Friday Night Drive

Momence hosted reigning Class 2A state champions Chicago Christian for 7 on 7 workouts and scrimmages on Friday night.

J.T. Pedelty, Eddie Carifio and Sam Ramirez react to the IHSA football schedule getting released in the latest Friday Night Drive podcast, and break down games in DeKalb and La Salle counties, along with the Sauk Valley region

The Illinois High School Association released its state-wide 2025 football schedule on Friday. Filling nine-game schedules proved challenging for some of the state's elite programs.

The IHSA released football schedules for the 2025 season, and Week 1 features a matchup between the past two Fox Valley Conference champions, as Prairie Ridge will visit Cary-Grove. Check out the top games to watch each week in McHenry County.

The Wilmington football team visited Bradley-Bourbonnais for a joint summer football workout Wednesday, July 16, 2025.

Under new head coach Ken Carlson, the Marquette football program competed well in its 7-on-7 against La Salle-Peru on Tuesday and will look to continue improving throughout the rest of the offseason.

Steve Soucie and Josh Welge preview the 2025 IHSA high school football schedule, including games to watch and more in the latest Friday Night Drive podcast

Friday Night Drive’s Josh Welge and Joel Boenitz discuss what the IHSA football schedule will look like in the western suburbs for the 2025 season, games they are looking forward to, and more

Steve Soucie and Mason Schweizer discuss the upcoming IHSA football schedule release and how it affects teams in Kankakee County on the latest Friday Night Drive podcast

Here are J.T. Pedelty's photos from Streator Bulldogs summer football practice Wednesday, July 16, 2025.

Yorkville, Dixon and Woodstock North were among the schools participating in a 7 on 7 football tournament on Tuesday, July 15, 2025 at Kaneland High School in Maple Park.

After finishing 4-5 last year, Romeoville is looking to get one more win this year and qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2013.

Oswego East, Sterling and Glenbard South football teams held a joint practice on Tuesday, July 15, 2025 in Oswego.

Crystal Lake Central and Richmond-Burton take part in a 7-on-7 football practice Monday, July 14, 2025, at Richmond-Burton High School, with teams from Grayslake North and Mundelein.

A total of 16 teams took part in the annual Central 7 on 7 and Lineman Challenge on what was a busy Saturday of football at Central High School in Clifton.

The annual "Battle of the Butts" Lineman Challenge was held on Thursday, July 10, 2025 at West Aurora.

Batavia High School hosted teams from Geneva, Bolingbrook and Huntley in a 7 on 7 tournament on Thursday, July 10, 2025 in Batavia.

Oswego football hosted a joint practice with Kaneland on Thursday, July 10, 2025 at Oswego High School.

Reed-Custer is turning to Joe Turek as its new head football coach, who brings more than a decade of program-building experience from Lincoln-Way East to his new role with the Comets.

Benet has unveiled a plan to renovate its Baumgartner-Gilbert Stadium and adjacent athletic fields to allow all the school’s sports teams to play home games on its Lisle campus. The school says it will seek permission from the village of Lisle to pursue the two-phase plan.

Football teams including St. Francis, Hinsdale Central, Glenbard West and Lincoln-Way East participated in a 7 on 7 tournament on Thursday, June 25, 2025 at Naperville North.

Former St. Charles North standout and current New York Giants safety Tyler Nubin returned to his alma mater to host what he hopes in his first of many youth football camps.

The Blue Team beat the Red Team 29-7 at the 51st annual Shrine Game at Illinois Wesleyan University's Tucci Stadium, capping off a week of sport and service for football stars from across the state.

Tyler Nubin may be a breakout star in the National Football League, but at heart he didn’t feel that different from the kids flying around his old turf, the football field at St. Charles North.

Downers Grove North rising senior tight end Will Vala announced his commitment to Illinois this week. Vala chose the Illini from over 20 offers, including Wisconsin, Purdue and Louisville.

Crystal Lake-based Community High School District 155 is seeking donors to fulfill a $1 million capital campaign and sell naming rights to help fund renovations for Prairie Ridge High School’s stadium.

