Ocoee DB Zachary Tobe lands UCF offer on visit
Ocoee (Fla.) defensive back Zachary Tobe won't be able to attend UCF's Hometown Hero event next weekend, so the coaches invited him to visit campus Sunday. He left with an offer in hand.
"Next week I was already scheduled to visit Iowa State on the 29th, so Coach Addison Williams asked to see if I could come over today," Tobe said. "We actually just got back this morning from Tennessee. I went to a couple games, but this was my first time going into the athletic department facilities. I got a tour of everything. I got to meet Coach (David) Gibbs and I got to see Coach (Kenny) Martin again. I had a conversation with the defensive coordinator, Travis Williams, for a little bit. Then at the end we did a little photo shoot."
Offers have come in so far from Tennessee, Middle Tennessee, FAU, Iowa State, South Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Nebraska, Purdue and Cincinnati. UCF is now joining that list.
"At the end of the visit, me and my dad were meeting with Coach Addison and Coach Gibbs in the defensive meeting room, and that's when they said I had an offer," Tobe said. "They were talking about how they wanted to get to know me more. They said I looked good on film, but it's more than that. They wanted to see how I was as a person. That's why they waited so long. They wanted to make sure I fit the UCF brand. I couldn't stop smiling."
The 6-foot-2, 175-pounder could play anywhere in the secondary.
"The coaches said they would teach me to play all three, corner, nickel and safety," Tobe said.
As a junior, Tobe had 31 tackles and two interceptions.
"Most people expect taller DBs to be stiff, but I can move well," Tobe said. "I can cover and tackle. I can do everything a DB is supposed to do."
What stands out about UCF?
"I love that it's close to home," Tobe said. "That's real big for me. I've been to Power Five schools, and I know UCF is a Power Five school now, but their facilities are just as good. They're definitely up to par. I really like the culture. Everybody is like a big family over there."
Tobe said he's wide open among all the schools recruiting him. No favorites yet.
"The big thing for me is relationship with the coaches," Tobe said. "Of course I want to fit into the defense, but it's really about the relationships I build. I want coaches that will do what's best for me besides the football part of it."
