Feb. 4, 2004

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - University of Illinois head football coach Ron Turner announced the signing of 24 student-athletes as members of the newest Fighting Illini recruiting class Wednesday afternoon.

The class of 2004 is balanced with 12 players from the defensive side of the ball, 10 from the offense and two special teams players. The Illinois coaching staff built this edition with a base of six linemen, five defensive backs, three linebackers, three wide receivers, two running backs, two quarterbacks, two specialists and one tight end. All 24 signees come from the high school ranks.

"I am really excited about the group we have signed this year," Turner said. "Our coaching staff has always done a tremendous job of building a foundation of trust with our high school coaches and this year that trust was tested during a very difficult time. But, that foundation withstood that test and what resulted was a very talented group of young men with great character. These signees believe in our coaches and players we have here and ultimately in the future success of this program.

"We have signed 24 players that meet needs in the program as well as improve our athleticism," Turner said. "I think we have landed two very special quarterbacks in Billy Garza and Kisan Flakes. To have a successful program at the national level, you need top-caliber quarterbacks and we believe those two fit that mold."

Among this year's signees are two Top-100 athletes, two other All-Americans and 11 additional all-region selections, according to various recruiting publications. Illinois signed Tom Lemming Top-100 selections in running back Brock Bolen (Springboro, Ohio/Valley View) and wide receiver Bryant Creamer (Chicago, Ill./Simeon). Sam Carson (Woodridge, Ill./Downers Grove South) and tight end JR Kraemer (Wildwood, Mo./Lafayette) earned All-America honors by SuperPrep and PrepStar. Bolen becomes the third Illinois recruit to graduate early from high school to attend Illinois for the spring semester. He is currently enrolled in classes and will complete spring practices with the squad.

The 2004 class features 10 athletes from the state of Illinois, including eight from the Chicago area. The Illini broke into Georgia, signing three from the Peach State, after not having a Georgia-native in a recruiting class since 1983. This season's class of athletes represent 10 different states, including California, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, South Carolina and Texas.

Charles Bailey Jr.
6-1, 195, DB
Ft. Wayne, Ind./Northrop
Coach: Matt Stinson
High School: Named All-state and All-region as a senior ... Finished his career with 113 solo tackles and 42 assists as well as 14 tackles-for-loss and nine sacks ... Forced seven career fumbles and recovered five, while breaking up 15 passes ... Is the school's all-time rushing leader and set school record for career rushing touchdowns ... Rushed for 2,335 yards and 30 scores ... Three-time All-Conference selection ... Earned three letters each in football and track ... All-State performer in track ... Recipient of the Euell Wilson Award, given to the exceptional football player who also excels in the classroom and community ... Team placed second at state in track as a junior ... Set national indoor record in the 55-meter hurdles with a 7.4 mark ... Named the "Fastest Hurdler in the Nation."

Personal: Full name is Charles Allen Bailey Jr. ... Born on Oct. 26, 1985 ... The son of Charles and Patricia Bailey ... Father, Charles Sr., played football at Michigan State from 1966-70 ... Lists Mike McKinzie as his favorite athlete ... Honor roll student.

Turner on Bailey: "Charles is a very athletic football player who excelled at both running back and defensive back during his high school career. We are projecting him as a safety here at Illinois. He has outstanding speed which is evidenced by his great track times."

Brock Bolen
6-1, 230, RB
Springboro, Ohio/Valley View
Coach: Jay Niswonger
High School: Named a Top-100 recruit by the Chicago Sun-Times ... Carried the ball for 2,087 yards and scored 40 times as a senior ... Rushed for 2,287 yards and 43 touchdowns as a junior ... For his career, totaled 6,099 yards and 108 touchdowns ... Ranked the No. 1 fullback in the country by Tom Lemming ... Named the team's Most Valuable Player for three straight years ... Earned first-team All-State by the Dayton Daily News and Middletown Journal Herald ... Garnered first-team All-District, All-League and All-Conference honors ... PrepStar All-Region selection ... Set seven school rushing and scoring records ... As a junior, was the Middletown Journal's Player of the Year, first-team All-Conference, first-team All-District and second-team All-Ohio ... During his sophomore year, was first-team All-Area by the Dayton Daily News and Middletown Journal, first-team All-Conference and second-team All-District ... Played football at Fenwick High School and was honorable mention All-League and All-District as a freshman ... Four-time Scholar-Athlete Award winner.

