Illinois And Lovie Smith Offer A 10-Year-Old Fourth Grader

It’s been a hell of a two months for youth football players everywhere. After Joey Freshwater Lane Kiffin started off May by offering a 13-year-old only to see Hawaii one up his antics by offering an 11-year-old last week. Yesterday, Lovie Smith and Illinois decided to put those two offers to shame by offering Bunchie Young, a 10-year-old from LA:

Bunchie (9.6/10 name) is slated to graduate high school in….wait for it…..2025. I think that alone should sum up this entire RIDICULOUS situation and trend. Since May, a kid from the class of 2023, 2024, and 2025 have received scholarship offers. These kids should be begging their mothers to take them to Micky D’s after summer camp, not mulling over their latest Division 1 scholarship offers.

Although I don’t like this trend, which will inevitably lead to some crazy sports dad starting a business that helps colleges recruit middle schoolers, I am a fan of this Bunchie Young kid. When I saw the “fastest youth in the country” part of the tweet I rolled my eyes thinking how on earth could you say such a thing, but then I saw this video:

The swag on this kid is phenomenal:

I have no idea what the outfit is that he is wearing in the top picture, but I guess I dig it and his pinkish hair.

Bunchie will probably end up going somewhere else or flame out before he is 15 because of all the pressure that Lovie Smith has put on this kids back, but I wish him nothing but the best. Speaking of Lovie, imagine going back to 2006 and seeing the look on his face after telling him in 11 years he’ll be in Champaign, Illinois offering a 10-year-old a scholarship. That would be something.

P.S. We are at the point of no return with these offers. Before we know it, a coach is going to offer a fetus. Here is my top 5 most likely to do it:

5. P.J. Fleck

4. Steve “Dude” Addazio

3. Kalani Sitake (depending if he’ll go on a missionary trip)

2. Ed Orgeron

1. Jim Harbaugh (of course)

-Intern Jack