By Bryan Bloodworth
NORMAL – There was a reason for the smile on Illinois State football coach Brock Spack’s face Wednesday as he received national letters-of-intent from 16 high school players, including two from Bloomington-Normal schools.
“We had a good day and happy about it,” said Spack. “We addressed some areas of our team that needed some upgrades.”
The group included three offensive linemen, three defensive backs, three linebackers, two quarterbacks, two running backs, a pair of tight ends, one defensive lineman and an athlete, who could play a number of positions.
The class also includes former Boston College wide receiver Chase Pankey, a mid-year transfer who is already enrolled at ISU.
Normal Community’s Garrett Hirsch, a 6-foot-2, 290-pound offensive lineman, and University High’s Austin Galindo, a 6-5, 255-pound defensive lineman, were among the signees along with Central Catholic’s John Hayes (partial scholarship) and Ryan Zitkus (preferred walk-on).
“Austin is a big kid,” said ISU recruiting coordinator and running back coach Lamar Conrad. “Right now, we have him earmarked to play defensive end. He is going to fit right in to what we do. He has a lot of upside. We see a lot of potential in this young man.
“Garrett is another fantastic, tough local product. He will play offensive line for us. Most likely he will come in and play center. He’s just a physical guy, who we see big things in the future from.”
Other signees include running back James Robinson of Rockford Lutheran, who is the state’s all-time leader in rushing yards (9,045), touchdowns (158) and points scored (948), along with nine other offensive standouts, including running back Artiss Henderson of Irving, Texas.
Two of those standouts are a pair of quarterbacks from the Lone Star state in Tristan Smith of Murphy, Texas and Malachi Broadnax of DeSoto, Texas. The trio of offensive linemen is Cole Anderson of Gurnee Warren, Trey Georgie of Lawrence, Kansas and Hirsch.
The other offensive signees are tight ends Billy Bair of Glenbard South and Robert Gillum of Kansas City, Mo.
The linebackers are Dylan Draka of Wheeling, Ryan Guhl of Indianapolis Cathedral and Timothy McCloyn III of Huntley-Big Rock. The defensive backs are Christian Uphoff of nearby Washington, Jarrell Jackson of Marengo and Ade Kilpatrick of Plano, Texas.
Jordan Birch of Andover, Kansas was recruited as an athlete of can play a number of positions because of his athletic ability.
ISU FOOTBALL SIGNING DAY BIOGRAPHIES:
Cole Anderson | Offensive Line | 6-4 | 265 | Gurnee, Ill. (Warren Township HS)
Warren Township HS: Two-year letterwinner for head coach Brian McNulty … earned all-area and all-conference honors while helping team to a share of the conference championship … played in all 11 games and helped program to a 7-4 overall record … earned the captain’s award as a senior … played in 10 games as a junior and team put together a seven-game winning streak. Personal: Born December 14, 1997, in Gurnee, Illinois … son of Jack and Diana Anderson … youngest of three siblings … perfect attendance award recipient.
Billy Bair | Tight End | 6-5 | 205 | Glen Ellyn, Ill. (Glenbard South HS)
Glenbard South HS: Two-year letterwinner for coaches Jeremy Cordell and Ryan Chrissey … named team captain and was an all-area selection … also an academic all-conference honoree … played in eight games, recording 30 catches for 350 yards and 12 touchdowns during senior season … caught 36 passes for 300 yards and scored eight touchdowns in junior season, while earning all-area honors … helped team to a conference championship that season. Personal: Born June 17, 1998, in Glen Ellyn, Illinois … son of Steve and Maureen Bair … oldest of three children.
Jordan Birch | Running Back/Athlete | 6-1 | 215 | Andover, Kan. (Andover Central HS)
Central HS: Two-year letterwinner for head coach Thomas Audley … Kansas Class 4A All-State selection at running back … also a first-team all-league and all-metro team pick … rushed for 144.2 yards per game and finished senior season with 1,874 yards and 25 touchdowns … helped team to the state title game, where it finished as runner-up … amassed 1,216 yards and 19 touchdowns as a junior, while earning all-state honorable mention honors … earned all-league honors as a junior as well … also a standout on the track , where he was the two-time state champion in the 110-meter hurdles. Personal: Born June 15, 1997, in Wichita, Kansas … son of Roy and Sharon Birch … oldest of two children … his father, Roy, played basketball at Southern Illinois and also signed a free-agent contract to play with the Dallas Cowboys … his step-mother, Jody Adams, is the head women’s basketball coach at Wichita State.
Malachi Broadnax | Quarterback | 6-3 | 185 | DeSoto, Texas (Trinity Christian HS)
Trinity Christian HS: Two-year letterwinner for head coach Mike Helmer … 2015 TAPPS All-State Division III selection as an athlete … also earned all-district honors as a quarterback and an athlete … completed 146-of-273 passes for 2,501 yards and threw for 28 touchdowns as a senior … also rushed for 722 yards and 11 touchdowns … helped the team to a state runner-up finish … threw for 1,877 yards and 26 touchdowns as a junior … rushed for 370 yards and 10 touchdowns that season as well, while leading team to a state championship. Personal: Born November 27, 1997, in Toledo, Ohio … son of Duane Broadnax and Tanya Lee … has six siblings.
