Watch 24/7 this week’s Public Affairs’ show featuring GOP IL Supreme Court nominee Mark Curran by clicking here.

Watch the show on Cable:

In Chicago, Ch 21, tonight, 8:30 pm and midnightIn Chicago, Ch. 21, tmw, Tuesday, 9:04 pmIn Chicago, Ch. 21, Saturday, 9:04 amIn Chicago, Ch. 19, Sunday, 8:34 am In Aurora, (comprised mostly of areas within IL S CT’s 2nd District),  Ch 10, Wed, Saturday & Monday at 6 pmIn Rockford, Ch 17, Thur, 8:30 pmAround the State, as the lead segment of this week’s IL Channel, two-hour packageMcHenry and Lake County, 58 suburbs, Next Tuesday, July 26, 8:30 pm, Ch 17;(25 Chicago Metro N & NW suburbs), Next Tuesday, July 26, 8:30 pm, Ch 19 & 35  Highland Park, Next Monday & Wed, July 18, 20, 8:30 pm, Ch 19

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“Public Affairs” show host Jeff Berkowitz, in Part 1 of 2 shows, interviews Mark Curran (R-Libertyville), who won a four-candidate GOP Primary on June 28, and now is the Republican nominee in the November 8 election contest for the 2nd District IL Supreme Court seat.

The Democrats now have a 4-3 majority in the IL Supreme Court. Justice Michael Burke (R-Elmhurst), who was appointed to the 2nd District seat on the IL Supreme Court about two years ago, to fill the vacancy created when Bob Thomas, former Chicago Bears kicker retired, is now running for election in the 3rd District, due to the Democrats redistricting him and the rest of DuPage county into theIL Supreme Court 3rd District. Burke, being taped tmw, will be on Public Affairs in two week.

The Court’s 2nd and 3rd Districts were “Red,” so the IL Democratic Party redistricted both seats to be purple. But many pundits think the 2nd and 3rd District seats are likely to go Republican this year if there is a national GOP wave. If that happens, the IL GOP would have a majority [4-3] on the 7 seat IL Supreme Court for the first time in sixty years.

The IL Constitution provides that the IL Supreme Court 1st District, consisting only of Cook County, which comprises about 40% of the IL population, elects three of the seven IL Supreme Court seats. The 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th Districts each elect one supreme court member and each district consists of various groupings of IL’s counties. After 2021 re-districting, each IL Supreme Court Justice is elected by county groupings totaling to about 1.8 million residents.

The IL Supreme Court’s 2nd District consists of Lake, McHenry, Kendall, Kane, and DeKalb counties. Only registered voters in those districts can vote in the IL 2nd District election. Berkowitz discusses with GOP IL S CT 2nd District nominee Mark Curran his background, experience, and professional qualifications for the IL Supreme Court.

Curran was an Assistant State’s Attorney for Lake County, IL for eight years (serving as a Senior Felony Prosecutor) and spent four years as an Assistant Attorney General (serving as a Gang Crime Bureau Chief) with the IL Attorney General’s office.

Curran was elected to Lake County Sheriff in 2006 as a Democrat, became a Republican in 2008 and was re-elected to the Sheriff position again in 2010 and 2014 as a Republican.

Curran has over the years, including his government work and eight years in private practice, tried more than 100 jury trials and 300 bench cases. Although Curran could not, due to the Canons of legal ethics, say or discuss how he would rule on any matters that might come before him as a Justice, he did discuss in Part 1 of the interview general issues relating to the law and his personal views about abortion, including the recent U S Supreme Court Dobbs case.

In part 2 of the interview, which will air as the “Public Affairs” show during the weeks of July 25 and August 1, Berkowitz and Curran discuss gun issues and the law, including some issues relating to the July 4th shooting in Highland Park, the IL Firearms Restraining Order Act, skyrocketing crime, and detention by the courts of defendants prior to their trial.     

Rochester High School has won eight state championships under Derek Leonard. (Twitter photo)

Over the past dozen years the Rochester Rockets have left a lasting impact on Illinois high school football. That impact has also been felt within the four state FCS programs.

Fifteen former Rochester players have played at the four Illinois FCS schools since 2006 (see list at story’s end) — from a program that started at the junior varsity level in 1995.

Yet, it’s been under head coach Derek Leonard — who took over the program in 2005 — that the Rochester Rockets have zoomed into the upper stratus of Illinois prep football, winning eight state championships since 2010.

“Before he got there, it was still considered a relatively new program. It wasn’t like there was a ton of history of success. There was no road map when he took over,” state recruiting analyst “Edgy” Tim O’Halloran said.

Rochester, located in Sangamon County, is approximately eight miles southeast of Springfield in central Illinois. According to recent census records, Rochester’s population is 3,778. Its high school enrollment is 767.

Leonard has posted a 174-34 career record. Moreover, those eight state titles came within a 10-year time frame, including five championships in a row.

The secret to success

“Obviously Derek Leonard has a lot to do with it,” O’Halloran said. “The moment he got in there he had a plan. He is incredibly organized, meticulous in everything that he does with that program. He has a good staff around him.

“I always look at it as a public school program that has been able to keep kids home. It’s no difference for Rochester versus what’s up here in the Chicagoland area (public school) programs trying to keep kids away from the Catholic schools.”

Leonard said, “I take a lot of pride of having success as a small public school.”

Zach Grant set several state high school receiving records as a player under Leonard. He was a key element of Rochester’s first state titles in 2010 and ’11. Grant then played collegiately at the University of Illinois.

“It’s remarkable what Derek and his staff have done the last 10-to-12 years. Just making it to the playoffs is special, but when you go to that many state championships and win, it’s unbelievable,” said Grant, now wide receivers coach at Western Illinois University.

“Everything Rochester runs offensively and defensively is very similar (to college programs),” Grant said. “There are things that we were running in high school that we hadn’t even started running in college. I think very highly of Derek.

“Once you have success in your program then you get people who want to be a part of that. After those first state championships, things really took off.”

Grant has witnessed the entire growth of the Rochester powerhouse.

“When I got into high school and got to be around Derek I saw his ability to get everybody to buy in. That was really special. You can’t talk about Rochester football without talking about Derek,” Grant said. “You talk about getting kids ready to go to college, and I could name every single coach on that staff and every one of those guys is an unbelievable coach . . . All of those guys are a huge part of that success.”

Mike Gunter graduated from Rochester in 2011. He next played at Eastern Illinois University where he contributed to back-to-back Ohio Valley Conference championship seasons and consecutive playoff appearances for the Panthers.

“When I was a kid growing up it was a 5-4 (record) and if we made the playoffs that was something,” Gunter said. “My junior year we went undefeated and all of the sudden you started noticing more and more people showing up for the games. They were three, four and five deep around the field.

“Success breeds success. It’s the thing to do on Friday night in the fall. Go watch the Rockets play.”

Nic Baker, now a record-setting quarterback at Southern Illinois University, led Rochester to a 27-1 combined record as a junior and senior and won two state championships.

“It’s the Rochester coaching staff. It’s the environment that they have that football program in. It’s the culture. It’s a cliche, but it’s true,” Baker said. “You go there and you’re just supposed to win. That’s just how it is. Your mind is fixed to win every game and to win the state championship. Your mind is fixed on that and that’s how you approach every day.”

A father-son act

Yet, Leonard is quick to credit his father Ken’s influence on his success.

“We all coach how we were coached and I was also fathered by the same person,” Leonard said. “Everything I do is outlined from him. Whatever success we have at Rochester from a coaching standpoint, it comes from my father.”

Derek Leonard played for his father at Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin High School in the mid-1990s and then became a record-setting quarterback at Illinois College in Jacksonville.

Ken Leonard is the all-time winningest coach in IHSA history and won five state championships with four additional title-game appearances.

“You look at the quarterback position and the run Derek has made there,” Grant said. “You go from Wil Lunt to Sean Robinson to Wes Lunt to Austin Green to the guys playing in college now . . . just about every quarterback that Derek has coached has gone to (play in) college, whether it’s Division 1 or D3, it doesn’t matter because they were all good enough to go play college ball. 

“Schematically it goes back to Ken Leonard. The stuff that Derek was running 15 years ago, Ken was running 20 years ago. That was way ahead of a lot of colleges and some college coaches.”

The weight of a father-son rivalry

Over the years, Rochester and Sacred Heart-Griffin have played each other — often for high stakes.

“It’s really tough. It was tough early on. It was tough on my mom (Liz) and our family,” Derek said. “We’ve been lucky because it’s always been a good game. As time went on it got a little easier, but the last two years the playoffs have been different. The stakes are higher.

“Two years ago we beat them to make the state championship and last year they beat us to go to the state championship. Those were not easy. Those carried more weight.”

And that weight got heavier after the game.

“Those two games have really worn him (Ken) out. When we lost he saw my two boys, his grandchildren, crying. He’s going to the state championship and he starts crying because those little boys were so devastated,” Derek said.

Ken Leonard announced he will coach his final season this fall, which opens with his team hosting Rochester.

A mother’s balance

Liz Leonard — Ken’s wife and Derek’s mother — graduated from Highland Park High School and then Illinois State University in the 1970s. She married Ken in 1977 and taught in Springfield School District 186 for nearly 30 years.

Liz passed away on Dec. 31, 2017, at age 64.

“She was always the one that kept us together. It didn’t matter who won and who lost. We would always go out for a family dinner afterwards. And after that day, it was over. She was the rock that kept us together,” Derek said. “It’s been tough without her.”

What Rochester means to the state FCS schools (& vice versa)

“Illinois is different from other states because it pulls you in different directions,” Derek Leonard said. “A lot of my kids go to those schools, so I’m often more interested in those schools.

“When it comes to the FCS schools, Illinois has a lot more interest (than in other states). (ISU head coach Brock) Spack has done a great job. I absolutely love Nick Hill (at SIU). Eastern and Western have fallen on tough times lately, but they’ve had past success.”

Grant joined the WIU staff under head coach Jared Elliott in 2020. He remains on the Leatherneck staff under first-year head coach and WIU alum Myers Hendrickson. There are three former Rochester players on the current Western roster.

“You look at other states and some may have one FCS school, and here we have four FCS Division I schools, three in the same conference. It’s special and makes Illinois special. There are a lot of really good high school football players in the state of Illinois, so to have four Division I FCS programs here for those kids is something special. Each school is recruiting Illinois pretty heavily.”

Gunter is a 2015 EIU graduate who coached for three collegiate seasons at various schools prior to taking a management position with Caterpillar. Gunter relishes the fact Rochester players have found their way onto FCS rosters over the years.

“Each one of those state programs is getting a kid that shows up and knows how to win. They know how to work hard. They know what it takes. You get a kid from a Rochester or from a Sacred Heart, he understands coaching. Those kids know what it takes to win,” Gunter said. “There’s a lot of coaches out there that would take those kids and would benefit from it. Both coach Leonards eat, sleep and breathe football and you just don’t see that as much these days. They get them ready to play at the next level. They understand that. They’re very special people.”

Rochester players at Illinois FCS schools

EIU

Danny Vehovic, WR/TE – 2006-10

Mike Gunter, SAF – 2011-15

Austin Green, QB – 2013-16

ISU

Jeremy Bivens, WR – 2015

Matt Swaine, DE – 2015-18

SIU

Nic Baker, QB – 2018-present

Avante Cox, WR – 2019-present

D’Ante’ Cox, WR – 2020-present

Chris Koerwitz, OL – 2021

WIU

Wil Lunt, QB – 2009-12

Taylor Hill, TE – 2012-15

Adam Conrady, TE – 2015-18

Clay Bruno, QB – 2020-present

Cade Eddington, WR – 2021-present

Jacob Durocher, RB – 2021-present

Now that KBJ has been sworn in as a Supreme Court justice to replace the justice she clerked for way back when, Stephen Breyer, it’s time to take note of a couple of things she said during her confirmation hearing.

They may make her critics and skeptics happy that she’s there.

(By the way, she isn’t alone on the current Court replacing who she clerked for. Both John Roberts and Brett Kavanaugh clerked for the justices they replaced–William Rehnquist and Anthony Kennedy, respectively.)

There were a couple of things Jackson said when she was testifying that seemed very interesting, under all the political circumstances.

Like when she was asked by Senator Marsha Blackburn if she could define what a woman is.

Brown said she couldn’t, that she wasn’t a biologist.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

Jackpot!

Her answer was certainly a welcome one for Blackburn and her idealogical colleagues. Jackson apparently thinks being a woman is based in biology!

Even though she didn’t mention that the biological basics for womanhood is having two X chromosomes (men have an X and a Y), she did maintain that being a woman was centered in their biology. And not within the more esoteric realms of head and heart, she implied–by maintaining that you have to be a biologist to understand that. And she wasn’t one.

Another time during the hearing, the former public defender and short-term member of the DC Circuit Court of Appeals, said that although she hasn’t had much experience ruling on Constitutional issues (which her coming assignment should require), she did say what she’d do when faced with a case invoking the US Constitution: “I’m looking at original documents. I am focusing on the original public meaning because I am constrained to interpret the text. Sometimes that’s enough to resolve the issue. . . .”

So maybe she’s going to be a dyed in the wool originalist after all? And maybe with a little time and seasoning, who knows? And maybe becoming besties with the other young woman and mom she now works with–Amy Coney Barrett? Who knows what can happen?

Maybe ACB and KBJ will rub off on each other. I sense they will watch each other. And try to figure each other out.

Why wouldn’t they?

Former Minooka star Isaiah Hill (7) is a key cog in the Eastern Illinois offense. (photo courtesy Sandy King, EIU Athletics)

If Isaiah Hill’s collegiate career were compared to a stop light, there have been nearly as many yellow and red lights as there have been green.

Hill, the 5-foot-11 redshirt senior, wants nothing more than solid green as he enters the avenue leading into his final season.

“I finally feel like I’m back to a point where I’m 100 percent,” Hill said via a Zoom call from Tuesday’s Ohio Valley Conference media day.

Hill’s list of injuries during his career have included broken fingers and a “strained MCL”. However, the worst came via a torn Achilles in Feb. 2021.

“That was the week before our first game (during the spring Covid year season),” Hill said. “I went home, found a surgeon and got my Achilles repaired (in early March). I did a couple of months of rehab.

“I came back in the spring and was ready for the fall camp.”

However, on a rainy fall camp day Hill caught a ball in the back of the end zone.

“I tweaked my MCL,” he said.

The Panthers offense sputtered without Hill in lineup. He returned for the final four games and managed to lead EIU with 39 receptions and 493 receiving yards.

Hill ended season with three straight games with 100 or more yards receiving and double-figure receptions in each contest to earn second team All-Ohio Valley Conference honors.

Hill had 11 catches for 207 yards at Southeast Missouri, a mark that was eighth best single-game receiving total in school history.

“It was super great feeling. That’s what you work for your career to have games like that,” Hill said.

On Tuesday, Hill was named to the preseason All-OVC offensive team along with tight end Jay Vallie, who missed last season with an injury.

Dark days

Despite his success, thoughts of those tough times stay with Hill.

“I can’t even tell you how many nights I was in my room (thinking) ‘this is it; I’m probably never going to be able to play football again’,” Hill said. “I was just sitting in my room thinking and crying.

“I love this game so much that I wanted to do everything I could to get back to the field. Luckily I was able to do that within a short time period.”

Hill originally committed out of high school to play at South Dakota State, where he spent two years before transferring to Eastern in 2019 as a redshirt sophomore.

Granted an NCAA transfer waiver to play at the start of conference schedule that season, Hill played in the final eight games, making six starts at wide receiver and being named to All-OVC Newcomer Team. He led team with 58 pass receptions for 571 yards.

Asked if he thought of transferring again during his injury-plagued time at EIU, Hill said, “Definitely there were some thoughts of ‘I need to get out of here’ but this is the place to be. I like that I’m here, and I’m just glad to be here.”

Coach’s comments

First-year head coach and EIU alum Chris Wilkerson likes that Hill is in Charleston as well.

“Isaiah is a great story,” Wilkerson said. “He’s battled injuries during his career, but was our most productive wide receiver last year.

“A phenomenal football player, a phenomenal leader. Our biggest task as a staff is now to try to find creative ways to get him the ball in space and to get him some more touches and to maintain his health. That’s been the biggest thing during the course of his career.”

Could those creative ways include putting Hill in the backfield at times?

“In high school I was lined up in the backfield a lot,” Hill said. “At Minooka I played pretty much everywhere, whether it was me on jet sweeps or coming out of the Power I (formation) doing a lot of running back stuff. I’m just trying to do whatever I can to help this team. If they need to put me in the backfield, I’m all for it.”

Wilkerson also noted that Hill is working on his MBA and has been “another coach on the field working with the younger receivers.”

Who will get Hill the ball?

Redshirt freshman Zach Weir and Bartlett High School product Jonah O’Brien are the lone quarterbacks with EIU game experience.

Weir, from Grafton, Wisc., completed 32-of-66 throws in 2021. He had one touchdown and was intercepted four times.

O’Brien returned to EIU after a stint at Colorado State. O’Brien, a redshirt sophomore, began 2019 as the EIU scout team quarterback but played the final home game of the season against Southeast Missouri, completing 12-of-21 pass attempts for 84 yards and one interception.

Meanwhile, South Bend native and University of Virginia transfer Ira Armstead II is a dual-threat option. A former three-star recruit by ESPN.com and 247sports.com, the sophomore is listed at 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds.

Freshman Kevin Conway, who played quarterback and safety at Providence Catholic High School and attended Diamond Football Academy prep school in Happy, Texas in the fall, transferred into EIU for the spring semester.

“I like all four of our quarterbacks. It’s going to be a tight battle between all of them. I don’t know who’s going to come out on top, but when it comes to chemistry I try to go in with every one of them and get as many reps as I can,” Hill said.

Following spring practice, the Panthers added senior Dom Shoffner, a transfer from FBS Charlotte. The 6-foot-1, 210-pound Shoffner began his collegiate career at North Carolina Central and also played at Monroe (NY) Junior College.

EIU opens fall camp July 31. The Panthers open the season on Thursday, Sept. 1 at FBS member Northern Illinois. The home opener is Sept. 10 against Chattanooga, a non-conference opponent.

Coming up tomorrow: Sophomore defensive end Jordan Miles shares his goals for the team and for himself following a breakout season.

The heart of summer is a great time to get outside at night and do a little stargazing. Programs introducing Chicagoans to the wonder of the night sky are underway, and they’re free.

Read on for the best of what’s happening this week in space right here in Chicago!

