Coach Randy Walker might be able to sleep again tonight — all 20 of his verbal commitments for the Class of 2009 faxed in their National Letters of Intent on Wednesday.
“Twenty-nine years of recruiting classes and all the things that go on on signing day, I snapped out of bed last night at about 3:50,” Walker said. “I’ve had enough bad things happen to me in 29 years. I’m still paranoid and gun-shy, they’re still 18-year-old kids. But we signed them all.”
Walker signed 11 offensive players and nine defensive players, highlighted by talented linebacker Chris Jeske.
With the three new quarterbacks and two runningbacks, NU will have 18 players listed at quarterback or running back on its spring roster.
“Obviously there’s only one football,” Walker said. “I tell that to quarterbacks and running backs and all those prima donna ego guys all the time.
“We have five, six, seven tailbacks and we have five, six, seven quarterbacks. At some point some of those guys need to go somewhere else and vie for some playing time.”
Walker said some incoming freshmen will have the chance to play next year.
“You need to walk in here and look at whoever you are behind, look them in the eye and think to yourself, ‘I’m taking your job — and maybe your girlfriend,'” Walker said.
In all, NU signed five defensive linemen, four offensive linemen, four linebackers, three quarterbacks, two running backs, and a wide-receiver and defensive back.
The Wildcats recruited three players ranked in the top 25 of their position according to ESPN.com’s Tom Lemming. Jeske, the No. 13 linebacker from Joliet Catholic, No. 20 running back Tyrell Sutton of Akron, Ohio, and No. 25 offensive lineman Kurt Mattes from Plymouth, Pa.
“We’re not getting a jock football player, (a) ‘I’m a football player only,’ guy,” Walker said. “That guy doesn’t come to our school.”
After a season in which NU kickers missed half the field goals they attempted, Walker said he looked to sign a kicker, but couldn’t find one he liked.
“I felt like (senior) Joel Howells finished the season strong and kicked well,” Walker said. “I put him on scholarship and I anticipate him kicking. Had I seen someone that just knocked my eyes out, I would have signed him, but I didn’t see one.”
NU’s class was ranked No. 52 by rivals.com. First-year Illinois coach Ron Zook managed to jump the Wildcats in the rankings, securing the No. 51 class. Until signing day Illinois was ranked below NU.
“There’s some guys in this class I guarantee you they’ve never pulled a razor out of the medicine cabinet,” Walker said. “They have never shaved. There’s one young man, he walked out and I thought he was 13 years old.”
Reach Abe Rakov at [email protected].
