Wyatt Milkovic has joined the Western Illinois roster from Boise State University. The Florida native played high school football in Arizona. (Photo courtesy Boise State Athletics)
By Barry Bottino
Wyatt Milkovic didn’t start his football career playing inside linebacker, but he can’t imagine playing anywhere else.
“I love it. You’re the leader of the defense,” he said. “Everyone loves tackles. It’s a fun position to play.”
Milkovic, a Florida native who played high school football in Arizona, is among 22 mid-year transfers who joined the Leathernecks for the spring semester.
“What drew me to Western Illinois was the opportunity to play,” said Milkovic, who has three years of eligibility remaining. “These coaches are very good. I know the plan they have for me and the plan they have for the rest of this team.”
That plan includes turning the Leathernecks around on defense. Last season, WIU gave up more than 43 points and 490 yards a game, leading to the arrival of former Valparaiso head coach Landon Fox as WIU’s new defensive coordinator.
Announced Feb. 5 on the NCAA’s second national signing day, the Leathernecks added six high school signees to a group of 22 mid-year transfers, including Milkovic, who began classes at WIU in January.
In December, Western announced an early signing day class of nine high school players.
As a high school freshman, Milkovic played defensive end and started on the varsity at Hamilton High School in Chandler, Ariz.
He transferred across town to Basha High School before his sophomore season, when he played a hybrid outside linebacker position. At Basha, he was a teammate of fellow WIU mid-year transfer James Durand, an offensive lineman from FBS Wisconsin.
“My junior year of high school was the first time I played inside linebacker,” he said. “I knew that’s what I was going to be playing in college. From there, my recruitment just took off.”
Over his final two high school seasons, he piled up 276 tackles, 31 tackles for loss and 30 quarterback hurries.
“The traits that are my superpowers are playing snap to whistle,” he said. “I’m always running around sideline to sideline. I like to be very physical. I’m also very good at diagnosing plays and looking at what the offense is giving me.
“Linebacker is a fun position to play,” he said.
Davis said: “You can see he’s a very focused individual. He works very hard in the weight room. I can see him being very intentional about getting to know his new teammates.”
The 6-foot, 227-pound Milkovic hopes the WIU defense can have some fun by showing the type of improvement the offense did a year ago under new head coach Joe Davis.
“I can tell from the group of guys we have and the coaching staff we have, everything will be dialed up,” he said. “I think it will be a big turnaound in terms of how well we play together. I couldn’t be any happier.”
News and notes
Sizing up: One of the top WIU priorities has been getting bigger. “That’s been a huge focus since I was hired, just to improve the size of the football team,” said Davis, who is entering his second season. The Leathernecks’ four scholarship offensive linemen that were signed since December average 6-7, 315 pounds. Seven defensive backs among the mid-year transfers and Feb. 5 prep signees measure at least 6-1 and 175 pounds. “The size of the offensive line and the length and flexibility of the secondary that we signed are going to pay big dividends for us down the road.”
A first for WIU, D-I: Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Ill., produced February signee Luca Siamashvili, a 6-6, 335-pound offensive lineman. WIU announced that Siamashvili is the first NCAA Division I football player from Georgia, a former Soviet republic in Eastern Europe. He hails from the capital city of Tbilisi.
Good sports: When recruiting high school players, Davis said he and his staff prioritize multi-sport athletes, which are evident in the 2025 class. “It’s very reflective of our philosophy as we continue to build this program,” he said. “We’ve got multiple all-conference basketball players, all-conference track athletes. We’ve got an offensive lineman (December signee Tyler Sulsberger) that is 46-10 right now as a heavyweight wrestler in Iowa.
Juco holdovers: The NCAA’s recent ruling that junior college players can get an extra year of eligibility if they’re within a five-year window of their career starting has impacted WIU. Davis said interior defensive lineman Mayo Bola and defensive end Peyton Bradford, who was a captain last season, will return for another year of eligibility.
