Jeresaty’s Illini debut postponed as Big Ten pulls plug on football season

Blake Jeresaty still has B1G dreams.

 

But for now, Jeresaty, a member of the University of Illinois football team, is focused on “developing my mind, developing my body and developing my technique to become a better football player” after the Big Ten conference pulled the plug on the 2020 football season because of the coronavirus pandemic. 

 

There is a chance the schools could play in the spring. But for now, it, like everything else, seems to be up in the air.

 

Jeresaty seemed to be on top of the world after a stellar senior season at Wofford College, where the offensive lineman earned all-America honors. After his senior season, he announced he was entering the transfer portal and picked the Illini because of its

expected resurgence in the Big Ten under Lovie Smith and the graduate program the university offers.

 

Jeresaty was expecting to live the big life after announcing his decision. There was talk of upping his NFL draft stock while playing in front of crowds in excess of 100,000 in Big Ten stadiums across the country. 

 

The coronavirus had the country’s attention in April when Jeresaty announced the next chapter in his life.

 

But. “You know it’s kind of wild,” said Jeresaty, who earned all-state honors at Bishop England, which got him to the next chapter of his life – Wofford. “Even at that time, when you knew it was out there, there was no way you’d expect it to still be around. You thought it would be over by fall. But circumstances change and we are still living with it.

 

“The president of the University of Illinois and the other Big 10 presidents are putting us first,” he added. “I respect their opinions. We just don’t know the long-term and lasting effects, and the issues of running a college football program during the coronavirus era.”

 

Champaign, home to the University of Illinois, is still in Jeresaty’s future. One of the reasons for his college selection was the chance to play in a major conference with the talent to make you a potential pro and to prepare for life without football. 

 

Jeresaty is working on getting his master’s degree in finance, and the school’s finance department is considered top 10 in the country.

 

“I’m working on that,” Jeresaty said. “The master’s program here takes three semesters, so I will be here next year, anyway. And, I’ll play when they say it’s OK to play.”

 

Jeresaty was a three-year starter and a three-year all-region pick at BE. He was a freshman on the varsity team in 2012 when the Bishops captured their second straight state championship.

 

Jeresaty was expected to give coach Smith’s team more depth upfront. Smith signed three offensive linemen in the 2020 recruiting class, and was counting on four returning starters this fall.

 

“I’ll play as soon as they let me play,” Jeresaty said. “The strange thing about it was we were in our fifth day of practice when this cut it short. So for five days, I got to live my dream. But I’ll be back if they play in the spring, and I’ll be back if it’s next fall. I am waiting, working to get better and will be ready.”