In good times and bad, Southern Illinois quarterback Mark Iannotti thinks about his friend and former teammate Demarius Reed.
And Thursday would count as an unbelievably great day. Iannotti, a Schaumburg graduate, was invited to the Bears’ annual local pro day at Halas Hall.
“It’s an opportunity of a lifetime,” Iannotti said. “It’s something I’m not going to take for granted.”
Reed is a main reason why. A few years ago, Iannotti committed to Eastern Michigan with Reed, a wide receiver, and cornerback Darius Scott, two Simeon graduates. They had become friends in high school, and they faced each other in the state playoffs.
“We wanted to be part of a big turnaround,” Iannotti said.
On Oct. 18, 2013, Reed was shot and killed by a 20-year-old man who was trying to rob him at an apartment complex near campus.
“I was just in complete shock,” Iannotti said. “I didn’t quite know how to handle it.”
Iannotti said Reed was a motivator. He always wanted to work, whether it was extra film study, more time in the weight room or running routes.
“He was the guy calling me up to do those little things to separate yourself from those competition battles,” Iannotti said.
A few weeks after Reed was murdered, Eastern Michigan coach Ron English was fired after a profane -tirade.
Iannotti (6-2, 218 pounds) needed a fresh start and found it at Southern Illinois. He had a solid season in 2014 but remained an unknown in NFL circles. That changed with the season opener last year, when he passed for 349 yards, ran for 106 and accounted for five touchdowns in a 48-47 loss to Indiana.
“That kind of put me on the radar and on the map, and I started having agents start contacting me,” he said.
Iannotti was very productive at Southern Illinois. He passed for 5,436 yards and 46 touchdowns and ran for 850 yards and 12 scores. Iannotti was an All-Missouri Valley player in 2015 and led all Football Championship Subdivision players in total offense per game.
In March, Iannotti took part in Northwestern’s pro day, which Bears college scouting director Joe Douglas and other staff members attended. Iannotti met with the Rams afterward, but he didn’t know he was on the Bears’ radar until he let an unknown number go to voicemail.
“When the voicemail said, ‘This is the Chicago Bears,’ I kind of went into shock,” Iannotti said. “Was it my friends prank-calling me?”
It was Bears college scouting coordinator Bobby Macedo.
The goal now is to prove he belongs.
“I’m willing to work my way up,” he said.
He’ll do so with Reed in mind.
“Every time I’m thinking to myself that I don’t want to do this extra workout or I don’t want to go watch film, I think about him,” Iannotti said. “If he were here, he’d be dragging my butt to the film room or the field. I just always keep it in mind that he lost his opportunity and may he rest in peace. But he always has a special place in my heart. I’m always going out there, playing for him. I wish he could be out there with me.”
