Aidan Laughery officially got himself on the Big Ten football map on July 14, when Lovie Smith’s Illinois program offered the Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley junior.

Laughery also holds interest from Michigan, as well as a May offer from Washington State and interest from Illinois State.

Safe to say after this past Tuesday that the Big Ten is keenly aware of what sort of talent lies in Ford County these days.

Laughery announced on that day via his Twitter account that Rutgers coach Greg Schiano extended Laughery an offer.

“It is a blessing to have another D-I offer,” Laughery said. “(Schiano) is a great guy and an awesome coach.”

The 5-foot-11, 175-pound running back and free safety said he’d been in touch with Scarlet Knights’ running backs coach Augie Hoffmann for about two weeks prior to receiving the offer.

“The Rutgers culture really draws me in,” Laughery said. “Coach Schiano’s culture he built back when he was there in the early 2000s got them to No. 7 in the country, and he’s back. They love my speed and think I can fit very well with what they want to build.”

Laughery racked up 1,279 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns for last season’s 9-2 Falcons football squad. He’s presently waiting to follow up on that, with this school year’s campaign delayed until the spring in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“My reaction (to last month’s IHSA Board of Directors decision) was just happy,” Laughery said. “Just the fact we get a chance to play and have a season is awesome, especially for my senior teammates and other seniors. There isn’t anything else to prepare for other than playing football.”

Perhaps not true for any GCMS player who’s involved in a sport that now precedes the football season.

But Laughery’s other prep venture is track and field, which still won’t take place until after football in the IHSA’s revised calendar.

Laughery and others in his position won’t get much of a breather, however. The football season is slated to conclude May 1, and track and field athletes can begin practicing May 3.

“It’s going to mess with my track season a lot,” Laughery said. “Whatever happens, I’m going to give it all I’ve got and let all my hard work pay off.”

Colin Likas is the preps coordinator at The News-Gazette. He can be reached at clikas@news-gazette.com, or on Twitter at @clikasNG.