Personal: Born on March 24, 1985 ... The son of Gail and Jim Bolen ... Has one sister, Stephanie ... Enrolled at Illinois in Jan. 2004 and will go through spring practices.

Turner on Bolen: "Brock is a very versatile football player with great running skills. One of his greatest assets is his ability to catch balls out of the backfield. He is also a tremendous blocker and a physical player who fits the mold of what we are looking for at running back."

Anthony Brodnax
6-1, 180, DB
Lithonia, Ga./Lakeside
Coach: Bill Harris
High School: As a senior recorded 48 tackles and five passes broken up as well as 911 yards rushing and 286 receiving ... Finished his career with 137 tackles, 18 PBUs and three interceptions ... Earned letters in football, track and basketball.

Personal: Full name is Anthony Curtis Broadnax ... Born on Dec. 29, 1985 in Wuerzburg, Germany ... The son of Lemuel and Sonja Leach ... Cousin, Jamal Wilson, currently plays football at Purdue ... Lists Michael Vick as his favorite athlete.

Turner on Brodnax: "Anthony is extremely quick and has great acceleration to the football. He is physical and aggressive, especially for a cornerback. He has the potential to be a great cover corner, who can also be very effective in run support."

Sam Carson III
6-1, 225, LB
Woodridge, Ill./Downers Grove South
Coach: John Belskis
High School: Two-time All-State selection ... Named All-State by the Champaign News-Gazette ... Finished his career with a school record 366 tackles ... Earned All-Conference honors at inside linebacker in both 2002 and 2003 ... Registered 127 tackles, including 83 solo stops as a senior ... Twice named the West Suburban Gold Defensive Player of the Year ... SuperPrep All-American ... PrepStar All-American ... Helped lead team to a state championship in 2003 ... Recorded 120 tackles and four interceptions as a junior.

Personal: Full name is Samuel Carson III ... Born on March 10, 1986 ... The son of Sam and Gwen Carson ... Father, Sam, played football at Eastern Illinois with current Illinois assistant coach Greg McMahon ... Cousin, Roosevelt Brown, played for the Chicago Cubs ... Lists Ray Lewis as his favorite athlete ... Biggest thrill in sports was winning a state title in football.

Turner on Carson: "Sam is just an outstanding athlete. What I like most about Sam is the instinctive nature he has to get to the football. He can run sideline-to-sideline and is a great leader. His athleticism is very obvious by the fact that he is an excellent basketball player."

Bryant Creamer
6-3, 190, WR
Chicago, Ill./Simeon
Coach: Al Scott
High School: Named a national Top-100 recruit by the Chicago Sun-Times ... Earned first-team All-State honors by the Champaign News-Gazette ... Named to the Chicago Sun-Times All-Area team ... PrepStar All-American ... Named Public League Most Valuable Player ... Caught 63 passes, 23 for touchdowns ... First-team All-City ... Averaged 21.2 yards per reception ... SuperPrep All-Region ... Football Team Captain ... Basketball team has twice won the city championship and is currently ranked No. 3 in the state.

Personal: Born on April 7, 1986 ... Lives with his great-grandfather, Paul Creamer.

Turner on Creamer: "Bryant is a big-play receiver who can double as both a possession receiver and a down-the-field vertical threat. He has great leaping ability and good ball skills. We expect him to be an impact player here at Illinois very early."

Jody Ellis
6-1, 180, DB
Evanston, Ill./Evanston Township
Coach: Tony Johnson
High School: Named to the 2003 IHSA All-State team ... Earned All-State honors from the Champaign News-Gazette and Chicago Sun-Times ... Central Suburban South Conference Player of the Year ... Recorded 115 career tackles, five interceptions and three fumble recoveries ... As a senior, he had 85 tackles and three picks ... Also caught 67 passes for 870 yards and 19 touchdowns ... Lettered in football and basketball.

