It's Official: Wheaton South Seniors Sign Dotted Lines

Five senior stars from Wheaton Warrenville South’s 2010 Class 7A state championship football team signed letters of intent to play college ball during National Signing Day last Wednesday.

All-state quarterback (Illinois), offensive linemen and Luhrsen (Kansas and Eastern Illinois, respectively), defensive lineman (Illinois State) and tight end (Eastern Illinois) each made verbal commitments to their respective schools throughout 2010. Their signings last week made those oral commitments official.

Head coach said he admires the way in which the senior class set high goals, and how they conducted themselves on and off the field during what was a remarkable year. The Tigers went undefeated (14-0), knocked off eventual Class 8A state champ Maine South in the first game of the season, and then prevailed over a tough Lake Zurich squad in the 7A title game at Champaign to capture their second consecutive state crown.

The seniors spearheaded a two-year stretch in which the Tigers lost just one game.

“This has been a class that has been very fun and very easy to coach,” Muhitch said. “I can’t say that about everyone, but I can about this group. They were extremely cooperative, set high goals as a class and came to table with a little bit of expectations and a history of success at the lower level.

“I thought this was an extremely talented group of kids. A lot of kids with great character.”

Titus Davis signs with Central Michigan

Wide receiver Titus Davis, also an all-state pick, was the last of Wheaton South’s blue-chip recruits to commit. Davis, who spent most of January visiting colleges that were interested in bringing him on board, signed with Central Michigan last week. Davis chose Central Michigan over Ball State (which offered him a scholarship) and Toledo.

“He had a couple of options and had visits to make,” Muhitch said. “He ended up taking all these visits in January because we were playing in November, and December is a pretty condensed month. He likes the (Central Michigan) coaching staff and the school environment and felt very satisfied with the school.”

CMU head coach Dan Enos said he is looking forward to having Davis (58 catches, 1,239 yards, 18 TDs in 2010) on the squad.

“He’s a big receiver with excellent speed,” Enos told cmuchippewas.com. “He’s a difference-maker. We really had to battle for him in this recruiting process. He’s a great young man.”

Will Davis was an Illinois Football Coaches Association Class 7A all-state selection as a senior, as well as an all-area, all-conference and academic all-conference pick. At ISU, he'll join Wheaton South teammate Rocco Ammons, who is an offensive lineman for the Redbirds.  

O’Toole finished his stellar career at Wheaton South with over 5,000 yards and 65 touchdown passes. Last fall, he completed 74 percent of his passes for 3,187 yards, 42 touchdowns and only three interceptions. The Tigers’ offense averaged 424.3 yards and almost 47 points per game with O’ Toole behind center. O’Toole also was named Illinois Player of the Year by ESPNU and Gatorade.

“We singled out Reilly early,” Illinois head coach Ron Zook said in a press conference last week. “There’s a reason why he’s won as many games as he’s won. He’s a big guy, physical guy, great arm, he can move, he can run the option, he can do it all.”

Luke Luhrsen (6-5, 275) is heading to Lawrence, KS this fall as part of a recruiting class that Kansas head coach Turner Gill hopes will change the fortunes of a program which is coming off a 3-9 season.

Wheaton native Chuck Long—KU’s offensive coordinator who starred at quarterback for Iowa in the 1980s and also played in the NFL—was instrumental in Luhrsen’s recruitment.

“I am incredibly impressed with the raw talent that coach Gill brought in with this class,” Luhrsen told kusports.com. “A lot of people were saying that committing to KU was a leap of faith because of the 2010 season, but I think it was easy to put faith in such an outstanding coaching staff.”

Schuman (6-7, 225) and Luhrsen’s cousin, Eric (6-5, 235)—who also starts for the Tigers volleyball team—are joining forces at Eastern Illinois. The Panthers were 2-9 last year, but won two of their last three games.

“Eric is a very athletic lineman,” EIU assistant Matt Smiley told eiupanthers.com. “He has a 30-inch vertical jump. You can see his versatility as he was a member of two state championship sports programs in football and volleyball. Jason is a big target at tight end. He is an athlete as he also starts for his high school basketball team.”

Other Wheaton South recruits

Several Wheaton South seniors who weren’t signed last week are hoping to either walk on or possibly join teams at a later date.

Muhitch said offensive lineman Joe Hall could be in line for a partial scholarship, but has to get a medical clearance to play. Eastern Illinois and Illinois State have shown interest in Hall.

Matt Rogers, the Tigers’ leading rusher each of the past two seasons, is leaning strongly towards Dayton. But Muhitch said if Rogers does attend Dayton, it would be “pretty much” on an academic scholarship.

Outside linebacker Dom DeAngelis is considering Penn, or possibly walking on at either Illinois or Indiana. Meanwhile, defensive lineman Brian Welker is looking into attending Indiana; he also might try to walk on as a kicker at a Big Ten school. And linebacker Jack Eshleman is considering Indianapolis University.

Linebacker Mike Monterrubio, defensive back Caleb Bednarz and wideout Travis Kern are Division III prospects, while linebacker R.J. Hoshell is considering Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa.