Several new high school football coaches will command the sidelines for the first time this fall in the Springfield area.
That includes Lanphier’s Ademola Adeniji, Southeast’s Nate Borders, Litchfield’s Colton Faure, Pawnee’s Josh Talley and Gillespie’s Cory Bonstead.
Here’s what to know about each new football coach in The State Journal-Register coverage area:
Ademola Adeniji, Lanphier
The 2003 Lanphier graduate has acquired vast football experience over his playing and coaching career.
Adeniji generated 1,254 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns as a senior running back at Eastern Illinois University under Bob Spoo before serving as an assistant coach at Lanphier and Sacred Heart-Griffin, while also coaching in the Springfield Youth Football League.
On the hardwood: Meet the new boys basketball coaches at Southeast, South County, Athens, Lutheran
He learned over that span that not every kid learns or develops the same way.
“They have gone through a process they have never gone through before,” Adeniji said of his current team.
He said even this past week he has seen that culture, camaraderie and confidence crystallize through singing the school’s fight song.
“It’s come a very long way and every day I ask them who are they and they repeat confidence because no matter what I give them or my staff gives them, if they aren’t confident in themselves to be able to talk to each other, learn, teach and communicate, the result of what we’re trying to accomplish on the field will never happen.”
Adeniji especially credited the linemen for setting a positive example as the most consistent group — along with senior quarterback Joseph Gentry — on a young team that features just three seniors. Those linemen include Robert Meacham IV, Derek Lawson II, Kevin Beard and Christian DePriest.
“I’m excited to bring a better brand of football coming from the public schools and that side of town,” said Adeniji, who also leads the boys track and field team. “We’ve been historically a basketball program, so I’m excited about these kids being able to get out there and compete and figure out themselves and learn about their abilities within themselves.”
Nate Borders, Southeast
The 2019 Springfield High graduate recently turned 23 years old and just may be the youngest head football coach in the state.
He takes over the Spartans after assisting Michael Kindade for one season as the offensive line coach. He was also previously an offensive lineman at Illinois State University.
“You can’t go anywhere without a good offensive line,” Borders said. “You can look at any pro or college team. They might have the best skilled players in the word, but if you’re not giving your quarterback time or you’re not making lanes for your running back, your offense is going to be stagnant.”
2024 schedule: Here’s the week-by-week high school football schedule for the Springfield area
Southeast will play its home games at Memorial Stadium as renovations remain underway at Spartan Field. In a Week 8 road game against Normal University, Borders will get reacquainted with the field he knows all too well at Hancock Stadium.
“It’s just a very weird, but very cool and humbling experience,” Borders said.
Colton Faure, Litchfield
The California native wants to make Litchfield a regular contender in the South Central Conference and capitalize on last year’s success.
The Purple Panthers finished 6-4 and made their first playoff appearance since 2005 in Faure’s third year as the defensive coordinator before replacing head coach Dan Carlson.
“I’ve been with all of these players for three years now and this will be my fourth season,” Faure said. “The transition from Carlson to me was fairly smooth. We just kept our same game plan. We’ve got a couple of new coaches this year, so it should be pretty decent.”
Elsewhere in the SCC: Hillsboro football coaches receive suspensions for off-campus incident
Faure, a police sergeant in Litchfield, previously took the field as a defensive end at Greenville University before graduating in 2018.
This year’s senior nucleus will include receiver/defensive back Martavious Jones, lineman Harrison Thomas and linebacker/tight end Kayden Bergman, to name a few.
“We’re excited for the season and can’t wait for it to finally get here,” Faure said.
Josh Talley, Pawnee
The 2015 Chatham Glenwood graduate replaces Kitt Thein, who guided the program for 13 seasons from 2008-2015 and 2019-2023. Pawnee joined the Illinois 8-Man Football Association in 2019.
Talley was previously the head coach of the Glenwood Middle School football program for three years before becoming the head freshman coach and running backs coach of the high school team under David Hay last fall.
“I think we’re coming into a great situation from what I’ve seen,” Talley told The State Journal-Register over the spring. “There’s a lot of talent on the football team right now. There’s a lot of potential. I think this team can make it pretty far if we do the right things.”
UIS allegations: Former UIS golfer confirms story from anonymous report, claims coach dismissed mental health concerns
Cory Bonstead, Gillespie
Bonstead was hired in May after acting as an assistant coach under Dalton Barnes, who resigned after two…
The State Journal-Register
