Linne, others baffled by lack of Division I interest

Recruiters from Illinois, Ohio State and Notre Dame have already mined suburban Chicago for verbal commitments from Class of 2010 quarterbacks. Mid-American Conference programs have also extended offers to additional quarterbacks in the area.

Nick Linne was on the fringe of that market, but removed himself weeks before the start of the football season. The Naperville Central senior quarterback didn't get overwhelming interest from the Football Bowl Subdivision schools and verbally committed to play baseball next year at Northwestern.

"That's unbelievable to me," Waubonsie Valley coach Paul Murphy said. "Linne is the full package."

This is a dead time for recruiting. But for now the 6-foot-2-inch, 210-pound Linne is cool with how everything's turned out. That's easier to say when you've completed 61 percent of your passes for 1,821 yards and 20 touchdowns, while running for 507 more yards and four scores.

"I think it was more (frustrating) at the time when I was actually doing the recruiting stuff," Linne said. "I got a little mad about -- I don't want to say specific names -- but I just (didn't) know where that came from."

And of course there's the statistic by which every quarterback is measured: Central finished the regular season at 7-2, earned a five seed in the Class 8A state tournament and found out Saturday night that it will face Lockport in the first round.

In the rush to secure early commitments, college staffs are making quicker judgments. Linne put up numbers during his junior year -- more than 2,000 all-purpose yards that led to an offer from Illinois State -- but he's functioning at a higher level during his second season as a starter.

Given more freedom, Linne's making more decisions at the line of scrimmage. Central will run "combo checks," in which he is given three or four different options -- run or pass, right or left -- depending on what he sees from the defense.

It's not like Linne is stuck in a run-first wishbone offense. Central's spread system borrows ideas from the college game. And there are no underlying character questions or concerns.

"Everyone talks about that 'It Factor' and Nick has that 'It Factor,'" Central coach Mike Stine said. "If you're around him, you can't really put your finger on it. You can't say, 'Well, it's because of this, it's because of that.' It's just that feeling you get. He's got that 'It Factor.' (He's) a pleasure to coach and be around."

Historically, Central quarterbacks have gone on to bigger and better things. From that position, the program has produced an NFL head coach (New Orleans Saints' Sean Payton) and a Pro Bowl tight end (Houston Texans' Owen Daniels). At Northern Illinois, Phil Horvath led the nation in completion percentage and later received a look from the Detroit Lions. Harrison Daniels is currently at Princeton.

"It's a great tradition and we want to keep it up," said Central junior wide receiver Hayden Daniels, who will likely start at quarterback next year and follow in his older brothers' footsteps. "But that's the past and we just want to focus on our team (and) what we're doing."

In the fourth quarter of a playoff game, the Redhawks will be confident with the ball in Linne's hands. In a very narrow sense, playing basketball and baseball at Central couldn't have helped his touch or timing at the college showcase camps in late spring and summer. But he doesn't view himself as someone who shines in just shorts and a T-shirt. A competitor needs to be keeping score.

"I thought I did pretty well at most of the camps I went to, but I think the thing with me is you're not gonna watch me throw in practice and just be stunned," Linne said. "I perform my best when I'm out playing the game, and that's how it should be. (Once) you get to the game, that's where you really see which guys are players."

And you never know who will be watching this postseason.

"You got to treat every practice (this) week like it could be the last week," Linne said. "You just got to be able to get the most out of everything. (You) got to soak it all up."

Contact Patrick Mooney at pmooney@scn1.com or 630-416-5107.