Zimmer sold on Redbirds

Coaching changes often send potential athletic recruits looking elsewhere.

That wasn't the case for Wheeling senior football player Mike Zimmer with Illinois State.

Zimmer was convinced ISU was the place for him and gave a verbal commitment to new head coach Brock Spack, who was Purdue's defensive coordinator the previous 12 years.

"I had a good relationship with the old coaching staff but I wasn't really strongly considering going there," Zimmer said of a scholarship offer he received from former coach Denver Johnson at a team camp before this season.

"After coach Spack came in - he was part of a great program with coach (Joe) Tiller at Purdue - and he presented a great plan for the program at ISU and he sold me."

The 6-foot-3, 215-pound Zimmer was a three-year starter who led Wheeling to consecutive playoff appearances.

The versatile Zimmer was a Daily Herald All-Area pick this season and had 69 tackles and 4 tackles for losses at safety, punted for 35-yard average and caught 30 passes for 368 yards and 6 touchdowns.

Zimmer, who chose ISU over offers from Western Illinois and South Dakota State, was recruited as an outside linebacker in Spack's 4-3 scheme.

"He told me he'll make me the best player I can be," Zimmer said of Spack, who coached linebackers at Purdue from 1997-2005 and during his tenure there had 27 defensive players go to the NFL.

"For my position it felt perfect and he knows what he's talking about.

"Obviously he's coached some great players. He liked my athleticism and I can run around and make plays."

Zimmer has a 4.3 grade-point average on a 5.0 scale, scored 24 on the ACT and plans to major in history and become a teacher.

He'll also join former Wheeling teammate and redshirt freshman offensive lineman Nick Bledsoe at ISU.

"What's pretty appealing with a new coaching staff is they aren't playing favorites with anyone," Zimmer said. "Right when high school is over I'm going down for the summer and I'll have a pretty good chance to play right away."