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.

IC Catholic Prep sophomore Grant Bowen, son of former NFL player Matt Bowen, has picked up over a dozen Power 4 offers since the season ended. A standout linebacker and receiver, Bowen was named an All-State and All-CCL/ESCC player in 2025.

St. Francis junior James McGrath, an All-CCL/ESCC player who helped the Spartans win the Class 5A state championship, recently received a Division I offer from Oklahoma. A two-sport standout, McGrath is preparing for a bigger role as a senior.

Rochelle senior Roman Villalobos, an IHSFCA All-State running back with over 2,800 career rushing yards, has committed to play football at North Central College. "I've wanted to go to North Central since I was a little kid."

IHSA member schools voted in favor of expansion for the state football playoffs, adding 128 teams to the postseason this fall by a statewide vote of member schools in December by a tally of 377-252, But the schools who voted later found there was a little catch.

Carmel junior quarterback and Nebraska recruit Trae Taylor announced that he will transfer to Millard South High School in Omaha for his senior football season. Taylor threw for 3,571 yards and 38 touchdowns with 12 rushing touchdowns in 2025.

Several CCL/ESCC athletes, including FND Defensive Player of the Year Kameron McGee and FND Offensive Player of the Year Israel Abrams, were selected to the 2025 MaxPreps All-American Teams.

From aiding Illinois State’s run to the FCS National Championship game to earning spots on all-conference teams for the SEC and Big Ten, several Kankakee County area football figures made their mark on the 2025-26 college football season.

Rochelle's Dylan Manning, who collapsed on the sideline after suffering a severe head injury during the team's varsity football game at Morris on Oct. 3, recently underwent a successful cranioplasty and is home from Loyola Medical Center.

Richmond-Burton junior Blake Livdahl, an all-state linebacker who helped lead the Rockets to the Class 3A semifinals, has had his wrestling season come to an end after tearing his right ACL. He was a state runner-up wrester as a sophomore.

Benet senior wide receiver Luke Doyle, a two-time All-CCL/ESCC player and the 2025 CCL/ESCC Purple Offensive Player of the Year, has committed to play football at Division I FCS Lafayette College.

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.

Dixon High School announced on Wednesday night that assistant Brad Winterland has been hired as its new head football coach.

Four Bureau County’s collegiate football players went bowling at the end of season - Spring Valley’s Mac Resetich (Illinois) and Princeton’s Noah LaPorte (Northwestern), Teegan Davis (Iowa) and Drew Harp (North Central College).

Dixon's Jared Shaner felt like it was time to step down after a successful run leading the Dukes' football team.

Oswego football coach Brian Cooney, who helped lead the Panthers to the Class 8A state championship game this past fall, has been selected to coach in the prestigious Navy All-American Bowl on Jan. 10 in San Antonio.

With the 2025-26 Early Signing Period over, we’re taking a brief look at some of the top 2028 prospects in the Chicago Catholic League/East Suburban Catholic Conference. Here are some notable prospects to watch for as the 2025-26 offseason progresses.

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.

RJ Haines, a core of the Kankakee area football coaching scene for more than two decades, is a part of the upcoming Illinois High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame class.

There is one thing you will find behind every winning head coach and successful football program: a good assistant coach who is loyal and dedicated to the head coach and the mission of the team. For 38 years, for nine different head coaches, Charlie Waca was that assistant coach.

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.

Brother Rice sophomore defensive lineman Kameron McGee, a five-star prospect who recorded 21 TFLs and 10.5 sacks while guiding the Crusaders to an IHSA 7A state championship this season, is the 2025 Friday Night Drive Defensive Player of the Year.

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

Montini junior quarterback Israel Abrams, who threw for over 4,000 yards and 40 touchdowns and led the Broncos to a 14-0 record and the Class 4A state championship, is the 2025 Friday Night Drive Offensive Player of the Year.

With the 2025 Early Signing Period over, we take a look at some of the top Class of 2027 prospects the CCL/ESCC has to offer. Carmel's Trae Taylor, Montini's Israel Abrams and Mount Carmel's Quentin Burrell are among the league's top junior players.

Charlie Waca, a longtime assistant with four decades on Bureau County area sidelines, will be inducted into the Illinois Football Coaches Association Hall Fame in the Class of 2026.

Here are the best of the best on the gridiron in the Herald-News area for the 2025 season.

Brother Rice defensive lineman King Liggins, a two-time All-CCL/ESCC player who helped the Crusaders finish 13-1 and win the IHSA 7A state championship this season, has signed to continue his football career at Illinois. "I feel like I can motivate the guys around me..."

USC-bound quarterback Jonas Williams of Lincoln-Way East became the IHSA's all-time leader in passing yards and passing touchdowns. Williams is the 2025 Herald-News Football Player of the Year.

As the IHSA announced an expansion of the football playoffs starting next season, Suburban Life-area coaches offered their reactions. "I'm excited about the opportunities our kids might get. It is a net positive for us."

IHSA schools split on Proposal 19: Sycamore backs expanded playoffs, Genoa-Kingston resists, DeKalb sees new hope. Scheduling relief or more lopsided games? Local ADs weigh the trade-offs.

A day after the IHSA announced that a proposal had passed to expand the football playoffs by 128 teams, Kendall County-area coaches reacted to the news. "More kids get a chance to play high school football one extra week.”

Forty-four of the top football players from Seneca, Marquette, Fieldcrest, Ottawa, Streator, FCW and Sandwich, here is the 2025 Times All-Area Football Team.

After stepping into the featured back role for the best football team in the area, Seneca senior Cam Shriey is the 2025 Times Football Player of the Year.

The Sycamore School District 427 Board on Wednesday announced that Rob Stover will follow Joe Ryan as the head coach of the Spartan football team.

The IHSA announced Tuesday that the state football playoffs will be expanding from 256 to 384 teams starting in 2026. The Northwest Herald reached out to several local coaches, and here are their reactions.

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.

Of the 18 Bureau County area schools to respond about the IHSA's Proposal 19 calling for football playoffs expansion, eight said they are voting in favor of it, while nine voted against it, with one school voting “no opinion.”

A Day 1 varsity starter as a running back his freshman year, Prairie Ridge senior Luke Vanderwiel developed into an all-state quarterback. He is the 2025 Northwest Herald Football Player of the Year after leading the Wolves to an undefeated regular season.

Richmond-Burton's Mike Noll won his 300th game and led the Rockets to within one win of a state championship game berth. Noll is the 2025 Northwest Herald Football Coach of the Year.

Meet the 2025 Northwest Herald All-Area football team.

One of the most decorated offensive, defensive and special teams players in Bradley-Bourbonnais history, Lyzale Edmon is the 2025 Daily Journal's Football Player of the Year.

Take a look at the players selected for the 2025 Daily Journal All-Area Football Team.

Here is Friday Night Drive's 2025 All-CCL/ESCC football team, with players from all 24 member programs.

Here is the 2025 Record Newspapers All-Area football team.

Montini junior quarterback Israel Abrams, who threw for over 4,000 yards and 40 touchdowns in leading the Broncos to a 14-0 season and second straight state championship, is the Suburban Life Player of the Year.

Here is the 2025 Suburban Life All-Area football team.

Oswego senior defensive back/receiver Mariano Velasco, who caught nine touchdown passes and also had six interceptions, four returned for touchdowns, in helping lead the Panthers to the Class 8A state championship, is the Record Newspapers Player of the Year.