This spring, we at Friday Night Drive will start looking ahead to the fall with players we are keeping our eye on. After starting with quarterbacks last week, we move our attention to the running back position this week.

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.

The IHSA announced Friday that member schools voted to approve a proposal impacting the start date of the 2026 football season and the number of practices required per player to compete in the first contest.

After a recent passed proposal to expand the football playoffs and extend the season by a week changed the preseason calendar, the IHSA has called a special board meeting to consider moving the start of preseason practice back to accommodate for more time to prepare.

St. Francis grad Tommy Rittenhouse came back from throwing five picks to throw two touchdown passes in the final three minutes and lead Illinois State in a colossal upset of No. 1 North Dakota State. Two wins later, Rittenhouse is set to lead the Redbirds into the FCS title game.

Here is the 2025 Kane County Chronicle All-Area football team.

St. Francis two-way lineman Jaylen Torres, who controlled both sides of the line of scrimmage and helped the team to its first state title since 2008, is the Kane County Chronicle football Player of the Year.

Here is the 2025 Friday Night Drive Team of the Year.

Two-win teams in the playoffs? Join hosts Steve Soucie and Matt Rodewald as they review the IHSA expansion of the high school football playoffs and what it means for the sport going forward.

IHSA Proposal 19 was passed by a majority of member schools in an IHSA schoolwide vote. Its implementation will increase the number of playoff qualifiers from 256 teams to 384 teams.

Proposal 19 is on the ballot with a submission that proposes that the playoff field be expanded by 16 teams in each classification with a total of 384 teams qualifying for the postseason. Steve Soucie's uses 2025 data to project what the format could look like.

The CCL/ESCC announced its new alignment for the 2026 and 2027 seasons with many of the league's 24 teams finding themselves in different division than before.

Mount Carmel finished the same place it started the season in the No. 1 spot of the Friday Night Drive Power Rankings. Check out the final rankings here.

St. Francis senior Zach Washington, an All-CCL/ESCC honoree who helped the Spartans win their first IHSA state football championship since 2008, has signed to continue his career at Michigan State. "I think I can grab any 50-50 ball that I get my hands on."

Quinn Urwiler’s NIU career wasn’t just tackles, it was tone‑setting. The Batavia grad leaves as a leader who embodied grit, accountability, and culture in a season that tested the Huskies at every turn.

Wheaton St. Francis defeated Providence Catholic 39-35 to win the Class 5A State championship on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025 in Hancock Stadium at Illinois State University in Normal.

Join hosts Matt Rodewald and Steve Souce as they break down the Class 4A-1A Illinois high school football state title games, talk about the weather postponements, and preview the Class 8A-5A state title games

The Class 7A/8A state football title games have been rescheduled for Wednesday afternoon and evening at Northern Illinois University

Morris's Caeden Curran (Offensive POTY), Mick Smith (Defensive POTY) and Kaneland's Jake Buckley (Lineman of the Year) are among the Interstate 8's All-Conference players for the 2025 season. Below are all of this year's winners, including Honorable Mentions.

Dario Milivojevic has not been afraid to do anything for St. Francis. And with one win separating the team from a state title, he's ready to do it one last time.

Join hosts Steve Soucie, Russ Hodges and Josh Welge as they preview the Illinois high school football state championship games

A rare regular season rematch in the state title game has emerged here as St. Francis will challenge Providence once again after the Spartans beat the Celtics in Week 5. Steve Soucie previews Saturday's Class 5A title game.

Join hosts Joel Boenitz and Josh Welge as they preview the Illinois high school football state title games for the west suburban schools

The top three teams in the Friday Night Drive Power Rankings held strong in the semifinal round, but that's where the stability ended. Check out the new rankings here.

Join hosts Matt Rodewald and Steve Soucie as they break down what we saw in the Illinois high school football playoff semifinals, talk about Mt. Carmel coach Jordan Lynch's recent comments, and look ahead to the state title games

Getting a strong sense of deja vu when looking at the lineup of state championships? That's understandable considering the group has collectively made 115 title game appearances previously. Steve Soucie takes a look at what we learned in Week 13.