Personal: Full name is Joseph Leo Ellis ... Goes by "Jody" ... Born on July 14, 1986 ... The son of Keith and Mona Ellis ... Lists Deion Sanders as his favorite athlete ... Honor roll student.

Turner on Ellis: "Jody Ellis is just a football player. When you watch his film you see No. 1 fly across the screen - whether he is making plays as a receiver or defensively making interceptions and big hits. He seems to always be around the ball and has tremendous instincts and outstanding all-around abilities."

Kisan Flakes
6-1, 190, QB
Lovejoy, Ga./Lovejoy
Coach: Al Hughes
High School: Earned All-State Offensive Player of the Year honors ... Named the Southern Crescent Offensive Player-of-the-Year ... PrepStar All-Region ... First-team All-Area ... Team captain ... Lovejoy High School Offensive Player of the Year ... Garnered All-Region Offensive Player of the Year accolades ... Three-year letterwinner in football.

Personal: Full name is Garrett Kisan Flakes ... Born on July 28, 1986 in Buffalo, N.Y. ... The son of Garrett Flakes and Rayshonne Jones ... Brother, Julius Page, plays basketball for the University of Pittsburgh ... Earned a 3.4 GPA in an accelerated college prep program ... Lists Michael Vick as his favorite athlete.

Turner on Flakes: "Kisan has great instincts in the pocket. I was impressed with his awareness and presence. He has the ability to hurt you not only with his arm, but also with his feet. He can make the first pass-rushers miss and then has the uncanny instincts to know when to pull the ball down and run, or wait and make a play to an open receiver."

Xavier Fulton
6-5, 270, DL
Flossmoor, Ill./Homewood-Flossmoor
Coach: Tom Bailey
High School: Named to All-State teams by the Chicago Sun-Times, Champaign News-Gazette and Illinois High School Coaches Association ... Recorded 98 tackles, 58 solo stops and 7.5 sacks as a senior ... Also had 17 quarterback hurries, three blocked field goals, three fumble recoveries and five PBUs ... All-Area performer by Chicago Sun-Times, Daily Southtown and Star Newspapers ... Ranked in the lists of Top-25 Illinois recruits by Rivals, ESPN and The Insiders ... SuperPrep All-Region ... Lettered in football and wrestling.

Personal: Full name is Xavier Allen Fulton ... Born on April 18, 1986 ... The son of Glen and Alma Fulton.

Turner on Fulton: "Xavier excelled on both sides of the ball in high school. He has tremendous quickness and strength. He was productive in every facet of the game, blocking kicks and tackling for loss. He just has a knack for making plays around the ball."

Billy Garza
6-2, 195, QB
Brownsville, Texas/Porter
Coach: Jim Helms
High School: Passed for 3,185 yards and 38 touchdowns as well as seven touchdowns rushing ... Holds single-game school record with 404 yards passing and seven touchdowns against Harlingen South ... Garnered All-State honors by the Associated Press and Dave Campbell's Texas High School Magazine ... Named the All-Valley Offensive Most Valuable Player by the RGV Newspapers and the Bay Area Sports Newspaper ... District 32-4A Most Valuable Player ... Earned a total of 11 letters in football, baseball and basketball ... All-District performer in both baseball and basketball.

Personal: Full name is William Michael Ball Garza ... Goes by "Billy" ... Born on Oct. 6, 1985 ... Coached by Jim Helms, former Illinois running backs coach ... The son of William Garza and Marilyn Ball-Garza.

Turner on Garza: "Billy has an outstanding feel for the game. He is extremely accurate with good touch on his passes, but at the same time has the strength to make all the throws you want to make. He is also a tremendous leader with that aura you are looking for in a quarterback. He is also a standout basketball and baseball player."

