(Photo courtesy iwusports.com)
By Eric Stock
BLOOMINGTON – Illinois Wesleyan football’s recruiting class of 36 newcomers includes six transfers, a program high for coach 31-year coach Norm Eash.
“All the transfers have friends that are on our squad here and they might have been a little unhappy where they were at and they talked to their friends and their friends love it here at Illinois Wesleyan,” Eash said.
Eash added he hopes the addition of these transfers, who all come from scholarship programs and five sat out as redshirts last season, means this year’s recruiting class will be able to make an immediate impact.
“Even though they were redshirted they were still in a college program, they still went to college practices, they understand, they get it, whereas a freshman coming in has to make that transfer from freshman to college,” Eash said.
The transfers include linebacker Dave Lux (Illinois State) and defensive backs Nico Gubenko (Winona State), Robert Hall (Winona State), Jake Kapp (Northern Michigan) and Jimmy Vallos (Winona State).
Junior defensive back Quintin Walters (Iowa Wesleyan) will be the only transfer with fewer than four years of eligibility.
Eash said the recruiting class emphasizes quality over quantity, after the program added 52 newcomers last season. The most depth will be added in the defensive backfield (nine recruits), on the offensive line (eight) and among the linebacking corps (seven).
Eash has also boosted his coaching staff with the addition of Hud Venerable, former Normal Community state champion coach will be working with receivers and special teams.
The Titans are preparing for a weeklong trip to Japan which will include a June 4 exhibition game against Waseda University, the national runners up last season.
Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].
