The Tremper football team’s offensive and defensive lines will be bolstered by a Big Ten Conference recruit in the fall.

One of the state’s top prospects, Zac Epping accepted a scholarship offer from the University of Minnesota earlier this week.

The 6-foot-3, 275-pound Epping plays tackle on both sides of the ball, but he will likely play either center or guard at the next level. A three-star center by Rivals.com and Scout.com, he is the 35th-ranked defensive tackle in the nation by Scout.com.

Impressed with the Gophers coaching staff and new TCF Bank Stadium after attending Minnesota coach Tim Brewster’s football camp recently, Epping called Brewster and offensive line coach Tim Davis on Monday night to tell them his decision.

“I have a really good relationship with Coach Davis and Coach Brewster,” Epping told the Pioneer Press. “I can already tell that (Davis) knows a lot. I really learned a lot from him at camp. I know if I keep working with him, I’m going to get better every day.”

In 2010, Epping will be one of three players from Kenosha County on a Big Ten roster. This fall, Shoreland Lutheran graduate Ben Johnson will be a third-year sophomore linebacker at Northwestern while Bradford graduate T.J. Williams will be a redshirt freshman wide receiver at Wisconsin.

One of only two players to be named first-team All-Southeast Conference on both sides of the ball, Epping was also a first-team All-County performer as a junior. He has started for the last two years at defensive tackle (99 tackles, seven TFLs, 51/2 sacks). He was a first-year starter at left tackle on offense and excelled at run blocking.

“I really like the Minnesota campus, especially the new football stadium,” Epping told BadgerNation.com. “Minnesota’s facilities are amazing. It meant a lot getting that early offer in the mail. It meant a lot that they ranked me so high.”

Epping also had scholarship offers from Central Michigan, Northern Illinois, North Dakota State and Western Michigan.

He also received interest from Alabama, Ball State, Illinois State, Northwestern, Southern Illinois, UCLA and Wisconsin.

Minnesota’s 2010 class now has seven players, including three from Wisconsin. Matt Eggen, a 6-5, 290-pound tackle from La Crosse Logan, and Arrowhead quarterback Tom Parish have also committed to the Gophers.

According to BadgerNation.com, Epping admitted that he wouldn’t mind getting an offer from Wisconsin, but he felt that UW isn’t the best fit for him anymore.

He cancelled a trip to Wisconsin’s football camp after visiting Minnesota.

“I’d like to get an offer from Wisconsin, but I don’t think I want to go there anymore,” he said. “They don’t rank as high on my list. I would like to make my decision before the season so it doesn’t get in the way of all the fun of my senior year. Right now, I want to play out of state and experience something different.”