High School Sports Awards: Premier Virginia offensive tackle Zach Rice craves consistency, improvement

Virginia's Liberty Christian Academy offensive tackle Zach Rice is already one of the nation's most dominant high school football linemen. And if that isn't enough, the recent University of North Carolina commit has vowed to take his game to another level. 

"When you don't take your foot off of the gas pedal, nobody can stop you," the 6 feet, 6 inches tall, 282 pound Rice said. "Being an offensive lineman, I want my quarterback, running back or whomever is getting the ball to come to my side on every play. That means putting in the work, which I'm ready and willing to do." 

Rice, an All-USA Today HSSA Offensive Football Player of the Year nominee, was introduced to football at the age of 4, played on a 5- and 6-year-old team and initially did not find it appealing. 

"I told my mom I didn't like it," he said. "So she encouraged me to give it another try and I ended up falling in love with it. I actually got good at it and began playing for All-Star teams. A lot of my athleticism comes from basketball, which helped with agility. But I love the physicality of the sport — directing my opponent where they don't want to go and pancaking them."

Rice's coach, Frank Rocco, commended Rice and his teammates for the manner in which they have adeptly applied the program's tenets.

"Football season in itself is a microcosm of life," Rocco said. "You're dealing with good things, bad things and the challenges that go along with it. Our kids have been tremendously resilient and focused. That's one thing I believe about our young men, when they graduate and walk across that platform, they're going to be ready to go tackle some challenges out there. When you sign up to go play football and you finish the season, you've gone through a lifetime of lessons."

Rice believes it is, "important to surround yourself with people who want to get better, on and off the field. Iron sharpens iron". 

Rocco recalled from Rice's sixth grade year, when he was playing middle school football, he was always a head taller and stronger than everyone else. He said most student-athletes fitting that description require time to allow their coordination and skills to follow suit. But Rice was unique in that regard, he said.

"Zach was a very good player for us as a lineman at the earliest ages, but through hard work, dedication and the time and effort he has put in, he has become even better to utilize the great gift of size and skill that he has," Rocco noted. "He has become elite and a big part of that is his level headed approach. He never gets too high and never gets too low. Even going through all of the recruiting, Zach has always kept a very level head. He doesn't think he's better than anyone else and he works hard every day."

With his time with the Bulldogs winding to a close, Rice has been reflecting on what got him to this point. 

"My mom sacrificed everything for me," Rice said during his commitment announcement ceremony in which he selected the Tar Heels as his college choice. "And the biggest thing I want to do for her is retire her. And I promise I am going to do that. My grandmother has been struggling with health issues. She had less than 20 percent of her heart working at one time and now she has a comeback story. She's walking and has more than 80 percent of her heart working now."

Rice said selecting a venue for the next level of scholastic and athletic pursuits was not easy, having narrowed his options to North Carolina, Alabama, Notre Dame, Virginia and Ohio State. 

"The difference was I wanted to play for a Hall of Fame head coach," said Rice, who will pursue business as a course of study. "Mack Brown is amazing. We're on the come up now and I really believe that. The only thing I can do is get better. This is a blessing. I felt like the University of North Carolina had the best program for me."