Justin Harrison
5-11, 205, DB
Bloomington, Ill./Bloomington
Coach: Rigo Schmelzer
High School: Earned All-State honors from the Chicago Sun-Times, Champaign News-Gazette, Illinois High School Coaches Association and the Bloomington Pantagraph ... PrepStar All-Region ... Made 119 tackles, 21 tackles for loss and caused four fumbles as a senior ... Also picked off three passes and blocked two punts ... As a running back, he recorded 1,077 yards, scored 24 touchdowns and averaged 28.3 yards per reception ... Named to the Big 12 All-Conference team on both offense and defense ... Finished his career with 236 tackles, three sacks and three interceptions ... Selected to play in the Illinois Shriners All-State game ... Earned eight letters in football, baseball and track.

Personal: Full name is Justin Lavelle Harrison ... Born on Aug. 22, 1986 ... The son of Michael and Nicola Harrison ... Father, Michael, played football and baseball at Millikin University ... Uncle, Eric Wright, played cornerback for the San Francisco 49ers for 12 years ... Illinois football hero is Dana Howard ... Originally from East St. Louis, his parents played on teams with Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Kellen Winlsow and Jerome Heavens ... Biggest thrill in sports was scoring a touchdown in the IHSA state championship game and hitting a walk-off homerun to win a national Khoury League Championship game.

Turner on Harrison: "Justin is a physical player. When he hits you, you know you've been hit. We are really excited about his future contributions to the secondary, primarily as a safety. He never came off the field in high school, playing offense, defense and special teams."

Kyle Knezetic
6-1, 195, LS
Channahan, Ill./Minooka
Coach: Mike Briscoe
High School: Earned All-Conference honors as a senior ... Also made Joliet and Morris' All-Area teams as both a safety and tight end ... Recorded 58 tackles, one sack, three interceptions, four recovered fumbles and three forced in 2003 ... Played outside linebacker as a junior and had 42 tackles, two sacks, three fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles and two interceptions ... Lettered in both football and basketball.

Personal: Full name is Kyle Robert Knezetic ... Born on Nov. 5, 1985 ... The son of Kenneth and Teena Knezetic ... Favorite Fighting Illini hero was Dick Butkus ... Biggest thrill in sports was beating Providence in the 2003 quarterfinals, 14-7.

Turner on Knezetic: "Whenever you sign someone you look for that special quality and we have found that in Kyle. We had him in camp so we have seen first-hand what he can do. He gets the ball back as quickly as I have seen at this level. He was also productive linebacker, but has dedicated himself to being the best long snapper in the country and we believe he is."

JR Kraemer
6-5, 220, TE
Wildwood, Mo./Lafayette
Coach: Mick Picataggio
High School: Earned All-State honors in 2003 as a punter ... Named to the 2003 St. Louis Rams All-Metro team as a tight end ... All-Conference performer as a linebacker, punter and tight end ... SuperPrep All-American ... PrepStar All-Region ... Team Captain ... Finished second at state in the 110-meter hurdles ... Named to the All-Conference team as a defensive back, punter and wide receiver after his junior season ... Four-year starter ... Earned nine letters in football, track and basketball ... Set the school record in the 110-meter hurdles and triple jump ... Took second in the 110-meter hurdles in 2003 and was named to the All-Conference and All-District teams in track.

Personal: Full name is John R. Kraemer ... Goes by "JR" ... Born on May 13, 1985 ... The son of John and Cathy Kraemer ... Plans to pursue a major in sports management.

Turner on Kraemer: "JR is a gifted athlete who can really run, catch the ball and block. He played both sides of the ball, punted and has done just about everything on the field. He also runs track and I know it is his goal to win the state title in the high hurdles where he took second last year. He brings a lot of athleticism to the position."

Ryan McDonald
6-4, 270, OL
Holland, Mich./West Ottawa
Coach: Jim Caserta
High School: Earned All-Conference honors as a senior ... Named to the Holland Sentinel Dream Team in 2003 ... Two-time All-Area performer ... Team set school records for wins and points scored in 2002 and 2003 ... Also set record for total offense in 2002 ... In 2003, the offense led the conference in scoring and averaged over 400 yards and 37 points a game ... Had 77 knockdowns and 59 tackles, five for loss as a senior ... Three-year starter on the offensive and defensive line, leading his team to a 21-10 record during that time ... Totaled 59 knockdowns and 14 tackles as a junior ... PrepStar All-Region selection ... Team Captain ... Selected for the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association All-Star Game ... Nominated to play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl ... Earned letters in football and basketball

Personal: Born Aug. 21, 1985 in Toledo, Ohio ... The son of Phil and Jan McDonald ... Father, Phil, played center for the Illini from 1974-76 ... Would like to pursue a career in engineering ... Member of the National Honor Society with a 3.99 GPA ... Won the school's scholar-athlete award three consecutive years ... Lists Tony Boselli as his favorite athlete.

