This article covers five of the seven Westside football players who signed on National Signing Day. The remaining two, Jalen Cox-Martin and Malek Pittman, will be added to the article later this week. To find out who signed for soccer click here, and to find out who signed for baseball click here. We will have a Q & A with cross country signee Jordan Wheeler later this week. 

Christian Hagan

Sport: Football

College: Northern Illinois University (Division I)

How did you pick football? 

Well when I first got to high school I was going to try to play college baseball, but as I got older I started doing showcases for kicking, and I did really well at almost all of them, so I got ranked really high at one of the camps and that’s kind of how kicking got started.

What led you to Northern Illinois (NIU)?

“I just got a call from them one day, and they needed a kicker, and I just talked to the coach and I liked him and he liked me, and I visited, and that’s kind of how it all started.”

“I had walk-on offers from Nebraska and Penn State, but NIU was a scholarship and both kicking situations at Penn State and Nebraska weren’t as good as NIU, so it kind of fit in perfectly. And it’s not too far from home. It’s just outside of Chicago.”

What are you most excited about for next year?

“It will be cool to see what college football is like at that level, because you always watch it on TV, it will be fun to see what goes on behind the scenes, and I’ll be a part of it, but I think that will be kind of fun.”

How do you plan to balance academics with athletics?

“There [are] a lot of tutors. I know there is some rule like you have to have seven hours of going to a tutor, getting help or going to a study hall, or something like that, so you kind of have to manage your time pretty wisely. And they help you with that. They have people that just work with the football team there, which helps out a lot.”

How much do you expect to play in the upcoming years?

“Well I would have to come in and win the kicking job, but I think I have a pretty good shot of playing. It all depends on how my summer goes and how my fall camp starts out.”

“It would be as the field goal kicker. Maybe kickoffs, but they have a punter and kickoff guy last year, and he’s coming back, so I would just have to beat him out for the field goal job, so I think I have a pretty good shot, but I would just do field goals next year.”

Jamaal Conway-Smith

Sport: Football
College: Wayne State (Division II)

How did you pick football?

“The sport picked me. I was always a basketball kid growing up but then I played football and fell in love with it.”

What led you to Wayne State?

“What led me to this college was the coaching staff. There’s actually a chance for me on the team. The coaching [staff] really like me, as well.”

What are you most excited about for next year?

“I’m just really excited to be back on the field and show some new people what I got to offer for this team and community.”

How do you plan to balance academics with athletics?

“Its gonna be balancing the two so I will have to cut off the extra stuff and be more in the books than anything.”

Lane Yates

Sport: Football

College: Wayne State (Division II)

How did you pick football?

“I’ve been playing football my whole life. It’s something I have always loved to play.”

What led you to Wayne State?

“The great coaching staff and it’s close to home.”

What are you most excited about for next year?

“Meeting new people, starting fresh in college, and getting to know what I want to do later in life.”

How do you plan to balance academics and athletics?

“I plan to get tutored.”

How much do you expect to play in the upcoming years?

“My chances are bright. I can start if I work hard enough.”

Tom Young

Sport: Football and track

College: Northwest Missouri State (Division II)

How did you pick football?

“The first year the Jr. Warrior program started was the first year I wanted to play tackle football. I had always played flag football when I was little, and thought tackle would be really fun. I just wanted to try something new I guess.”

What led you to Northwest Missouri State?

“Their head coach was very upfront and really connected with me personally. He would text his O-Line recruits, and it was always nice to hear from the head coach.”

What are you most excited about for next year?

“I am really excited to see where I will place amongst the remaining players. Hopefully I can work towards a starting spot in the upcoming season.”

How do you plan to balance academics and athletics?

“They have a great academic program. They have tutors for almost every major, and they really do accept everyone to come into the library and study.”

How much do you expect to play in the upcoming years?

“I expect to play little to no time on the field [next year]. They will most likely redshirt me for the first year.”

Matt Connelly

Sport: Football

School: Northwest Missouri State (Division II)

How did you pick football?

“Thats what I’m best at. That’s pretty much the only sport I play. I just feel comfortable in the game. I’ve been playing it since second grade, so I’ve been around the game for a while.”

What led you to Northwest Missouri State?

“The coach who recruited me, Coach Bostwick, I really liked. He was a fun, energetic guy. And they’re a national championship winning program, so that’s kind of a big thing. Losing the state championship really made me want to get a national championship next year, so that’s a huge key why I’m going there. The school itself is phenomenal. It’s got great academics.”

What are you most excited about for next year?

“Just kind of getting away and meeting new people. Just becoming a part of the Bearcat football program, which is, like I said, one of the top in the nation.”

How do you plan to balance academics and athletics?

“I think with the freshmen, they have study hall every single week, so I’m going to go to all of the study halls I can — just meet with tutors as much as possible and try to keep my grades up.”

How much do you expect to play in the upcoming years?

“Next year I’m going to redshirt as a freshman. All four years after that of eligibility. Hopefully by my junior year I’ll either be in second string or starting, then hopefully by my senior year I will be starting.

Jalen Cox-Martin

 Sport: Football

College: Morningside College

How did you choose to play this sport?

“Growing up I played football, basketball, and baseball, and football had the most contact in it and that’s what I liked.”

What led you to this college?

“Their academic and football combination is better than any school I visited.”

What are you most excited about for next year?

“Meeting people and just turning over a new leaf”

How do you plan on balancing athletics and academics?

“Basically academics come first, so get started of on a good foot so I can go on to bigger things in life.”

How much playing time do you plan on receiving?

“They have a varsity and a JV team, I’ll probably be on the JV team and be on special teams on varsity. Hopefully by sophomore year I can crack a starting spot.”