Kids grow up watching college football games on Saturday afternoons and dream of doing the same themselves someday.
For St. Laurence linebacker Sean Rice, the dream got a lot more real last fall.
“The switch kind of flipped for me (in) week two,” Rice said at a 7-on-7 at Sandburg on June 24. “I had a really big game against Evanston and after that week, I went up to coach (Pat) Swanson’s office.
“I was going through my film and we had the talk. … He was like, ‘Hey, you’re a Big Ten, D-I level linebacker. Things are gonna happen and your dreams are gonna come to reality. It’s gonna happen soon. You’ve just got to stay patient, keep your head down, keep working.'”
Swanson’s opinion wasn’t an outlier. Rice has since picked up offers from seven Power Four schools, including five in the Big Ten: Illinois, defending national champion Indiana, Minnesota, Purdue and Wisconsin.
In mid-May, the rising junior committed to Illini coach Bret Bielema as part of what’s currently a seven-member, in-state class for the 2027 recruiting cycle.
Why Illinois?
“The coaching was a big piece to me,” Rice said. “I had a really strong connection with (outside linebackers) coach Arch McDaniel. … I felt really good about coach (Bielema) as well. … He’s always got an open door … he’s always there for his players.
“And then, of course, the players on the team. I know a couple of the guys already. Got down (for my official visit), got to know some more of them. So I feel really good about my future teammates, too.”
Swanson sees Illinois as the perfect landing spot for Rice.
“I was lucky enough to go on the visit with him over the spring and see how he fits into their new defense under (incoming coordinator Bobby) Hauck,” Swanson said. “He’s gonna fit into it like a glove. … They have a lot of really good plans for him. …
“He couldn’t walk into a better situation with the defense that they’re starting with this year. They’re looking at him … as a smart guy who can move into the middle (or) play off the edge.”
Rice had a breakout season last fall, helping the Vikings go 8-5 and advance to the Class 6A semifinals. The 6-2, 210-pounder had 123 tackles, nine tackles for loss and four interceptions.
Interestingly, he did it in his first year at a new position after moving over from defensive end.
The move coincided with an upsurge in recruiting interest, Rice said.
“I had gone on visits to MAC schools as a D-end and it was a crazy flip,” he said. “The interest they show you at the visit from when I was a D-end that they didn’t really pay attention to, to when I was kind of like their main linebacker guy that they were paying attention to.
“So (last) fall, winter and spring, it’s all been kind of a whirlwind for me with recruiting. But I’ve enjoyed every single minute of it.”