Turner on McDonald: "Ryan is a good athlete. He was a two-way player who really has a passion for football at the University of Illinois, with his father as a former player. He is the kind of guy you like to have in the program because of his understanding of the tradition of Illini football. He is also an outstanding student-athlete."

Walter Mendenhall
6-0, 200, RB
Skokie, Ill./Niles West
Coach: Mark Egofske
High School: Averaged 7.7 yards per carry as a senior at Niles West, rushing for 1,158 yards on 151 attempts for 14 touchdowns ... PrepStar All-Region selection ... SuperPrep All-Region ... Also caught 10 passes for 189 yards and recorded 38 tackles and two interceptions ... Finished his career with over 3,600 all-purpose yards ... Named a Champaign News-Gazette All-State special mention ... Two-time Pioneer Press All-Area selection ... Scored 15 touchdowns, while rushing for 1,250 yards as a junior ... Earned Central Suburban League Offensive MVP as a junior ... Learner Press Player of the Year in 2003 ... Named to the Prep Football Report All-Area team ... Earned 10 letters in football, basketball and track ... Two-time state qualifier in track ... Track conference sectional champs.

Personal: Born on Jan. 22, 1986 ... The son of Walter and Sybil Mendenhall ... Earned academic all-conference honors with a 3.2 GPA ... Honor roll student ... Lists Ray Lewis as his favorite athlete ... Would like to pursue a career as a high school teacher and coach after graduation.

Turner on Mendenhall: "Walter was extremely productive as a high school running back. He is strong, and athletic, with good running skills and outstanding hands out of the backfield. In this program, we look for that well-rounded running back, which Walter fits very well. He will be an outstanding player for us."

Dan Motuliak
6-4, 270, DL
Lafayette, Ind./Jefferson
Coach: Fred Kutruff
High School: Made 100 tackles as a senior ... PrepStar All-Region selection ... SuperPrep All-Region ... Two-time all-conference and all-area performer ... Recorded 60 tackles, two for loss and a sack as a junior ... Earned three football letters ... Four-time letterwinner in wrestling ... Member of Team Indiana for National Duals.

Personal: Full name is Daniel Evan Motuliak ... Born on May 2, 1986 ... The son of Marc and Kim Motuliak ... Was the sports editor of the school newspaper ... Spent time as a volunteer at The Boys and Girls Club ... Enjoys hunting, fishing and horseracing.

Turner on Motuliak: "Dan is another two-way player that we had in camp. We really liked his toughness. He has that mentality you need to have for a defensive lineman. He is very aggressive and physical. He is also an outstanding wrestler."

Jarvis Newson
6-0, 185, DB
Decatur, Ga./Columbia
Coach: Keith Johnson
High School: Earned first-team All-Dekalb County honors as a senior in 2002 ... Also all-state, all-city and all-metro ... As a senior, recorded 56 tackles, caused 13 fumbles and intercepted four passes ... Had 33 tackles, 11 interceptions and three fumbles as a junior ... Earned three letters in football, basketball and track.

Personal: Born on Dec. 9, 1984 ... The son of Lewis and Lunell Newson ... Brother, Kendall played football at Middle Tennessee State and just completed his first season with the Miami Dolphins ... Brother, Keon, is a junior defensive back at Bowling Green ... Hobbies include basketball, bowling and golf.

Turner on Newson: "Jarvis is a really talented athlete. He came out of high school a year ago, but we didn't have any scholarships available at the time. I admire his perseverance to stay with us. He is a very physical player who could be either a safety or a corner. I like the intensity and aggressiveness he brings to the position."