Astronomy Fundamentals Program with NAA, Naperville Municipal Center, Tuesday, July 19th, 7:30-8:30 pm

The Naperville Astronomical Association is hosting an astronomy fundamentals program. Learn how to observe the stars with software in a program led by club members. The program is free and open to the public. More info here: NAA

Adler at Night, Adler Planetarium, Wednesday, July 20th, 4-10 pm

Every Wednesday night the Adler Planetarium is open late and entry is free for Illinois residents! Sky shows, space displays, and hands on fun can be found at Chicago’s planetarium. Tickets are required, info here: Adler

Dearborn Observatory Tour and Viewing, Dearborn Observatory at NU Campus, Friday, July 22nd, 10-11 pm

Friday nights at the Dearborn Observatory are free and a great opportunity to get to know the night sky over Chicago. From 10-11 pm walk ins are welcome and while the observatory is open rain or shine, viewing depends on the weather. More details here: Dearborn at NU

NAA Stargazing Event, NAA Education Center, Saturday, July 23rd, 9-10 pm

The NAA is hosting a public stargazing event at the club’s observatory. Join club members at the NAA Astronomy Education Center for an hour of telescope viewing at several targets. More info here: NAA

Watch 24/7 this week’s Public Affairs’ show featuring GOP IL Supreme Court nominee Mark Curran by clicking here.

Watch the show on Cable:

In Chicago, Ch 21, tonight, 8:30 pm and midnightIn Chicago, Ch. 21, tmw, Tuesday, 9:04 pmIn Chicago, Ch. 21, Saturday, 9:04 amIn Chicago, Ch. 19, Sunday, 8:34 am In Aurora, (comprised mostly of areas within IL S CT’s 2nd District),  Ch 10, Wed, Saturday & Monday at 6 pmIn Rockford, Ch 17, Thur, 8:30 pmAround the State, as the lead segment of this week’s IL Channel, two-hour packageMcHenry and Lake County, 58 suburbs, Next Tuesday, July 26, 8:30 pm, Ch 17;(25 Chicago Metro N & NW suburbs), Next Tuesday, July 26, 8:30 pm, Ch 19 & 35  Highland Park, Next Monday & Wed, July 18, 20, 8:30 pm, Ch 19

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“Public Affairs” show host Jeff Berkowitz, in Part 1 of 2 shows, interviews Mark Curran (R-Libertyville), who won a four-candidate GOP Primary on June 28, and now is the Republican nominee in the November 8 election contest for the 2nd District IL Supreme Court seat.

The Democrats now have a 4-3 majority in the IL Supreme Court. Justice Michael Burke (R-Elmhurst), who was appointed to the 2nd District seat on the IL Supreme Court about two years ago, to fill the vacancy created when Bob Thomas, former Chicago Bears kicker retired, is now running for election in the 3rd District, due to the Democrats redistricting him and the rest of DuPage county into theIL Supreme Court 3rd District. Burke, being taped tmw, will be on Public Affairs in two week.

The Court’s 2nd and 3rd Districts were “Red,” so the IL Democratic Party redistricted both seats to be purple. But many pundits think the 2nd and 3rd District seats are likely to go Republican this year if there is a national GOP wave. If that happens, the IL GOP would have a majority [4-3] on the 7 seat IL Supreme Court for the first time in sixty years.

The IL Constitution provides that the IL Supreme Court 1st District, consisting only of Cook County, which comprises about 40% of the IL population, elects three of the seven IL Supreme Court seats. The 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th Districts each elect one supreme court member and each district consists of various groupings of IL’s counties. After 2021 re-districting, each IL Supreme Court Justice is elected by county groupings totaling to about 1.8 million residents.

The IL Supreme Court’s 2nd District consists of Lake, McHenry, Kendall, Kane, and DeKalb counties. Only registered voters in those districts can vote in the IL 2nd District election. Berkowitz discusses with GOP IL S CT 2nd District nominee Mark Curran his background, experience, and professional qualifications for the IL Supreme Court.

Curran was an Assistant State’s Attorney for Lake County, IL for eight years (serving as a Senior Felony Prosecutor) and spent four years as an Assistant Attorney General (serving as a Gang Crime Bureau Chief) with the IL Attorney General’s office.

Curran was elected to Lake County Sheriff in 2006 as a Democrat, became a Republican in 2008 and was re-elected to the Sheriff position again in 2010 and 2014 as a Republican.

Curran has over the years, including his government work and eight years in private practice, tried more than 100 jury trials and 300 bench cases. Although Curran could not, due to the Canons of legal ethics, say or discuss how he would rule on any matters that might come before him as a Justice, he did discuss in Part 1 of the interview general issues relating to the law and his personal views about abortion, including the recent U S Supreme Court Dobbs case.

In part 2 of the interview, which will air as the “Public Affairs” show during the weeks of July 25 and August 1, Berkowitz and Curran discuss gun issues and the law, including some issues relating to the July 4th shooting in Highland Park, the IL Firearms Restraining Order Act, skyrocketing crime, and detention by the courts of defendants prior to their trial.     

Rochester High School has won eight state championships under Derek Leonard. (Twitter photo)

Over the past dozen years the Rochester Rockets have left a lasting impact on Illinois high school football. That impact has also been felt within the four state FCS programs.

Fifteen former Rochester players have played at the four Illinois FCS schools since 2006 (see list at story’s end) — from a program that started at the junior varsity level in 1995.