Austin Galindo | Defensive Line | 6-5 | 255 | Bloomington, Ill. (University HS)
University HS: Three-year starter for head coaches Dusty Burk and Mike Troll … all-conference selection at both defensive end and punter at U-High … Pantagraph First-Team All-Area selection at punter and second-team selection at defensive end … recorded 22 solo tackles and totaled 32 … tallied 9.5 tackles for loss, six sacks and six pass breakups … also recovered a pair of fumbles … averaged 35.3 yards per punt … helped team to a playoff appearance … as a junior, was credited with 37 total tackles and 5.5 sacks, while helping team to an undefeated regular season, a conference title and a playoff appearance … also averaged 35.7 yards per punt, while earning first team all-conference honors at the position … finished sophomore season with nine sacks and 12 tackles for loss … was also a standout on the diamond, as a four-year starter playing in the outfield and at first base, as well as pitching. Personal: Born September 27, 1997, in Bloomington, Illinois … son of George and Kristie Galindo … has an older sister, Bryana … his father, George, is an ISU graduate … won the Chicago Bears punt/pass/kick competition in the 10-11 age group in 2008.
Trey Georgie | Offensive Line | 6-5 | 270 | Lawrence, Kan. (Lawrence HS)
Lawrence HS: Two-year letterwinner for head coach Dirk Wedd … rated as a two-star recruit by Rivals.com … second-team all-state selection and first-team all-league pick on both the offensive and defensive line … started every game of his junior and senior season … helped team to an undefeated regular season and a conference title in final prep season … also played at the varsity level as a sophomore briefly, before suffering a season-ending injury … was also a standout on the track for two seasons. Personal: Born May 28, 1998, in Lawrence, Kansas … son of Trent and Wendie Georgie … youngest of three children … member of the honor roll all four years of high school.
Robert Gillum | Tight End | 6-5 | 220 | Kansas City, Mo. (Central HS)
Central HS: Three-year letterwinner for head coach Bryan Delong … first-team all-district and all-conference selection at tight end … caught 30 passes for over 500 yards and scored 10 touchdowns … helped team to the best record in school history and a district runner-up finish … as a junior, caught 15 passes for over 300 yards and scored seven touchdowns … also competed in basketball and track. Personal: Born June 7, 1998, in Kansas City, Missouri. … son of Robert Gillum and Satori Harris … one of five siblings … two-time member of the honor roll.
Ryan Guhl | Linebacker | 6-2 | 220 | Indianapolis, Ind. (Cathedral HS)
Cathedral HS: Three-year letterwinner for head coach Rick Streiff … 2015 Indiana Football Coaches Association Class 6A All-State Football Team selection … also an all-city and all-region team pick … recorded seven sacks and three pass breakups in final prep season … posted 18 sacks and five pass breakups as a junior, while helping lead team to second-consecutive state championship … member of the state championship team as a sophomore as well … also a standout wrestler, earning first place in regionals and sectionals.Personal: Born July 22, 1997 in Indianapolis, Indiana … son of Eric and Eileen Guhl … oldest of three siblings … member of the honor roll.
Artiss Henderson | Running Back | 5-10 | 205 | Irving, Texas (MacArthur HS)
MacArthur HS: Three-year letterwinner for head coach Brian Basil … rated as a two-star recruit by both Rivals and Scout.com … first-team all-district selection and scored 17 touchdowns as a senior … helped team to the first round of the state playoffs … during his a strong junior campaign, rushed for 916 yards and 24 touchdowns … averaged 6.5 yards per carry … also caught nine passes for 90 yards with one touchdown … as a sophomore, finished with 712 rushing yards and eight touchdowns and averaged 6.2 yards per carry. Personal: Born February 12, 1998, in Houston, Texas … son of Sherrod and Jasmine Henderson … one of five children … graduated cum laude and a member of the honor roll.
Garrett Hirsch | Offensive Line | 6-2 | 290 | Towanda, Ill. (Normal Community HS)
Normal Community HS: Three-year letterwinner for head coach Wes Temples … rated as a two-star recruit by Scout.com … First-Team Big 12 All-Conference selection and Pantagraph All-Area pick … also earned all-state academic honors and was a Big 12 Conference Scholar Athlete … helped team advance to the quarterfinals of the IHSA Class 7A playoffs for first time since 2007 … also played defensive line, recording 53 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks … started on the offensive line as sophomore and junior, helping team to playoffs both seasons. Personal: Born May 15, 1998, in Normal, Illinois … son of Richard and Stacey Hirsch … has one older sister, Brittany … his father attended ISU and his sister, Brittany, played basketball at Cardinal Stritch University … member of the National Honor Society and the Mu Alpha Theta Mathematics Honor Society.