Josh Gesky, a former Manteno High School standout and current starting left guard at University of Illinois, hosted a youth football camp at Legacy Park in Manteno on Saturday.

Former Cary-Grove offensive lineman Addison West signed with the Miami Dolphins as a priority free agent after not being selected in the NFL Draft. "This really has been the goal and the dream since Day 1."

Jacobs senior Matt Scardina starred on the football team and now is excelling as a first-year sprinter in track. He was named Athlete of the Meet after winning the 100, 200 and 400 dashes in the McHenry County Meet last week.

Under new rules from the IHSA, 44 football schools will get the IHSA multiplier for 2025, causing big potential changes in the classes for the playoffs.

Burlington Central junior offensive tackle Zach Hultgren suspects he would get beat by a swim move - by his kid sister, who's a swimmer. Fortunately for Hultgren, who recently committed to Miami (Ohio), he’s much better at not getting beat by swim moves by defensive linemen.

Hall Athletic Director Eric Bryant said the new Red Devils football coach will be named April 23. That same night, Bureau Valley’s new coach could be approved as well at its board meeting.

Prairie Ridge senior Gavin Tinch, a 6-foot-4, 295-pound defensive lineman, signed a letter of intent Wednesday to play college football for Southern Illinois University.

Crystal Lake Central has a new head football coach in Matt MacCrindle, who replaces longtime coach Dirk Stanger. MacCrindle, a 2003 Central graduate, has been a longtime assistant coach for the Tigers.

After leading Woodstock North's football program to a school-record eight wins, including one in the playoffs, Matt Polnow has resigned as head coach.

More than four years since leaving McHenry to take over the football program at Stagg, Colt Nero has been named the Warriors' new head coach. Nero starred at Crystal Lake South and Minnesota State University Mankato.

Former longtime Marian Central assistant coach Terry Stanger has been named to the IHSFCA Hall of Fame. In his 22 years as an assistant, he helped the Hurricanes win 202 games and four Class 2A state championships.

McHenry Community High School District 156 board of education members on Tuesday approved the appointment of Colt Nero as McHenry’s head varsity football coach. Nero is a former football player at Crystal Lake South and head coach at Stagg High School.

The stats don’t tell the whole story about Eli Davidson. They only scratch the surface as to how big an impact he had for thew Class 4A quarterfinalists. He is the 2024 Sauk Valley Media Football Player of the Year.

After a productive season at Central Michigan as a three-technique defensive tackle, former Marengo star Jonah Pace has transferred to Iowa for his final season of college eligibility.

Congrats to all of the players who made Friday Night Drive's 2024 Team of the Year

Jeff Schroeder hoped to add stability to McHenry’s football program when he took the head-coaching position two seasons ago. He resigned this week.

Meet the 2024 Northwest Herald All-Area football team.

Senior quarterback Jackson Alcorn guided Burlington Central to its first playoff berth since 2014, threw 22 TD passes to one interception and is the 2024 Northwest Herald Football Player of the Year.

Armed with a team loaded with three-year varsity players, Brian Iossi guided Burlington Central to its first playoff berth since 2014. Iossi is the 2024 Northwest Herald Football Coach of the Year.

East St. Louis finishes in the No. 1 spot of the final Friday Night Drive Power Rankings for the season. See how things stacked up in the latest version of the Top 25.

Join hosts Matt Rodewald and Steve Soucie as they break down the IHSA state football title games this past weekend, and talk about the future of the IHSA playoffs with public and private schools

Iowa commits Drew MacPherson and Ryan Fitzgerald was Loyola's "dynamic" duo one last time Saturday as the two helped the Ramblers win the Class 8A state championship Saturday.

The York and Loyola football teams squared off in the Class 8A state championship Saturday in Hancock Stadium at Illinois State University in Normal.

York faces Loyola in the state title game of the 2024 Class 8A IHSA football playoffs. Friday Night Drive editor Steve Soucie will have live updates, scores and news from the game