Yet, it’s been under head coach Derek Leonard — who took over the program in 2005 — that the Rochester Rockets have zoomed into the upper stratus of Illinois prep football, winning eight state championships since 2010.

“Before he got there, it was still considered a relatively new program. It wasn’t like there was a ton of history of success. There was no road map when he took over,” state recruiting analyst “Edgy” Tim O’Halloran said.

Rochester, located in Sangamon County, is approximately eight miles southeast of Springfield in central Illinois. According to recent census records, Rochester’s population is 3,778. Its high school enrollment is 767.

Leonard has posted a 174-34 career record. Moreover, those eight state titles came within a 10-year time frame, including five championships in a row.

The secret to success

“Obviously Derek Leonard has a lot to do with it,” O’Halloran said. “The moment he got in there he had a plan. He is incredibly organized, meticulous in everything that he does with that program. He has a good staff around him.

“I always look at it as a public school program that has been able to keep kids home. It’s no difference for Rochester versus what’s up here in the Chicagoland area (public school) programs trying to keep kids away from the Catholic schools.”

Leonard said, “I take a lot of pride of having success as a small public school.”

Zach Grant set several state high school receiving records as a player under Leonard. He was a key element of Rochester’s first state titles in 2010 and ’11. Grant then played collegiately at the University of Illinois.

“It’s remarkable what Derek and his staff have done the last 10-to-12 years. Just making it to the playoffs is special, but when you go to that many state championships and win, it’s unbelievable,” said Grant, now wide receivers coach at Western Illinois University.

“Everything Rochester runs offensively and defensively is very similar (to college programs),” Grant said. “There are things that we were running in high school that we hadn’t even started running in college. I think very highly of Derek.

“Once you have success in your program then you get people who want to be a part of that. After those first state championships, things really took off.”

Grant has witnessed the entire growth of the Rochester powerhouse.

“When I got into high school and got to be around Derek I saw his ability to get everybody to buy in. That was really special. You can’t talk about Rochester football without talking about Derek,” Grant said. “You talk about getting kids ready to go to college, and I could name every single coach on that staff and every one of those guys is an unbelievable coach . . . All of those guys are a huge part of that success.”

Mike Gunter graduated from Rochester in 2011. He next played at Eastern Illinois University where he contributed to back-to-back Ohio Valley Conference championship seasons and consecutive playoff appearances for the Panthers.

“When I was a kid growing up it was a 5-4 (record) and if we made the playoffs that was something,” Gunter said. “My junior year we went undefeated and all of the sudden you started noticing more and more people showing up for the games. They were three, four and five deep around the field.

“Success breeds success. It’s the thing to do on Friday night in the fall. Go watch the Rockets play.”

Nic Baker, now a record-setting quarterback at Southern Illinois University, led Rochester to a 27-1 combined record as a junior and senior and won two state championships.

“It’s the Rochester coaching staff. It’s the environment that they have that football program in. It’s the culture. It’s a cliche, but it’s true,” Baker said. “You go there and you’re just supposed to win. That’s just how it is. Your mind is fixed to win every game and to win the state championship. Your mind is fixed on that and that’s how you approach every day.”

A father-son act

Yet, Leonard is quick to credit his father Ken’s influence on his success.

“We all coach how we were coached and I was also fathered by the same person,” Leonard said. “Everything I do is outlined from him. Whatever success we have at Rochester from a coaching standpoint, it comes from my father.”

Derek Leonard played for his father at Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin High School in the mid-1990s and then became a record-setting quarterback at Illinois College in Jacksonville.

Ken Leonard is the all-time winningest coach in IHSA history and won five state championships with four additional title-game appearances.

“You look at the quarterback position and the run Derek has made there,” Grant said. “You go from Wil Lunt to Sean Robinson to Wes Lunt to Austin Green to the guys playing in college now . . . just about every quarterback that Derek has coached has gone to (play in) college, whether it’s Division 1 or D3, it doesn’t matter because they were all good enough to go play college ball. 

“Schematically it goes back to Ken Leonard. The stuff that Derek was running 15 years ago, Ken was running 20 years ago. That was way ahead of a lot of colleges and some college coaches.”

The weight of a father-son rivalry

Over the years, Rochester and Sacred Heart-Griffin have played each other — often for high stakes.

“It’s really tough. It was tough early on. It was tough on my mom (Liz) and our family,” Derek said. “We’ve been lucky because it’s always been a good game. As time went on it got a little easier, but the last two years the playoffs have been different. The stakes are higher.

“Two years ago we beat them to make the state championship and last year they beat us to go to the state championship. Those were not easy. Those carried more weight.”

And that weight got heavier after the game.

“Those two games have really worn him (Ken) out. When we lost he saw my two boys, his grandchildren, crying. He’s going to the state championship and he starts crying because those little boys were so devastated,” Derek said.

