The spring semester is a busy time for the Redbird football program. From National Signing Day in February to practices in March and the annual Red-White spring game in April, the coaches and team members have been working hard for the upcoming season.
The schedule is set, with six home games slated. The action begins September 1 against Eastern Illinois University. The entire schedule is available online at GoRedbirds.com. Season tickets are also now available. Get yours on the website or by calling Illinois State’s Athletics Ticket Office at (309) 438-8000.
Head coach Brock Spack has added 20 new Redbird recruits to the team. The group includes three offensive linemen, tight ends, and defensive backs; two defensive linemen and wide receivers; and a quarterback, linebacker, and running back. Within the mix are 14 high school seniors and six junior college transfers. They come from each coast and across Illinois, with eight from the Chicago area.
“Our goal is to continue to broaden our recruiting base each year and improve each class from the previous one,” Spack said. “Our last two classes have been very good, and several of those players have made immediate contributions to the team on the field. I expect several of this year’s signees to do the same.”
Several of the new recruits are “from programs that are used to winning on a yearly basis,” Spack said. “We like to have that winning attitude in our players. I think they will mesh well with the success and attitude we are developing at Illinois State.”
Beyond new players, Spack has added to his coaching staff as well by naming Steve Szabo as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Szabo has coached the defensive line, linebackers, and defensive backs at both the college and NFL levels. He coached in the Super Bowl and twice in Rose Bowl games that decided the national collegiate champion.
Spack has already tallied two winning years at Illinois State, and is eager to take the field this fall. Be there for the action and show your Redbird pride by joining other fans in cheering the team to a strong season!
