Iannotti makes big impression on Eastern Michigan

Schaumburg quarterback Mark Iannotti made a big impression in his final high school football game.

Particularly impressed with Iannotti's play in a 55-50 second-round playoff loss to Simeon were coaches from Eastern Michigan.

Iannotti was also impressed with the potential he saw in Eastern Michigan's future and on Saturday made a verbal commitment to accept a scholarship from the school.

"They said they really liked what they saw (against Simeon) and they were wondering why I didn't have a bunch of other offers lined up," said Iannotti of a game where he had 397 yards of total offense. "They said they would try to put together an offer for me.

"My mom and I went up there (Ypsilanti) last Friday and toured the campus and facilities and we loved everything about it."

The 6-foot-3, 213-pound Iannotti had offers from North Dakota State and South Dakota and was also planning to set up an official visit to Western Illinois before getting the offer from Eastern Michigan.

Iannotti completed 67 percent of his passes this year for 1,398 yards with 12 touchdowns and 3 interceptions and rushed for 1,052 yards and 11 touchdowns. As a junior he threw for 1,201 yards with 9 TDs and 11 interceptions and ran for 591 yards and 7 TDs.

"It's like playing for Schaumburg for four years all over again," Iannotti said of the combination spread and pro-style offense run by Eastern Michigan. "That was one of the biggest things. When I went to the game on Friday, it was like watching one of Schaumburg's games.

"It's not like I'm jumping in and starting over from scratch."

A big difference for Iannotti will be going from a Schaumburg program that made three straight playoff trips to an Eastern Michigan program that hasn't had a winning season since 1995.

But Iannotti was impressed with what he saw from second-year coach Ron English shortly after Eastern Michigan finished the season at 2-10 with a 71-3 loss to Northern Illinois. Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Ken Karcher was also a backup to John Elway during a three-year stint with the Denver Broncos (1987-89).

"(English) had a look on his face when he talked to the recruits - he came in with such enthusiasm," Iannotti said. "It was a look where he truly believes with us as recruits he can turn this program around. That's one of the things that stuck with me.

"(Karcher) really knows what he's doing and he's going to be a great coach. That's one of the things that attracted me to them."

Iannotti, who has been an honor roll student every semester at Schaumburg, plans to major in criminal justice or forensic science and minor in sociology.

He is also glad to get the process over with early since his brother Anthony, the Daily Herald's Cook County All-Area captain two years ago, had to wait until the summer to finally get an offer from Northern Iowa. He is now on the roster at defending Division III national champion Wisconsin-Whitewater.

"That had a lot to do with my decision," Mark Iannotti said. "Obviously going up and seeing the campus had a lot to do with it, but seeing what my brother went through and waiting around for awhile, it was tough.

"When the offer came around I talked to my brother about it and he said to go with your gut if you really like it and take it while it's on the table."