December 18, 2025 • 5 mins
Brother Rice defensive lineman King Liggins, a two-time All-CCL/ESCC player who helped the Crusaders finish 13-1 and win the IHSA 7A state championship this season, has signed to continue his football career at Illinois. "I feel like I can motivate the guys around me..."
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
I want to bring the juice Brother Rices. King Ligans
signs with Illinois. This article is being read by an
automated voice brought to you by Everlet. On and off
the football field, King Liggans has made history. The Brother
I senior defensive lineman recently helped steers team to a
shut out victory over Saint Rita and claim the Class
(00:26):
seven A state championship, the program's first state championship since
nineteen eighty one. Within that same week, Liggans finalized his
commitment to play at Illinois during the early signing period
for Division I athletes, I chose Illinois because of the
family atmosphere, Ligan said. It's the place that can hit
me to the level I want to reach, which is
the NFL. I feel I can develop the most there.
(00:48):
I want to bring the juice and be what I
need to be for them to be successful. I feel
like I can motivate guys around me by how I play.
I'm aggressive and outgoing, and I can rally people and
change a game that way. Winning Brother Rice's first state
football championship in over four decades is a rare enough achievement.
Even more impressive, however, is that Liggins will graduate from
(01:09):
high school early and head to Champagne to start his
collegiate career. In January, Liggins will become the first Crusader
football player to graduate early. It was probably one of
the greatest feelings, Ligans said when asked about his team's
state championship victory. Seeing all of my teammates after the
game and all of the coaches hugging each other, being
able to be a leader of that was a great feeling.
(01:30):
I knew all of the work we put into it,
We grinded on scout team, and we all wanted the
best out of each other, so it was a great feeling.
A three star prospect in one of the top defensive
line prospects in the state, Liggins concluded his varsity career
with one hundred and twenty tackles, twenty tackles for loss,
and ten sacks. Lyiggins, who wrestled at Brother Rice for
two years, played three years of varsity football, becoming a
team captain as a junior. A two time All CCLACC
(01:53):
Award winner, Liggins aided the Crusader defense in four shutouts
this season. Kings of dead kid kid because of his parents.
Brother Rice coach Casey Queedenfeld said, what he's brought to
us and what we're gonna miss is his leadership. Illinois
is very lucky to have a kid who will be
a program guy and will one hundred percent be a
captain at some point in time. They're getting a leader,
(02:14):
and they're getting a guy who's gonna work. He's not
afraid to work or be coached. Coinciding with liggans development
as a leader was Brother Rice's development as a program.
During his sophomore season, the team went five to five
and lost forty six to zero to Batavia in the playoffs.
During his junior season, Brother Rice improved to six and four,
(02:34):
but the team once again fell in the first round
of the playoffs, conceding a loss against Fenwick. As a senior,
Liggins made up part of a dominant defensive line that
collectively won the CCLSCC Blue Division's Lineman of the Year award,
a commemoration of the group's stellar play. This season. Brother
Rice went thirteen to one on the season, holding opponents
(02:55):
to fourteen point four points per game and tying the
team's best win total in seven years. Our mentality is bend,
don't break, Ligan said. Even if someone drives the ball down,
They're not scoring on us. Our defense is like a brotherhood,
and you're held to a higher standard if you're on
our defense. Once you're a part of that, you know
(03:19):
that nobody is going to score on you because you're
playing for the brother beside you. This year, Liggins was
given Brother Rice's number one jersey, a special honor emblemizing
his leadership and commitment, but rather than wearing the number
one uniform, Liggins bestowed it upon a student named Parker Bado,
a sophomore and team manager. Bodo is a member of
the school's Mount Scion Program, a special education inclusion program
(03:41):
at Brother Rice Liggins's. Bodo's peer mentor King, was a
captain when he was on the freshman squad, and as
a sophomore he was up with the varsity team and
learning how to do things. Creudenfeld said, he was given
the number one jersey, which is the most notable thing
in our program right now. He dedicated that to someone
in the Mount Sion program. He did that on his own.
(04:02):
Liggins began wrestling and playing football when he was six
years old. The Brother Rice senior, who grew up in
Crete about thirty miles from school. Was inspired by his father, Derek,
a football player at Thornwood in South Holland, to take
up football and wrestling as a child. While his focus
has shifted to the gridiron, Ligan said that lessons learned
from wrestling have helped him grow in football. Wrestling is
(04:25):
a rough, nasty sport, and he felt like I needed
that to become a better football player. Ligan said, the
practices are really hard in wrestling. Having that mentality and
bringing it onto the football field helps me a lot.
My dad was a really good football player in high
school and he got me into it when I was young.
I've loved football ever since I stepped foot onto the
football field. Once the center of the youth level, Liggins
(04:48):
has learned to love playing defensive tackle, now his favorite
position on the field. An admirer of star NFL defensive
lineman like Max Crosby and Aaron Donald, Ligan said the
freedom and aggression that comes from playing defense are just
a few of his favorite aspects about the position. His
biggest role models are his parents, Derek and Archana. I
(05:08):
feel like I can sometimes freestyle a bit, and I
have to use my hands and be aggressive, Ligan said.
