Druley: Marmion football’s Lally sees stock rising

South Dakota State’s football brass initially overlooked T.J. Lally’s stock as a two-way standout.

The first part of the Marmion senior’s highlight tape featured only his exploits as a running back. Jackrabbits coaches didn’t know Lally corralled ballcarriers, too.

Once they caught on, the NCAA Football Championship Series school (formerly Division I-AA) switched its focus, matching Mid-American Conference member Eastern Michigan’s interest in the St. Charles resident as a budding defensive recruit. A big decision awaits Lally as National Signing Day approaches next month, but he’s at least at ease about where he’ll be on the field.

“I’m a linebacker at heart,” Lally said. “I really started to enjoy running back more this year for some reason, but if I had to pick between the two, I’d go with defense.”

Lally earned Kane County Chronicle Player of the Year honors for his dominance on both sides of the ball this past season. He rushed for 1,389 yards and 17 touchdowns with a club on his left hand for much of the fall, then collected an IHSA Class 6A state title game record 18 tackles in the Cadets’ loss to Rockford Boylan.

His hand healed as the season progressed, and is seeing regular athletic action again as Marmion gets its indoor track season under way. Lally elected to return as a thrower without much hesitation.

If only his college choice could be as snappy.

Lally made his official visit to Eastern Michigan this past weekend and “really had a great time” in Ypsilanti, pondering a career with the Eagles.

“Liked all the coaches, players and campus,” he said. “I’m pretty excited about that opportunity to play at the highest level, but I also want to have a chance to see everything that South Dakota State offers.”

His official visit to Brookings, S.D. – just west of the Minnesota border – is set for next week. South Dakota State amped up its recruiting of Lally after the 6A title game.

In the meantime, Lally continues to work out with Mike Goolsby, a former Joliet Catholic and Notre Dame standout who also played briefly in the NFL last decade. Lally credits Goolsby for accelerating his strength and conditioning training while helping out with football’s mental side, too.

Several other Cadets seniors also are narrowing their list of suitors ahead of the Feb. 2 National Signing Day. Lally’s longtime friend and fellow St. Charles resident Nick Scoliere, a running back/defensive end, is set to visit North Dakota State this weekend and also has drawn interest from Colgate.

Right guard Jake Winkel already has an offer from Division II Winona (Minn.) State ahead of an upcoming visit to the University of Chicago, and linemate Graham Glasgow, Marmion’s left tackle, is set to visit Minnesota later this week.

Glasgow’s parents are team physicians for Northern Illinois, whose former coach, Jerry Kill, left the Huskies for the Golden Gophers in December.

Demons covet Stephens: Add DePaul to the list of Division I schools to tender a scholarship offer to St. Charles East sophomore guard Kendall Stephens.

A guest of the Blue Demons for Tuesday’s Big East home game against Seton Hall, Stephens reportedly received the offer after the game.

Big Ten schools Northwestern and Wisconsin extended scholarship offers to Stephens earlier this season. Purdue coach Matt Painter attended the Saints’ game at Geneva last Friday, but the Boilermakers have yet to make an official offer.

• Kevin Druley is a sportswriter for the Kane County Chronicle. He can be reached at 630-845-5347 or kdruley@kcchronicle.com.