March 30, 2025
Recruiting
Recruiting

Glenbard West O-lineman Wes Hoeh commits to Syracuse; Nazareth WR Tanner Koziol picks North Dakota

Wes Hoeh wasn't expecting the call. Hoeh, a rising senior offensive lineman at Glenbard West, said he spent his entire junior year solely thinking about "Hitter Football." So when Syracuse called this spring, he was needless to say caught off guard. "I never really thought I could play at that level," Hoeh said. "When they called it was total shock, Syracuse being interested."

By Joshua Welge

Less than two months later, Hoeh showed his own interest, making a verbal commitment to Syracuse. Hoeh, a three-star prospect and the 44th-ranked recruit in Illinois Class of 2021, chose Syracuse from 17 total offers including service academies Air Force and Navy, MAC schools Bowling Green and Central Michigan and a number of Ivy League schools. Hoeh said he spent most of the recruiting process the last few months on Zoom calls with coaches, but he did make it to Syracuse on May 30 with his dad for an unofficial visit. "It was great. All the facilities and academically, top notch," Hoeh said. "The campus was beautiful, you can see the [Carrier] Dome from anywhere, which is pretty awesome." Ultimately, Hoeh said Syracuse "checked all the boxes." "They have great academics, they could better you in the future, great football in the ACC, great location, great campus," Hoeh said. "Really, it's everything." Hoeh, 6-foot-4 and 255 pounds, played primarily left tackle last year, with a few plays at guard. His recruiting really took off in late March and early April with offers from Furman and Fordham. Syracuse came with an offer on May 7, Air Force later that week. "I would say around the fourth and fifth offer, Furman and Fordham was when it took off," Hoeh said. "They told me straight up that it's a full ride and I thought, that's crazy. I would say then it started to get serious." (Photo provided)

Less than two months later, Hoeh showed his own interest, making a verbal commitment to Syracuse. Hoeh, a three-star prospect and the 44th-ranked recruit in Illinois Class of 2021, chose Syracuse from 17 total offers including service academies Air Force and Navy, MAC schools Bowling Green and Central Michigan and a number of Ivy League schools. Hoeh said he spent most of the recruiting process the last few months on Zoom calls with coaches, but he did make it to Syracuse on May 30 with his dad for an unofficial visit. "It was great. All the facilities and academically, top notch," Hoeh said. "The campus was beautiful, you can see the [Carrier] Dome from anywhere, which is pretty awesome." Ultimately, Hoeh said Syracuse "checked all the boxes." "They have great academics, they could better you in the future, great football in the ACC, great location, great campus," Hoeh said. "Really, it's everything." Hoeh, 6-foot-4 and 255 pounds, played primarily left tackle last year, with a few plays at guard. His recruiting really took off in late March and early April with offers from Furman and Fordham. Syracuse came with an offer on May 7, Air Force later that week. "I would say around the fourth and fifth offer, Furman and Fordham was when it took off," Hoeh said. "They told me straight up that it's a full ride and I thought, that's crazy. I would say then it started to get serious." (Photo provided)

Tanner Koziol picks North Dakota Nazareth rising senior receiver Tanner Koziol made his verbal commitment to North Dakota on June 15. Koziol picked North Dakota from three offers, including the University of San Diego and Valparaiso. Koziol said he received the offer from North Dakota in late March. He's had multiple FaceTimes and Zoom calls with the coaches since then, and took a visit with his mom the weekend before he committed. "I picked UND because of the relationship that I have built with the coaches and everything that I know already about the school and football," Koziol said. "I committed now because I felt it's the right time and they made me want to commit." Koziol, 6-foot-6 and 215 pounds, caught 22 passes for 322 yards and five touchdowns last season for the Class 7A runner-up Roadrunners. He was third on Nazareth in receptions in his first season there after transferring from Lake Park. Koziol said he's been recruited to play both receiver and tight end, a position he's excited to learn. "I've been training a lot with my trainers at Right Fit, and I've been getting out with our quarterback multiple times a week," Koziol said. Offers roundup Nazareth rising senior defensive Daine Hanson, who holds over a dozen offers including Iowa and Nebraska, was offered by Cincinnati on June 17...Hinsdale Central quarterback Michael Brescia received offers from Colgate and Cornell this month. (Gary E)