Jason Reda
6-3, 190, PK
Rock Island, Ill./Rock Island
Coach: Robert Krandall
High School: Named to All-State, All-Conference and All-Metro teams in football and was an All-Conference and All-Sectional performer in soccer ... All-State selection by the Champaign News-Gazette ... Career-long field goal in a game is 48 yards and 65 yards is longest in practice setting ... Named to the Illinois Football Dream Team by the IHSA ... PrepStar All-Region ... Lettered in football, soccer and track.

Personal: Full name is Jason Gerald Reda ... Born Aug. 16, 1985 ... The son of Gerald and Kim Reda ... Honor roll student ... Lists Michael Jordan as his favorite athlete ... Plans to major in business.

Turner on Reda: "Jason has a great leg, as good as I have seen in a long time. He is another player that we had the luxury of seeing in camp. What we discovered is that he has leg strength that is hard to find in somebody at that level. He has tremendous potential and upside."

Jeff Sobol
6-4, 250, DL
Pevely, Mo./Herculaneum
Coach: Stan Helms
High School: Three-time all-conference performer as an offensive and defensive lineman ... Named to the KJFF Dream Team two straight years ... Team's Most Valuable Player ... PrepStar All-Region ... School's first three-time all-state player ... Nominated to play in the Army All-American Bowl ... Helped lead team to conference titles in 2001 and 2003 ... Earned letters in football, basketball and track.

Personal: Full name is Jeffrey Adam Sobol ... Born on Dec. 25, 1985 in Muscatine, Iowa ... The son of Mark and Judy Sobol ... Lists Grant Wistrom as his favorite athlete ... Was named the Pevely Lions Club Mr. Football 2004 ... Was the school's 2003 Homecoming King and Student Council Executive Vice President.

Turner on Sobol: "You watch Jeff's film and see that he is all over the place. He is a very active player with tremendous quickness off the ball. He uses hands very well and has that tenacity and toughness you can't teach. I love the way he brings a spark every time he hits the field."

Tony Sparkman
6-4, 280, OL
Brooklyn Park, Minn./Wayzata
Coach: Brad Anderson
High School: Named to the Classic Lake All-Conference team ... Also earned All-Metro and All-City honors ... Named to Rivals 101 All-State team ... All-Area performer ... Helped lead team to the state quarterfinals in 2003 ... Earned four letters in football.

Personal: Full name is Tony Maurice Sparkman ... Born on April 27, 1986 ... The son of Darlene Hayes ... List Steve McNair as his favorite athlete ... Says his younger brother, T.J., is the most influential person on his athletic career.

Turner on Sparkman: "Tony is an outstanding player who made the most of a tough situation. He moved to Minnesota from Chicago just prior to training camp as a junior and jumped right in and learned the new system. He is very strong and set records in his school's weight room. He brings a tremendous toughness to the offensive line."

Alex Stroud
6-1, 185, WR
Danville, Calif./De La Salle
Coach: Bob Ladouceur
High School: Played both receiver and outside linebacker as a senior ... Started all 13 games, recording 17 catches for over 300 yards in 2003 ... Also recorded 65 tackles and two interceptions ... Was a part of two-consecutive state championship teams in 2002 and 2003 ... Rated the No. 15 recruit in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties ... Given the team's "Iron Spartan" Award ... Earned letters in both football and baseball.

Personal: Full name is Alexander Patrick Stroud ... Born on Aug. 23, 1985 in Berkeley, Calif. ... The son of Patrick and Laurie Stroud ... Part of a baseball team that was one out away from going to the Little League World Series at the age of 12 ... Enjoys fishing, working on cars and playing basketball ... High school game against Evangel Christian was nationally televised on ESPN.

Turner on Stroud: "Alex is a standout athlete with the best of his career still in front of him. He has only played football for a couple of years, but played on traditionally one of the best high schools teams in football, De La Salle, in California. He has a 40-plus inch vertical jump and great speed and explosiveness. His coach was most impressed with how quickly he took to his only year of playing defense."