Ken Leonard announced he will coach his final season this fall, which opens with his team hosting Rochester.

A mother’s balance

Liz Leonard — Ken’s wife and Derek’s mother — graduated from Highland Park High School and then Illinois State University in the 1970s. She married Ken in 1977 and taught in Springfield School District 186 for nearly 30 years.

Liz passed away on Dec. 31, 2017, at age 64.

“She was always the one that kept us together. It didn’t matter who won and who lost. We would always go out for a family dinner afterwards. And after that day, it was over. She was the rock that kept us together,” Derek said. “It’s been tough without her.”

What Rochester means to the state FCS schools (& vice versa)

“Illinois is different from other states because it pulls you in different directions,” Derek Leonard said. “A lot of my kids go to those schools, so I’m often more interested in those schools.

“When it comes to the FCS schools, Illinois has a lot more interest (than in other states). (ISU head coach Brock) Spack has done a great job. I absolutely love Nick Hill (at SIU). Eastern and Western have fallen on tough times lately, but they’ve had past success.”

Grant joined the WIU staff under head coach Jared Elliott in 2020. He remains on the Leatherneck staff under first-year head coach and WIU alum Myers Hendrickson. There are three former Rochester players on the current Western roster.

“You look at other states and some may have one FCS school, and here we have four FCS Division I schools, three in the same conference. It’s special and makes Illinois special. There are a lot of really good high school football players in the state of Illinois, so to have four Division I FCS programs here for those kids is something special. Each school is recruiting Illinois pretty heavily.”

Gunter is a 2015 EIU graduate who coached for three collegiate seasons at various schools prior to taking a management position with Caterpillar. Gunter relishes the fact Rochester players have found their way onto FCS rosters over the years.

“Each one of those state programs is getting a kid that shows up and knows how to win. They know how to work hard. They know what it takes. You get a kid from a Rochester or from a Sacred Heart, he understands coaching. Those kids know what it takes to win,” Gunter said. “There’s a lot of coaches out there that would take those kids and would benefit from it. Both coach Leonards eat, sleep and breathe football and you just don’t see that as much these days. They get them ready to play at the next level. They understand that. They’re very special people.”

Rochester players at Illinois FCS schools

EIU

Danny Vehovic, WR/TE – 2006-10

Mike Gunter, SAF – 2011-15

Austin Green, QB – 2013-16

ISU

Jeremy Bivens, WR – 2015

Matt Swaine, DE – 2015-18

SIU

Nic Baker, QB – 2018-present

Avante Cox, WR – 2019-present

D’Ante’ Cox, WR – 2020-present

Chris Koerwitz, OL – 2021

WIU

Wil Lunt, QB – 2009-12

Taylor Hill, TE – 2012-15

Adam Conrady, TE – 2015-18

Clay Bruno, QB – 2020-present

Cade Eddington, WR – 2021-present

Jacob Durocher, RB – 2021-present

Now that KBJ has been sworn in as a Supreme Court justice to replace the justice she clerked for way back when, Stephen Breyer, it’s time to take note of a couple of things she said during her confirmation hearing.

They may make her critics and skeptics happy that she’s there.

(By the way, she isn’t alone on the current Court replacing who she clerked for. Both John Roberts and Brett Kavanaugh clerked for the justices they replaced–William Rehnquist and Anthony Kennedy, respectively.)

There were a couple of things Jackson said when she was testifying that seemed very interesting, under all the political circumstances.

Like when she was asked by Senator Marsha Blackburn if she could define what a woman is.

Brown said she couldn’t, that she wasn’t a biologist.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

Jackpot!

Her answer was certainly a welcome one for Blackburn and her idealogical colleagues. Jackson apparently thinks being a woman is based in biology!

Even though she didn’t mention that the biological basics for womanhood is having two X chromosomes (men have an X and a Y), she did maintain that being a woman was centered in their biology. And not within the more esoteric realms of head and heart, she implied–by maintaining that you have to be a biologist to understand that. And she wasn’t one.

Another time during the hearing, the former public defender and short-term member of the DC Circuit Court of Appeals, said that although she hasn’t had much experience ruling on Constitutional issues (which her coming assignment should require), she did say what she’d do when faced with a case invoking the US Constitution: “I’m looking at original documents. I am focusing on the original public meaning because I am constrained to interpret the text. Sometimes that’s enough to resolve the issue. . . .”

So maybe she’s going to be a dyed in the wool originalist after all? And maybe with a little time and seasoning, who knows? And maybe becoming besties with the other young woman and mom she now works with–Amy Coney Barrett? Who knows what can happen?

Maybe ACB and KBJ will rub off on each other. I sense they will watch each other. And try to figure each other out.

Why wouldn’t they?

Former Minooka star Isaiah Hill (7) is a key cog in the Eastern Illinois offense. (photo courtesy Sandy King, EIU Athletics)

If Isaiah Hill’s collegiate career were compared to a stop light, there have been nearly as many yellow and red lights as there have been green.