I don't ever stop. I try to bring my best
every day and take advantage of every day. I'm a
great person and outside of football, I think there's more
to me than just being a football player. I'm more
of an outgoing person.
I want to bring the juice Brother Rices. King Ligans
signs with Illinois. This article is being read by an
automated voice brought to you by Everlet. On and off
the football field, King Liggans has made history. The Brother
I senior defensive lineman recently helped steers team to a
shut out victory over Saint Rita and claim the Class
(00:26):
seven A state championship, the program's first state championship since
nineteen eighty one. Within that same week, Liggans finalized his
commitment to play at Illinois during the early signing period
for Division I athletes, I chose Illinois because of the
family atmosphere, Ligan said. It's the place that can hit
me to the level I want to reach, which is
the NFL. I feel I can develop the most there.
(00:48):
I want to bring the juice and be what I
need to be for them to be successful. I feel
like I can motivate guys around me by how I play.
I'm aggressive and outgoing, and I can rally people and
change a game that way. Winning Brother Rice's first state
football championship in over four decades is a rare enough achievement.
Even more impressive, however, is that Liggins will graduate from
(01:09):
high school early and head to Champagne to start his
collegiate career. In January, Liggins will become the first Crusader
football player to graduate early. It was probably one of
the greatest feelings, Ligans said when asked about his team's
state championship victory. Seeing all of my teammates after the
game and all of the coaches hugging each other, being
able to be a leader of that was a great feeling.
(01:30):
I knew all of the work we put into it,
We grinded on scout team, and we all wanted the
best out of each other, so it was a great feeling.
A three star prospect in one of the top defensive
line prospects in the state, Liggins concluded his varsity career
with one hundred and twenty tackles, twenty tackles for loss,
and ten sacks. Lyiggins, who wrestled at Brother Rice for
two years, played three years of varsity football, becoming a
team captain as a junior. A two time All CCLACC
(01:53):
Award winner, Liggins aided the Crusader defense in four shutouts
this season. Kings of dead kid kid because of his parents.
Brother Rice coach Casey Queedenfeld said, what he's brought to
us and what we're gonna miss is his leadership. Illinois
is very lucky to have a kid who will be
a program guy and will one hundred percent be a
captain at some point in time. They're getting a leader,
(02:14):
and they're getting a guy who's gonna work. He's not
afraid to work or be coached. Coinciding with liggans development
as a leader was Brother Rice's development as a program.
During his sophomore season, the team went five to five
and lost forty six to zero to Batavia in the playoffs.
During his junior season, Brother Rice improved to six and four,
(02:34):
but the team once again fell in the first round
of the playoffs, conceding a loss against Fenwick. As a senior,
Liggins made up part of a dominant defensive line that
collectively won the CCLSCC Blue Division's Lineman of the Year award,
a commemoration of the group's stellar play. This season. Brother
Rice went thirteen to one on the season, holding opponents
(02:55):
to fourteen point four points per game and tying the
team's best win total in seven years. Our mentality is bend,
don't break, Ligan said. Even if someone drives the ball down,
They're not scoring on us. Our defense is like a brotherhood,
and you're held to a higher standard if you're on
our defense. Once you're a part of that, you know
(03:19):
that nobody is going to score on you because you're
playing for the brother beside you. This year, Liggins was
given Brother Rice's number one jersey, a special honor emblemizing
his leadership and commitment, but rather than wearing the number
one uniform, Liggins bestowed it upon a student named Parker Bado,
a sophomore and team manager. Bodo is a member of
the school's Mount Scion Program, a special education inclusion program
(03:41):
at Brother Rice Liggins's. Bodo's peer mentor King, was a
captain when he was on the freshman squad, and as
a sophomore he was up with the varsity team and
learning how to do things. Creudenfeld said, he was given
the number one jersey, which is the most notable thing
in our program right now. He dedicated that to someone
in the Mount Sion program. He did that on his own.
(04:02):
Liggins began wrestling and playing football when he was six
years old. The Brother Rice senior, who grew up in
Crete about thirty miles from school. Was inspired by his father, Derek,
a football player at Thornwood in South Holland, to take
up football and wrestling as a child. While his focus
has shifted to the gridiron, Ligan said that lessons learned
from wrestling have helped him grow in football. Wrestling is
(04:25):
a rough, nasty sport, and he felt like I needed
that to become a better football player. Ligan said, the
practices are really hard in wrestling. Having that mentality and
bringing it onto the football field helps me a lot.
My dad was a really good football player in high
school and he got me into it when I was young.
I've loved football ever since I stepped foot onto the
football field. Once the center of the youth level, Liggins
(04:48):
has learned to love playing defensive tackle, now his favorite
position on the field. An admirer of star NFL defensive
lineman like Max Crosby and Aaron Donald, Ligan said the
freedom and aggression that comes from playing defense are just
a few of his favorite aspects about the position. His
biggest role models are his parents, Derek and Archana. I
(05:08):
feel like I can sometimes freestyle a bit, and I
have to use my hands and be aggressive, Ligan said.
I don't ever stop. I try to bring my best
every day and take advantage of every day. I'm a
great person and outside of football, I think there's more
to me than just being a football player. I'm more
of an outgoing person.
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