Here are the championship game pairings for the 2025 IHSA playoffs.

Dario Milivojevic, Tanner Glock and St. Francis forced five Belvidere North turnovers to earn a spot in the Class 5A state championship game against Providence Catholic. The Spartans had lost in the semifinal round the last three years.

Jack Schapendonk's big stop on fourth-and-goal before halftime shifted the tides for St. Rita, who went on to score 26 straight points to secure a 54-34 victory over Batavia to advance to the Class 7A state title game.

The Batavia and St. Rita football teams met Saturday with a trip downstate on the line.

Brother Rice is the only top seed remaining in the Class 7A field. Will the Crusaders keep rolling or can one of the upstarts pull the upset? Steve Soucie breaks down the semifinal round of the 2025 IHSA Class 7A Playoffs.

East St. Louis continues to power its way through the bracket. But three different CCL/ESCC teams hope to take them down. Steve Soucie breaks down the semifinal round of the 2025 IHSA Class 6A Playoffs.

The Class 5A bracket certainly has some unexpected teams still alive in the draw. Steve Soucie breaks down the semifinals of the 2025 IHSA Class 5A Playoffs.

St. Rita took a high-scoring battle with Hersey, St. Laurence will meet East St. Louis in the 6A semifinals and St. Francis is semifinal-bound for the fourth straight year. IC Catholic Prep's season concluded with a 3A quarterfinal loss to unbeaten Byron.

A look at the football games around the Kane County Chronicle area heading into the IHSA state semifinals.

Join hosts Steve Soucie and Josh Welge as they preview the semifinal round of the Illinois high school football playoffs

Join hosts Josh Welge and Joel Boenitz as they preview the Illinois high school football semifinals in the western suburbs

Nine CCL/ESCC schools, including defending champions Mount Carmel, Nazareth and Montini will be competing in the IHSA state football semifinals this weekend. Below are all of the semifinal matchups featuring CCL/ESCC teams.

A trio of power teams continue to roll through the playoffs while the upstarts still continue to emerge shaking up the Friday Night Drive Power Rankings. Check out the new rankings here.

Join hosts Matt Rodewald and Steve Soucie as they break down the quarterfinal round of the Illinois high school football playoffs and look ahead to the semifinals

The quarterfinal round was an absolute breeze for some teams while others experienced significantly more stress in keeping their postseason runs alive. Steve Soucie takes a look at what we learned in Week 12.

Jaylin Green and Jameson Davis each scored two touchdowns, Damari Thigpen returned a punt for a score and the Brother Rice defense recorded five sacks during a 42-18 win over St. Charles North in the Class 7A state quarterfinals on Saturday evening.

Here are the semifinal round pairings for the 2025 IHSA playoffs.

Defensive back Andrew Culotta ran back a 67-yard pick-six and also recovered a muffed punt in the second half to help Batavia hold on for a 42-27 victory over Glenbard North to advance to its fourth straight Class 7A semifinal.

St. Francis advanced to the semifinals for the fourth year in a row with a 44-14 win over King on Saturday.

The Fenwick Friars slowed down a potent Burlington Central offense in a 49-21 Class 6A quarterfinal victory Saturday afternoon.

The St. Charles North football team met Brother Rice Saturday in a state quarterfinal matchup.

The Batavia and Glenbard North football teams met Satudray in a quarterfinal playoff matchup.

Burlington Central senior quarterback Landon Arnold almost quit football his first two years of high school. Saturday, the dual-threat QB leads the Rockets into their Class 6A state quarterfinal game against Fenwick.

7A was expected to be one of the most wide open draws out of all eight classifications and with five double digit seeds still left it is playing out that way. Steve Soucie breaks down the quarterfinal round of the 2025 IHSA Class 7A Playoffs.