JUCO lineman pledges to Illini
JUCO prospect Zach Heath from American River C.C. is just off of a visit to Illinois. Now the 6-foot-4, 285 pound offensive lineman is a member of the Illini's 2015 recruiting class.
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After a long journey Of chasing my dream of playing D1 football I'm committing to university of Illinois!! @CoachGolesh @CoachrickerUI- Zach Heath (@zheata) July 2, 2014
Heath had a chance to talk with head coach Tim Beckman shortly after making his pledge to the Illini staff.
"I got off the phone with Coach Beckman and he couldn't be happier," Heath said. "He assured me that it's going to be a good environment to go to school and a great opportunity for playing football."
Assistants Alex Golesh and A.J. Ricker locked down Heath for the Illini. It was Golesh who got the call from Heath Tuesday night.
Heath was originally a Western Kentucky commit in the 2014 class, but had to reconsider due to a family issue. There's still a chance he could be at Illinois for the upcoming season.
"If a (scholarship) opens up, there's a slight possibility I could go there now," Heath said. "If not, I will be a mid-year guy in January."
His visit to Illinois last Friday sealed the deal for Heath. It took him just a few days back home to mull it over and pull the trigger.
"It was kind of in my mind that Illinois was where I wanted to go," Heath said. "When I got home and thought about it a little bit I knew it was going to be my best opportunity."
At Illinois, Heath will likely play the center position, or possibly guard. He played last season at American River as a freshman and had a solid season.
Heath is the fourth offensive lineman to commit to Illinois, following tackles Gabe Megginson and Adam Solomon, and guard Zeke Martin. He talked about why the Illini stood out for him in the end.
"Their continued support and recruitment of me was a big factor," Heath said. "They were the first big school to give me the opportunity. Just the family aspect that they all brought to the table, and having such good experience there on my visit.
"After college, I'll have a lot of good relationships with players and coaches that will last a lifetime, which is a big thing for me."