The Big Northern Football Conference!
3 out of 4 these athletes made their way on the 1st Team All Conference list! Let us dive in to more information about these high profile athletes! Dual Threat QB Chad Gerig, Class of 2021, Stillman Valley High School,…
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Continue Reading3 out of 4 these athletes made their way on the 1st Team All Conference list! Let us dive in to more information about these high profile athletes!
Dual Threat QB Chad Gerig, Class of 2021, Stillman Valley High School, Stillman Valley, IL
Height: 5’11ft | Weight: 185lbs
Chad Gerig is a multi-sport athlete. He was the point guard on the varsity basketball team since his sophomore year. Since Illinois did not play football this fall he went out for the golf team. Gerig was able to perform at a high enough level to receive All Conference Honorable Mention. He will be able to transfer the mental and concentration skills from golf directly to the football field. Chad Gerig is a true dual threat QB. His High School team runs the wishbone which is a read option system. At Stillman, he is under center a lot and ends up running the ball quite a bit. All throughout Junior High and during HS 7 on 7 seasons he has played out of the shotgun. He is extremely comfortable playing under center and out of shotgun. Gerig can extend plays with his running and physicality. He will bring intensity, competitiveness and a no nonsense work ethic to any college program he decides to commit to. He leads by example. Everyday he works to get better physically and mentally both on and off the field. Gerig has increased his foot speed and arm strength. He started working with a strength, speed and agility trainer after last years football season & can’t wait to showcase his skills when the time comes! Chad Gerig was named First Team All Conference QB in 2019 as a Junior. Academically, he holds a 3.9/4.0 GPA and has been on the A honor roll all throughout HS.
MLB/SS/WR / Jericho Kirby, Class of 2021, Dixon High School, Dixon, IL
Height: 6’1ft | Weight: 195lbs
Jericho Kirby! Imagine hearing the announcer say that name after a big play! That’ll definitely grab your attention. Along with football Jericho participated in track, basketball, and wrestling. Jericho literally has flown around the field his entire football career by being an extreme versatile football player. I asked him how did he go from LB to Safety early on in his High School career and his response was “I always played linebacker, but coach told me that the way I’d get playing time as a sophomore was by playing safety, so you gotta do what you gotta do to get out there.” With Dixon HS losing some depth inside Jericho can be expecting a lot more reps at the MLB position. It is the same when it comes to the offensive side of the ball for Jericho. He has played WR & RB and is looking to get a far balance of reps within both positions this year. Jericho Kirby is a rare breed of athletes that is willing to play whatever position to help his team compete at the highest level in order to win football games. When it comes to college, he has the same mentality to do whatever he has to in order to get on the field and contribute to wins, whether that’s on the offensive or defensive side of the ball. I asked Jericho what is his most unique football skill & his response was “Honestly I think my most valuable skill is just football IQ. Even if there’s a stronger or faster guy on the field, I don’t think anyone will have a better football mind than me out there, and that just spans from being in love with the game for as long as I remember.” Jericho Kirby is a complete package and superstar football player that any program would be blessed to have. Last year, he was named First Team All-Conference as a DB, and also was All State Academic. As of right now, Jericho has one official offer from Roosevelt University, and is keeping his options open, including not continuing his football career to fully pursue in his academics.
QB / Breccan Berns, Class of 2021, Oregon High School, Oregon, IL
Height: 5’11ft | Weight: 185lbs
Breccan Berns has picked up a lot of Division 3 attention from schools already after his Junior year performance. Berns would fit a lot of DIII programs extremely well because of his style of play. He is a Dual threat quarterback and he can really tear up a defense in a variety of different ways. He definitely knows how to put the ball on the money to his WR. Berns will put the ball to where only his WR can make the play. At times it looks as it was almost too easy for the WR to complete the catch. I love how Berns can slice up the defense up with his feet. The way he runs RPO’s is flawless. Berns IQ is definitely above the average High School quarterbacks and will only develop as he gets older receiving more knowledge of the game from his college coaches. Berns hold a current 3.8GPA & is a two sport athlete participating in baseball during the spring.
QB / Logan Emanuel, Class of 2021, North Boone High School, Poplar Grove, IL
Logan Emanuel will definitely be playing with a chip on his shoulder this year since he did not make First Team All-Conference. Emanuel did make Second Team All-Conference but no one wants to settle for second! Emanuel finished last season with passing stats of 164 completions out of 297 attempts. Threw for 24 touchdowns and ran for 553 rushing yards with 6 rushing touchdowns. Emanuel is extremely patient in the pocket. If the first read is not available he knows how to quickly throw it to the check down, find another receiver open, or to takeoff out of the pocket and make something out of nothing. The way Emanuel makes all his moves you can tell he is always thinking one step ahead of his defenders. I enjoy how Logan Emanuel only puts the ball to where his guy can make the play. He throws perfect spirals and displays great mechanics while maneuvering in the pocket. Emanuel has a lot of more eyes to open and will give the University of Wisconsin-Stout something to look forward to this upcoming fall as he has recently committed to UW Stout to further his academic and athletic career!