By Eric Stock
NORMAL – Illinois State football coach Brock Spack has announced the signing of 20 recruits to start the new early signing period.
“We are all in new territory and I didn’t know how everybody would react,” Spack said referring to the first time in which high school seniors could sign in December. “I don’t want to say we’ve survived. I think we’ve done very well.
Spack’s recruiting class for what will be his 10th season coaching ISU football will have a local flavor. Defensive lineman Peter Bussone from Normal Community and Central Catholic long snapper Joey Malinowski are among 11 Illinois recruits who will be in ISU red next season.
“I think we had 63 players from the Chicago metro area that played on our national championship (game participant),” Spack said. “The heart and soul should probably come from Illinois and we expand from there. The surrounding states have been very good to us.”
The recruiting class includes one transfer sophomore offensive lineman Gabe Megginson from the University of Illinois. The Jacksonville, Ill. native will have two years of eligibility remaining.
The usual spring signing period is scheduled to begin Feb. 7.
Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].
Brian Adams RB 5’7″ 170 Springfield, Illinois / Sacred Heart Griffin HS
Peyton Asche OL 6’7″ 295 Pearl City, Illinois / Pearl City HS
Tristan Bailey WR 6’3″ 185 Columbus, Indiana / Columbus North HS
Nathan Bax TE 6’4″ 225 Jefferson City, Missouri / Helias HS
Cooper Burton DB 5’10” 160 Atchison, Kansas / St. Joseph (Mo.) Benton HS
Peter Bussone DL 6’1″ 285 Normal, Illinois / Normal Community HS
Jacob Carl TE 6’4″ 215 Galesburg, Illinois / Galesburg HS
Stephen Halusan WR 6’3″ 205 New Berlin, Wisconsin / Eisenhower HS
Julian Haynie DB 6’2″ 185 Rockford, Illinois / Guilford HS
Clayton Isbell S 6’2″ 195 St. Charles, Illinois / St. Charles East HS
Damien Jackson JACK 6’3″ 220 Elkhart, Indiana / Concord HS
Bryce Jefferson QB 6’2″ 205 Indianapolis, Indiana / Decatur Central HS
Dewaylon Jones DB 5’11” 190 Dallas, Texas / Lincoln HS
Joey Malinowski LS 6’1″ 250 Bloomington, Illinois / Central Catholic HS
Giavion Mason LB 6’0″ 200 Bourbonnais, Illinois / Bishop McNamara HS
Zach Mueller OL 6’5″ 295 Schofield, Wisconsin / D.C. Everest HS
Austin Nagel WR 6’1″ 170 Lemont, Illinois / Lemont HS
Zach Starforth OL 6’4″ 285 Peculiar, Missouri / Raymore-Peculiar HS
Landen Vesley LB 6’2″ 210 Amboy, Illinois / Newman Central Catholic HS
Kenton Wilhoit LB 6’1″ 210 Oak Grove, Missouri / Oak Grove HS