Derek Walker
6-5, 245, DL
Glendale Heights, Ill./Glenbard East
Coach: Dennis Lueck
High School: Earned special mention All-State honors by the Champaign News-Gazette ... Named the team's Most Valuable Player in football, track and basketball ... Was an all-conference performer as a senior ... Registered 32 solo tackles, 15 for loss and 18 sacks in nine games in 2003 ... SuperPrep All-Region ... PrepStar All-Region selection ... Earned letters in football, basketball and track ... Two-time all-conference selection in the discus ... Named to the all-conference team in basketball.

Personal: Full name is Derek Raynal Walker ... Born on Sept. 16, 1986 in Chester, Pa. ... The son of Walton and Doreathea Walker ... Would like to pursue a career in graphic design ... Hobbies include drawing and building models.

Turner on Walker: "Derek is a really gifted athlete, defensively. He has a tremendous upside. His senior year he was much improved. As a junior he played strictly on athleticism, but learned to be a much more aware football player. He brings great burst and acceleration to the defensive line."

Russ Weil
v6-0, 240, FB/LB
Minooka, Ill./Minooka
Coach: Mike Briscoe
High School: Three-time all-conference selection ... Earned all-state honors from IHSA, Champaign News-Gazette and Chicago Sun-Times ... PrepStar All-Region ... Made 24 solo tackles, 36 assists and 10 tackles for loss as a senior ... SuperPrep All-Region ... Morris Daily Herald All-Area Most Valuable Player ... As a running back finished his career with 2,500 yards and 32 touchdowns ... Earned three letters in football and four in wrestling ... Won an Illinois state wrestling title at 215 pounds in 2002 ... Earned all-conference and all-state honors.

Personal: Full name is John Russell Weil ... Born on July 3, 1985 ... Son of John and Stephana Weil ... Honor roll student.

Turner on Weil: "Russ is as intense a player as I remember seeing. He has only one speed and that is 100 percent all the time. He is very versatile and could play fullback, linebacker or defensive end. He won a wrestling state title, which shows his great mental toughness."

Remond Willis III
6-0, 220, LB
Lilbourn, Mo./New Madrid
Coach: Glen Pixley
High School: Named to all-conference and all-region teams as a running back and quarterback in high school ... PrepStar All-Region ... Earned all-state honors ... SuperPrep All-Region ... Recorded 47 solo tackles, 51 assists, 16 tackles for loss and four sacks ... On offense, rushed for 2,086 yards and scored 26 touchdowns ... Lettered in football, basketball and baseball.

Personal: Born Aug. 28, 1985 ... The son of Remond Willis and Diane Taylor ... Name is pronounced "Ramone" ... Honor roll student ... Lists Ronde Barber as his favorite athlete.

Turner on Willis: "When you think Remond Willis, you think great speed. I am really excited about what he brings to the table. He excelled his senior as a running back after previously being known for his great defensive play. I like the way he has the ability to make play after play."

Andre Young
6-5, 190, WR
North Augusta, S.C./North Augusta
Coach: Joe Long
High School: Caught 72 passes for 1,311 yards and 12 touchdowns all for school records ... SuperPrep All-Region ... Set a South Carolina single-game record with 13 catches and 322 yards in the playoffs ... Caught eight passes for 113 yards and two scores in the South Carolina North/South All-Star game to earn MVP honors ... Earned All-Region and All-CSRA honors in both football and basketball ... Earned letters in football, basketball and baseball.

Personal: Full name is Andre? Charlton Young ... Born on Nov. 27, 1985 in Augusta, Ga. ... The son of Al and Jackie Young ... Father played for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1971-73 ... Brother, Anthony, currently plays football at Wake Forest and brother, Al Jr., played for Livingstone College from 1995-98 ... Lists Michael Jordan as his favorite athlete ... Honor roll student ... Member of the Mu Alpha Theta honor society ... Was the president of school's FCA and volunteered for the "Adopt-A-Child" organization.

Turner on Young: "Andre fits the mold of receiver that we try to get in this program. He plays basketball and had a chance to possibly play in college. He has great body control and is impressive with his ability to go up and get the ball. He reminds the coaching staff of Walter Young, except more polished as a receiver coming out of high school."