High school football 2026: Storylines to watch in Cook County
High schools in the area have been getting an earlier start every year.
Now it is high school football’s turn.
Official practice begins Wednesday. Teams will have to get things rolling quickly because they are targeting a newer opening for the official kickoff to Friday Night Lights.
In the past, the first weekend of games was slated for the weekend before Labor Day. But this season the new start date will Aug. 21. That’s due to the increase in the number of playoff teams statewide from 256 to 384, and the Illinois High School Association moved up the start date for the season to accommodate the extra playoff round.
Players, parents, coaches and their families had to change their summer plans when the new IHSA schedule was announced back in December. Teams moved up their summer workout schedules because of the early start.
It will be interesting to see how the new start affects everyone this season.
Here are four other things to watch in the upcoming season in Cook County.
More area playoff teams
It will be a different feel for teams around Week 6 this year. In past seasons, there were teams whose seasons were all but over at that point.
Teams that were winless or only had one win were already eliminated. And teams with two or even three wins may have had powerhouses reaming on their schedules, which made making the playoffs nearly impossible.
But with the new playoff format, teams with three wins will be automatic qualifiers. Even some two-win teams will also be able to make the playoffs.
Looking back at last season, eight of the Cook area’s 17 teams qualified for the playoffs. Under the new format, Elk Grove, Buffalo Grove, Conant, Schaumburg, Leyden and Maine West would all have had a playoff game.
Elk Grove, which missed the playoffs in the last three seasons, would have qualified each year under the new system.
“We view the new playoff format as a positive step for high school football,” Elk Grove coach Dan O’Donnell said. “Two years ago, we finished the season 4-5, but we were playing our best football at the end of the year. We had continued to improve each week, and it would have been interesting to see what that group could have accomplished with the opportunity to compete in the playoffs.”
Schedule changes after revamping the CSL
Maine East, Maine South and Maine West will compete in a realigned Central Suburban League this season. The conference opted to move to the Catholic League format of four teams per division.
That also means no automatic state playoff qualifier. But with the new playoff system in place, that should not be a factor.
The conference also ended its agreement with the Mid-Suburban League for two crossover games between the conferences. Instead, CSL teams will have two games scheduled within the conference but outside of their respective divisions.
Meanwhile, some of the MSL schools were able to pivot. Barrington, Fremd, Palatine, Hersey and Prospect were able to schedule Week 3 games with members of the DuPage Valley Conference. Only DeKalb from the DVC opted not to participate.
Six other MSL schools with play an extra East-West crossover during Week 3. Wheeling will host Rochelle that week.
Top area quarterbacks
How much fun will it be to follow the area’s top three quarterbacks this year?
Hersey’s Jake Nawrot, Maine South’s Jameson Purcell and Prospect’s Jackson Cacini are all Division I commits. The trio combined for over 8,000 passing yards last season, throwing for 99 touchdowns and running for another 25.
Nawrot led Hersey to a 10-2 mark. The Kentucky commit is coming off a school record-setting season, passing for 3,078 yards and 41 touchdowns. He also ran for 124 yards and 8 touchdowns.
Purcell led Maine South to its fourth consecutive state quarterfinal appearance. He was the starting quarterback for two of those seasons. The Indiana commit threw for 3,001 yards and 31 touchdowns. He showed his dual-threat ability rushing for 297 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Cacini is the newest area member of the QB D-I club, recently committing to Eastern Illinois after having four Division I offers. He led the Knights to a 7-3 mark last year, losing to Downers Grove North in the opening round of the playoffs. Cacini completed 72% of his passes for 2,142 yards with 27 touchdowns. He also ran for 7 touchdowns and 178 rushing yards.
Top area defensive players
While quarterbacks get most of the attention, four are defensive players have garnered Division I interest, three already committing.
Maine South OLB Matthew Schlenhardt, who is a 6-foot, 205-pound senior, has committed to Syracuse. He had 56 tackles last year, 22 for loss, and 8 sacks. He also forced 5 fumbles and had 6 deflections while earning all-state honors by the state’s coaches association.
Barrington’s Kane Switski, who is a 6-foot-5, 225-pound edge rusher, recently committed to Central Michigan after having received four other Division I offers.
Palatine has two players on this list.
Jayden Evans, who is a defensive back, had 3 interceptions last year and anchored the Pirates’ secondary. Evans, who is 6-feet and 185 pounds and is committed to Northern Illinois, also had 779 all-purpose yards and 6 touchdowns as a wide receiver and running back.
Palatine edge rusher Eliaz Egbe could be the most intriguing to watch this season. Egbe, who is only a junior and is 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds, already has offers from Illinois, Iowa State and Boston College.