Jake Varble, a two-time Illinois Football Coaches Association all-stater, made it official early Wednesday morning that he was going to Southern Illinois University-Carbondale.
He said he attended a camp at SIU-C and he said it seemed to be a perfect fit.
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“It ended up working out and I couldn’t be happier than going to Southern Illinois University-Carbondale,” he said.
Varble is a rarity in the region, excelling at three sports – football, basketball and baseball.
He is a starter on Jersey’s basketball team and one of the team’s top scorers. He said football is his favorite sport, although he loves each of them. Varble played quarterback this past year and was all-state at that and linebacker, but the year before he was a tight end. He will be a tight end for SIU-C.
Varble said he will definitely miss playing basketball and baseball and his teammates he has played with since grade school.
“It will be rough leaving them, but at the same time there are some great guys down at Carbondale,” he said. “This is a new chapter in my life opening up and I am excited.”
The Jersey star athlete is as strong in the classroom as he is in athletics, sporting a perfect straight-A average.
He plans to apply the same time with his studies in college and said he ultimately wants to be an orthodontist. Jake’s father, Pat, also attended SIU-C. Jake said he is glad his father, family and friends will be able to see him play at SIU-C, because it is within driving distance.
Jersey coach Dave Jacobs said he thought Jake Varble had made an awesome decision to attend SIU-C on the full scholarship and fits the mold they are looking for at tight end with his size and athletic skills.
“Jake has earned everything and worked hard,” Jacobs said. “He has a perfect grade-point average in school and was a two-time Academic All-State player. He plays three sports, which is uncommon today in a day where many specialize. He will do very well there. SIU-C has big plans for him. He reminds them of an All-American that was built like Jake.”
Jacobs said he was also proud to have players sign college scholarship letters of intent four years in a row.
“Jake has left a legacy here and we will continue to look back at what he did,” Jacobs said. “He had the right work ethic and I think playing three sports allowed him the opportunity to play football in college. The sky is the limit for him.”
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