Marble Falls left tackle Baltazar commits to Sam Houston State

JENNIFER FIERRO • PICAYUNE STAFF
MARBLE FALLS — Marble Falls High School senior left tackle Rey Baltazar committed to play football at Sam Houston State University on Jan. 19 during a visit to the campus in Huntsville.
“It was a great environment,” he said. “Everyone looks out for each other. There’s no, like, cliques, or whatever. Everyone is just outgoing with each other. It’s just real great.”
Sam Houston State coaches told Baltazar he was their top pick in the tackle position for the 2013 class, he said.
The 6-foot-6-inch Mustang has lost 15 pounds since football season ended in November and is down to 260 pounds. He attributes the weight loss to playing varsity basketball and spending more time in the weight room.
He’ll receive his summer weight program in the coming weeks and doesn’t yet know if he’ll delay playing for the Bearkats a season as a redshirt freshman.
“It depends on my summer weight lifting,” Baltazar said. “If I get stronger, (the coaches) say I will play on Saturdays.”
The offensive lineman, who made the switch to the position in 2012 after playing tight end in 2011, said he is happy to make a decision on where to attend college.
“It makes it easier,” he said. “There’s no more phone calls, like they used to call all the time nonstop. I just get to focus on football and what I got to do in basketball.”
National Signing Day is Feb. 6, the first day high school seniors can sign with a school.
jfierro@thepicayune.com