Hill, the 5-foot-11 redshirt senior, wants nothing more than solid green as he enters the avenue leading into his final season.

“I finally feel like I’m back to a point where I’m 100 percent,” Hill said via a Zoom call from Tuesday’s Ohio Valley Conference media day.

Hill’s list of injuries during his career have included broken fingers and a “strained MCL”. However, the worst came via a torn Achilles in Feb. 2021.

“That was the week before our first game (during the spring Covid year season),” Hill said. “I went home, found a surgeon and got my Achilles repaired (in early March). I did a couple of months of rehab.

“I came back in the spring and was ready for the fall camp.”

However, on a rainy fall camp day Hill caught a ball in the back of the end zone.

“I tweaked my MCL,” he said.

The Panthers offense sputtered without Hill in lineup. He returned for the final four games and managed to lead EIU with 39 receptions and 493 receiving yards.

Hill ended season with three straight games with 100 or more yards receiving and double-figure receptions in each contest to earn second team All-Ohio Valley Conference honors.

Hill had 11 catches for 207 yards at Southeast Missouri, a mark that was eighth best single-game receiving total in school history.

“It was super great feeling. That’s what you work for your career to have games like that,” Hill said.

On Tuesday, Hill was named to the preseason All-OVC offensive team along with tight end Jay Vallie, who missed last season with an injury.

Dark days

Despite his success, thoughts of those tough times stay with Hill.

“I can’t even tell you how many nights I was in my room (thinking) ‘this is it; I’m probably never going to be able to play football again’,” Hill said. “I was just sitting in my room thinking and crying.

“I love this game so much that I wanted to do everything I could to get back to the field. Luckily I was able to do that within a short time period.”

Hill originally committed out of high school to play at South Dakota State, where he spent two years before transferring to Eastern in 2019 as a redshirt sophomore.

Granted an NCAA transfer waiver to play at the start of conference schedule that season, Hill played in the final eight games, making six starts at wide receiver and being named to All-OVC Newcomer Team. He led team with 58 pass receptions for 571 yards.

Asked if he thought of transferring again during his injury-plagued time at EIU, Hill said, “Definitely there were some thoughts of ‘I need to get out of here’ but this is the place to be. I like that I’m here, and I’m just glad to be here.”

Coach’s comments

First-year head coach and EIU alum Chris Wilkerson likes that Hill is in Charleston as well.

“Isaiah is a great story,” Wilkerson said. “He’s battled injuries during his career, but was our most productive wide receiver last year.

“A phenomenal football player, a phenomenal leader. Our biggest task as a staff is now to try to find creative ways to get him the ball in space and to get him some more touches and to maintain his health. That’s been the biggest thing during the course of his career.”

Could those creative ways include putting Hill in the backfield at times?

“In high school I was lined up in the backfield a lot,” Hill said. “At Minooka I played pretty much everywhere, whether it was me on jet sweeps or coming out of the Power I (formation) doing a lot of running back stuff. I’m just trying to do whatever I can to help this team. If they need to put me in the backfield, I’m all for it.”

Wilkerson also noted that Hill is working on his MBA and has been “another coach on the field working with the younger receivers.”

Who will get Hill the ball?

Redshirt freshman Zach Weir and Bartlett High School product Jonah O’Brien are the lone quarterbacks with EIU game experience.

Weir, from Grafton, Wisc., completed 32-of-66 throws in 2021. He had one touchdown and was intercepted four times.

O’Brien returned to EIU after a stint at Colorado State. O’Brien, a redshirt sophomore, began 2019 as the EIU scout team quarterback but played the final home game of the season against Southeast Missouri, completing 12-of-21 pass attempts for 84 yards and one interception.

Meanwhile, South Bend native and University of Virginia transfer Ira Armstead II is a dual-threat option. A former three-star recruit by ESPN.com and 247sports.com, the sophomore is listed at 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds.

Freshman Kevin Conway, who played quarterback and safety at Providence Catholic High School and attended Diamond Football Academy prep school in Happy, Texas in the fall, transferred into EIU for the spring semester.

“I like all four of our quarterbacks. It’s going to be a tight battle between all of them. I don’t know who’s going to come out on top, but when it comes to chemistry I try to go in with every one of them and get as many reps as I can,” Hill said.

Following spring practice, the Panthers added senior Dom Shoffner, a transfer from FBS Charlotte. The 6-foot-1, 210-pound Shoffner began his collegiate career at North Carolina Central and also played at Monroe (NY) Junior College.

EIU opens fall camp July 31. The Panthers open the season on Thursday, Sept. 1 at FBS member Northern Illinois. The home opener is Sept. 10 against Chattanooga, a non-conference opponent.

Coming up tomorrow: Sophomore defensive end Jordan Miles shares his goals for the team and for himself following a breakout season.