From a very young age, junior Riley Lees was making fantastic plays in every sport he participated in, plays that made people wonder, “How did he do that?” Whether it be football, baseball, or even basketball, Lees proved from early on that he was on a terrific path with his various athletic endeavors.
Now nearing the end of his junior year at LHS, Lees’ impressive successes on the football field have resulted in him committing to Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, to play on the Red Hawk football team.
The 2014 Wildcat offense was one that depended heavily on the quarterback play. The team often gave the ball to Lees and let him make plays. Lees was often known for his ability to break the pocket and extend drives with his quick moves and powerful legs. Lees ended the 2014 season with 1,945 rushing yards and a total of 45 touchdowns all together. Those unbelievable numbers earned Lees multiple accolades. Those include: NSC all conference, Daily Herald player of the year, IHSA 1st team all state, and a member of the all area team.
Before Lees committed to Miami of Ohio, he had several notable programs in mind: University of Iowa, Western Michigan University, and Army.
“Getting an offer from a Big Ten school like Iowa was intriguing, as well as Army, but I didn’t want to join the Army,” stated Lees. “I really enjoyed the school (Miami) itself, and the coaches made me feel comfortable, unlike a regular business meeting. I feel like I can play early on,” Lees explained..
That Lees committed to a college as a junior might seem rather early to some, but he says that he had no reason to drag the process on when he knew that Miami was where he wanted to go. With a full senior season left as a Wildcat, Lees will very likely pick up additional offers from schools.
“I knew that he would commit as a junior, but I was a bit surprised when he announced his decision in early March, but that is a decision that is between him and his family,” head football coach Mike Jones stated.
Jones also mentioned how he is still getting information from schools who want to recruit Lees despite his verbal commitment to Miami.
“If I got a higher-end Big Ten offer or any offers from big schools, I would definitely look at it, but I’m pretty solid where I am now,” Lees says.
There are also many big-time games that Miami of Ohio will play in the next few years, including visiting the University of Iowa during Lees’ freshman year, as well as a trip to South Bend, Indiana, to face Notre Dame in his sophomore year. Lees looks forward to the opportunity of playing against those formidable opponents in due time.
Lees, also a varsity baseball player, always has a busy athletic schedule, and he continues to attend football lifting during the week.
“People see what Riley can do on the field, but he goes to football lifting four times a week, and I believe that is one of his best contributions to the team,” commented coach Jones.
During his sophomore year, Lees was one of the few players in his class to play on the varsity level. At that time, he was a slot receiver on the team’s offense, while then-senior Anthony Monken was at quarterback.
“Miami has the idea of having him play the slot, and Iowa recruited him as a defensive back. He is such an athlete that he can play multiple positions.” asserted coach Jones.
Lees grew up as a multi-sport athlete, but he has always liked football just a bit more than the other sports After his junior all-conference season at quarterback, Lees had real aspirations of playing in college.
