Illinois High Schools Embrace Football Combine Expansion

New IHSA bylaw allows up to 20 players per school to participate in one-stop recruiting events for college coaches

Apr. 16, 2026 at 10:55pm

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A cubist-style painting depicting a high school football combine event, with players shown in various stages of movement and competition, their forms broken down into overlapping geometric shapes and planes in a dynamic, energetic composition.The new IHSA-approved football combines provide college coaches with an efficient way to evaluate a large pool of potential recruits in a single event.Chicago Today

The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) has approved a new bylaw that allows high schools to attend one free football combine event where college coaches can evaluate up to 300 potential recruits at a time. This change is expected to streamline the spring recruiting process, as college coaches previously had to travel to individual high schools to assess players. Nearly 200 high school programs in Illinois will participate in these combines this spring, a significant increase from the 20 or so that attended in the past.

Why it matters

The new football combine format benefits both high school players and college coaches. Players get a valuable opportunity to showcase their skills in front of dozens of college programs, while coaches can efficiently evaluate a large number of prospects in a single event. This change aims to level the playing field and ensure more athletes don't fall through the cracks of the recruiting process.

The details

The IHSA overwhelmingly approved Proposal 12, which allows high schools to attend one free football combine event where up to 20 players per school can participate. College coaches from various levels have committed to attend these combines, with over 60 programs already signed up as of early this week. The combines will take place across numerous days to accommodate college schedules, which could potentially conflict with some high school spring sports events.

  • The IHSA released its annual list of approved bylaw amendment proposals in December 2025.
  • Proposal 12, allowing the football combines, was approved by a vote of 517-104.
  • The first combines are scheduled to take place starting next Wednesday and rolling into mid-May 2026.

The players

Ryan Crissey

Glenbard South high school football coach, who helped organize the spring combines before the IHSA approval.

Sean Drendel

Naperville North high school football coach, who also helped organize the spring combines before the IHSA approval.

Sam Knox

IHSA assistant executive director, who wrote an open letter to college coaches to clarify that the combines are officially authorized.

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What they’re saying

“Instead of college coaches traveling from high school to high school each spring, putting individual recruits through athletic evaluations, they can now attend these organized combines.”

— Kevin Schmit, Author

“Now, with the official mandate, colleges are committing in droves. To guarantee no gray areas, IHSA assistant executive director Sam Knox wrote an open letter to college coaches letting them know the combines are authorized.”

— Kevin Schmit, Author

What’s next

The IHSA will monitor how the new football combine format is implemented and received by high schools and college coaches this spring. There is potential for further expansion or refinement of the program in future years.

The takeaway

The IHSA's approval of Proposal 12 represents a significant shift in how high school football players connect with college recruiters. By streamlining the evaluation process, the new combine format aims to provide more opportunities for athletes to showcase their skills and get noticed by college programs.