three years of organized tackle football. After reading a number of articles and doing some web-related research I am strongly considering putting an end to his playing football. The research is extremely frightening. In fact, I wonder how much longer high schools can continue to sanction the sport.

Will there be a surgeon general's warning for football similar to smoking? "Football is a violent sport that can cause head trauma, both concussive and sub-concussive, and that such trauma may result in permanent irreparable brain damage over time."

Anyone else in the same situation?

Funny, I saw an article that stated that there were more concussions in soccer last year than football. (ratio wise, because more kids play football then soccer) Plus, the article went on to say that there are more kids dying from cancer in soccer than any other sport due to the black pellets in the turf. Especially the goalies. I guess we can get to the point that we shouldn't let our kids play anything anymore. There are so many studies these days it gets to be overwhelming in my mind. For me, what ever my kid want to play, we will play it.