Wisconsin-Whitewater just right for Wright
Evan Wright decided he couldn't go wrong with Wisconsin-Whitewater.
The school had everything the Fremd senior and 2009 Daily Herald All-Area football team's Cook County honorary captain wanted. A football program that has won two of the last three Division III national titles and a most important, an education program that will help him achieve his goal of becoming a physical education teacher and coach.
"It's probably the best in Wisconsin at putting out teachers into the field," Wright said. "That was the big thing and football was part of it. It's a place where I think I can go and play early and contend for a national championship."
The 6-foot-1, 193-pound Wright rewrote the Fremd record book as he rushed for 2,234 yards and 28 touchdowns on 370 carries.
He also played some quarterback in the "wildcat" formation as the Vikings won their seventh straight Mid-Suburban West title and advanced to the Class 8A quarterfinals.
But his success didn't translate into much Division I interest. Northern Illinois and Illinois State wanted him to walk on and Division II Quincy made a 50-percent scholarship offer.
Wisconsin-Whitewater, which also finished second in the nation in Division III in 2008 and is 42-3 in three years under Lance Leipold, contacted Wright in early February. Former Fremd players Jason Ford and Jimmy Norris also play there.
"I loved it up there," Wright said of his visit. "I talked to them and they said it's a lot like Fremd, actually. The playbook is virtually the same playbook as Fremd and that was awesome to see."
Wright said Whitewater runs inside and outside zone blocking schemes. Former Oak Park-River Forest star Levell Coppage rushed for 2,107 yards and 35 touchdowns last season as a sophomore.
Wright said he could still get an opportunity to play early since Whitewater likes to use its running backs in motion to receiver, which he did as a junior at Fremd.
And in the long run, Wright thinks choosing Whitewater could be one of his best moves.
"I probably was a little bummed about not going Division I," Wright said. "But everything happens for a reason. I think I would have ended up transferring out to go to a place like Whitewater where I could actually play.
"That's not to say I doubt my abilities. But I think Whitewater is a perfect fit."
Widmer heads to St. Ambrose: Wheeling senior defensive end Mike Widmer had always dreamed of playing college football since he was in grade school.
That dream became a reality when Widmer signed a letter of intent to play for St. Ambrose, an NAIA school in Davenport, Iowa.
"I really liked the school in general, the atmosphere and all the coaches and what they had to say," Widmer said. "The coaching staff was really friendly."
The 6-3, 200-pound Widmer visited St. Ambrose during a January football recruitment day and linebackers coach and JV defensive coordinator Kyle Krogmann was immediately interested. Widmer was also recruited by Quincy, Benedictine (Kan.) and Walsh (Ohio).
St. Ambrose, which plays in the Mid-States Football Association Midwest League, has made eight postseason trips and won seven conference titles in the last decade.
He said he'll play for the St. Ambrose JV team next year and then have four seasons of varsity eligibility.
"I was impressed when I sat down with one of the defensive coaches about what they're doing with the team and the basic overview of it all," Widmer said. "I really connected with them."
Widmer, who credited Wheeling coach Dave Dunbar and his staff and youth coach Chris Piehl for helping him achieve his dream, plans to study general business and is interested in becoming a firefighter.
Johnson to Trinity: Barrington linebacker-defensive back Dan Johnson committed to Trinity University.