Football is in Drake Davis’ blood. This week, he fulfilled a dream by landing his first head coaching job at Ottawa Marquette Academy. He said he knew Marquette was the right place for him with all of its tradition.

This spring, we at Friday Night Drive will start looking ahead to the fall with players we are keeping our eye on. Who are some of the top players to watch in 2026? We will start with the quarterbacks.

Marquette Academy on Tuesday announced Drake Davis as the next head coach for the Crusaders football program, which has been a Class 1A playoff entrant each of the past 13 postseason.

Due to low numbers in its junior and senior classes, the Fieldcrest football program will only field a JV team this coming fall.

Ruby Michaels started playing flag football in the third grade and went into youth tackle in the eighth grade. She then played four years for the Bruins throughout high school. The 5-foot-1 dynamo will continue her football career on the flag football team at Benedictine

Nazareth juniors Chris Kasky and Luke Injaychock have picked up several offers from Power 4 schools since the conclusion of the 2025 season. Trenton Walker, a senior and three-star prospect, has signed to play at Murray State.

The Morris Community High School Board voted on a new mascot Monday night, deciding to rename the school mascot to the Warriors.

Fenwick's Jake Thies, a two-way standout whose massive postseason helped the Friars knock off East St. Louis in the IHSA 6A state championship, has planted himself on the map as a Power 4 prospect.

Glenbard West junior tight end Brady Johnson, whose dad Rob Johnson was a standout lineman and co-captain for Northwestern's 1995 Big Ten champions that played in the 1996 Rose Bowl, made his verbal commitment to Northwestern on Wednesday.