Edgy Tim’s take
Illinois high school football guru “Edgy” Tim O’Halloran shares his thoughts on the top prep football recruit from the state heading to Macomb in the 2025 recruiting class:
December signee Joe Edwards, LB, Downers Grove North High School (6-foot-2, 215 pounds): “Edwards, who is the younger brother of former DGN, University of Wisconsin and Buffalo Bills offensive linemen David Edwards, was a key two-way starter for the Trojans and head coach Joe Horeni over the past three seasons. Edwards, who played tight end and inside linebacker at DGN, was a heavy hitter and an impressive finisher who could play anywhere on his team’s defensive front seven while also being a capable blocker and receiver at tight end. His skill level, physical tools and football IQ should allow him a chance to compete for early playing time in Macomb.”
WIU’s February 2025 Signing Day List
(Name, Position(s), Height, Weight, School, Hometown)
High school recruits
Luca Siamashvili, OL, 6-6, 335, Stevenson HS, Tblisi, Georgia
Donpaul Keith, DB, 6-2, 179, River Rouge HS, Taylor, Mich.
Joel Salien, WR, 6-0, 178, Immaculata Lasalle HS, Miami
Tommy Lamberti, OL, 6-8, 300, Carmel Catholic HS, Vernon Hills, Ill.
Jamesly Jean Louis, DL, 6-5, 246, Immokalee HS, Immokalee, Fla.
Justin Buckner, LB, 6-0, 205, St. Rita High School, Tinley Park, Ill.
Mid-year transfers
Fabo Baez, WR, 6-3, 215, Junior, Stetson University, Schaumburg, Ill.
Amare Bickham, DB, 6-1, 185, Sophomore, U. of Iowa, Fulshear, Texas
Jerrod Cameron, DB, 5-9, 160, Junior, U. of Massachusetts, Miami, Fla.
James Durand, OL, 6-5, 300, Sophomore, U. of Wisconsin, Gilbert, Ariz.
Michael Forney, OL, 6-4, 290, Sophomore, Black Hills State Univ., Santa Clara, Calif.
Esteban Guillory, DB, 6-2, 205, Junior, Murray State Univ., San Antonio, Texas
A.J. Harris, WR, 6-1, 195, Junior, Walsh Univ., Chicago
Wyatt Milkovic, LB, 6-0, 227, Junior, Boise State Univ., Fort Myers, Fla.
Keith Moko, DB, 6-1, 175, Junior, U. of Northern Iowa, Philadelphia, Pa.
T.C. Molk, QB, 6-1, 185, Junior, Walsh Univ., Dover, Ohio
LeBron Morgan, DB, 6-1, 200, Junior, UT-Martin, Atlanta, Ga.
Jalen Nicolas, DE, 6-3, 224, Freshman, St. Thomas More School, Jersey City, N.J.
Steven Oberst, DE, 6-4, 290, Stetson University, Jupiter, Fla.
Matthew Perry, DB, 6-3, 210, Senior, U. of St. Francis, Country Club Hills, Ill.
Austin Young, LB, 6-2, 230, Junior, Butte Community College, Queen Creek, Ariz.
Preferred walk-ons
Carter Campbell, TE, 6-4, 230, Junior, Ohio Wesleyan University, Portsmouth, Ohio
Luke Droegemueller, P, 6-1, 180, Junior, Concordia Univ. Wisconsin, Cumming, Ga.
Joseph Tumilty, WR, 5-10, 190, Junior, U. of St. Francis, Villa Park, Ill.
Troy Mills, LB 6-0, 235, Sophomore, California Lutheran Univ., Anaheim, Calif.
Harlon May, DB, 6-1, 190, Freshman, Missouri Southern State Univ., Waukegan, Ill.
Ernest Temple, RB, 6-1, 210, Junior, College of DuPage, Chicago
Jaylen Olokun, LB, 5-10, 220, Senior, Roosevelt Univ., Chicago
Barry Bottino is a co-founder of Prairie State Pigskin and a 19-year veteran of three Illinois newspapers. He has covered college athletics since 1995.
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