Jarrell Jackson | Defensive Back | 5-9 | 170 | Marengo, Ill. (Marengo HS)
Marengo HS: Three-year letterwinner for head coach Matt Lynch … 2015 Illinois High School Football Coaches Association Class 4A All-State selection at wide receiver … also earned all-area and all-conference honors following final prep season … amassed over 1,400 yards receiving and scored 25 touchdowns … helped lead team to the IHSA Class 4A semifinals … also earned all-conference and all-area honors as a junior … also competed in track and field, earning third place at the state finals in the 100-meter dash. Personal: Born June 16, 1998, in Elgin, Illinois … son of Shannon … oldest of three siblings.
Ade Kilpatrick | Defensive Back | 6-1 | 185 | Plano, Texas (West HS)
West HS: Two-year letterwinner for head coaches Scott Smith and Mike Hughes … rated as a two-star recruit by Rivals.com … earned first-team all-district honors at cornerback … played in 10 games as a senior, recording 50 tackles and finishing the season with five interceptions and four pass breakups … played in 12 games as a junior, recording 33 tackles, with one interception and 11 pass breakups … helped lead team to the state playoffs that season. Personal: Born May 12, 1998, in Detroit, Michigan … son of Ayanna Kilpatrick … one of three children … his grandfather played basketball at Ferris State and his uncle played football at Florida A&M … member of the honor roll.
Timothy McCloyn II | Linebacker | 6-0 | 220 | Barrington, Ill. (Huntley HS)
Huntley HS: Three-year letterwinner for head coach John Hart … 2015 Illinois High School Football Coaches Association Class 8A All-State Team selection at linebacker … recorded a total of 85 tackles, 66 of which were solo stops, in his final prep season … helped team to a 10-1 overall record and a state playoff appearance … earned all-area honors as a junior, while helping the team to an 8-2 record … was a standout on the track as a member of the third-place 4×100-meter relay team at the state championships … also threw the shot put and discus. Personal: Born December 21, 1997, in Barrington, Illinois … son of Timothy and Diane McCloyn … has a younger sister, Lia … four-year honor roll member in high school.
James Robinson | Running Back | 5-10 | 205 | Rockford, Ill. (Lutheran HS)
Lutheran HS: Four-year star for head coach Bruce Bazsali … ranked as a two-star recruit by both Rivals and Scout.com … IHSA all-time leading rusher with 9,045 yards and 158 rushing touchdowns in his career … also holds the state record for most career points scored with 948 … the 158 touchdowns tie for fourth on the NFHS all-time list as well and his 9,045 yards rank in the top 15 all-time in U.S. high school history … 2015 Illinois High School Football Coaches Association Class 4A All-State selection at running back … also an all-area and all-conference selection … rushed for 2,461 yards and 44 touchdowns in his final season, helping the team to an 11-1 record, a conference championship and playoff appearance … rushed for 478 yards and seven touchdowns against Dixon, the sixth-highest single-game mark in IHSA history … earned all-state honors as a junior, while rushing for 2,227 yards and scoring 38 touchdowns … also named an all-state pick as a sophomore, while running for 2,469 yards and accounting for 51 total touchdowns, tied for the second-highest single-season total in IHSA history … amassed 1,888 rushing yards as a freshman … was also a standout on the basketball court. Personal: Born August 9, 1988, in Rockford, Illlinois … son of Latrica Sayer … has two younger siblings.
Tristan Smith | Quarterback | 6-2 | 190 | Murphy, Texas (Bishop Lynch HS)
Bishop Lynch HS: Two-year letterwinner for head coach Ben Dasch … named team captain and the outstanding skill player of the year … threw for 2,003 yards and 12 touchdowns and rushed for 1,009 yards and 18 touchdowns in 11 games … as a junior, passed for 1,690 yards and 17 touchdowns … also rushed for 575 yards and 11 touchdowns … named the team’s junior of the year … also competed in basketball and track. Personal: Born July 10, 1997, in Austin, Texas … son of Chris and Heather Smith … has a younger sister, Jordan.
Christian Uphoff | Defensive Back | 6-3 | 180 | Washington, Ill. (Washington Community HS)
Washington Community HS: Played all four seasons for head coach Darrell Crouch … ranks No. 3 in career interceptions and No. 4 in career punt return average at Washington … Mid-Illini All-Conference selection and Peoria Journal Star All-Area pick at defensive back … recorded 1,293 all-purpose yards during final prep season … also tallied 40 tackles and five interceptions on defense … helped lead team to an undefeated regular season, a conference title and state playoffs quarterfinal appearance … collected four interceptions as a junior, while earning all-conference honors. Personal: Born January 22, 1998, in Peoria, Illinois … son of Nora Uphoff … one of three children … his cousin, Aaron Green, played football at TCU.
MID-YEAR TRANSFER
Chase Pankey | WR | 6-1 | 180 | Fr.-TR | Cincinnati, Ohio (Archbishop Moeller HS / Boston College)
2015 at Boston College Oregon: Redshirted. Archbishop Moeller HS: Injured most of the 2014 season … recorded 551 yards on 30 receptions and scored nine touchdowns as a junior … earned Second-Team Greater Catholic League All-Star honors in 2013 … part of the Crusaders teams that won two state championships and earned a third title bid, losing in the finals in 2014 … played for head coach John Rodenberg.
Bryan Bloodworth can be reached at [email protected]
