Former Elmwood/Brimfield quarterback Nick McCormick has been named Canton's next head football coach, pending approval at Monday's school board meeting.
McCormick replaces Nick Wright, who resigned in November after four seasons at the Mid-Illini Conference school. The Little Giants went 1-8 in 2023, ending the regular season with a 14-7 win against Limestone in Week 9.
McCormick, a 2013 All-Conference player at Prairieland, was heavily influenced by the Peoria County program run by Hall of Fame coach Todd Hollis.
“The program that Coach Hollis put in place at Elmwood made a huge difference in my life,” said McCormick, who graduated from Brimfield in 2014. “It's built to be about more than just the game of football. It was my desire to become a head coach and do the same for the community.”
“I saw Canton College open and knew it was a community that loved the football program and thought it would be a great place to do something like that.”
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Hollis said he had several conversations with the former second-year QB1 about taking the Canton job.
“He still really appreciates our approach away from football,” Hollis said. “People of character, education, and virtue.
“…I think (Canton) is definitely going to find a player who approaches him not only on the field but off the field. He's going to use this opportunity to develop young guys.”
McCormick, who played football at the NCAA Division III Crown College, has coached and coached at Illinois Valley Central in Chillicothe for the past six years, working his way up through the underclass ranks and ultimately joining the varsity team during the 2023 season. He reigned as the offensive coordinator. . The Gray Ghosts averaged 16.6 points per game in a 3-6 season, led by 52 points in a Week 9 win over Rantoul, and won three of their last four games. I won.
Now, McCormick, who will be teaching science at Ingersoll Middle School, will forever be thrown into the fire of the difficult Mid-Illini conference.
“I’m excited about the opportunity to be a part of that conference,” he said. “And I think that's going to be a challenge. Of course, there are a lot of good programs out there.”
One of the things that impressed McCormick most during the interview process was how the coaching staff takes ownership of the program, even though the head coach is not running the program. He expects all assistants, including defensive coordinator Wyatt Mason, Brett Miller, Karl Fisher, Trey Harrison and Tony Davis, to remain on the Little Giants' sideline. Staff is meeting tentatively on Tuesday and a team meeting will be held as soon as possible.
“The coaching staff was able to really put on a lot of workload and got the kids excited about getting better in the offseason,” McCormick said. What I learned as a coach reassured me that a head coach, especially in a football program, is never accomplished alone.
“What excites me is that we already have a group that is passionate about the game of football and will help Canton become the best team in the Mid-Illini.”
They call him “Cowboy”.This Canton State football player earned the nickname Racehorse.
As for the offense Canton fans can expect under the lights Friday night, McCormick is taking a “wait and see” approach. Sophomore Braxton Lock was named a second-team All-Mid-Illini wide receiver in 2023.
“I think the best offenses are the ones that utilize their best playmakers and put them in space, giving them opportunities to make plays,” he said. I really had to get in there and understand who they were. ”
Adam Duvall is a sports reporter for the Journal Star. Please email aduvall@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @AdamDuvall.
