By: Larry Vaught
DANVILLE, Ky. - Centre College junior
Zach Reiners was one of the best offensive linemen in the Southern Athletic Association last season when the left tackle was second on the team in pancake blocks and knockdowns.
However, he suggested to Centre coaches that they move him to center for the 2023 season and that's where he has been playing during spring practice.
"I think a position change just helps keep things fresh. I like it a lot," Reiners said. "It's something new. It is a little more difficult having to snap the ball and then get off and block but I like it. We have a lot of talent and a lot of guys capable of filling my old spot if I do move over (to center). So if it happens, it happens."
The 6-4, 295-pound Reiners could help the team if the move works but it could also be beneficial to his football future. He went to a workout in March at Eastern Kentucky University where he met with scouts from the Philadelphia Eagles and Atlanta Falcons. Centre coach
Andy Frye told the scouts about Reiners and that led to the meeting.
"We talked and they did some weight and height measurements. I ran a 40 (yard dash). It was good to make those connections and was great meeting those guys and maybe getting some wheels in motion for after the season ends," Reiners said.
Reiners weighed about 260 pounds when he finished his high school senior season. Now he is in the 295-300 range. He credits the increase to better nutrition and lifting weights four times per week.
"Over the summer I tried to get 300 grams of protein a day to build mass and the lifting program helps. A whole proud of chicken is about 120 to 130 grams. It was a lot of eating but I knew I needed to do it," Reiners said.
A center that size with mobility is a luxury and could give him a chance to chase his dream after graduation.
"Selfishly, that's one reason I want to play center. It has always been a dream of mine to play professional football," the Centre junior said. "At tackle, I am a little undersized. Maybe at center or guard it (playing in the NFL) is a possibility. There's nothing wrong with dreaming."
His high school team, Bullitt East, proved that in December when it beat Louisville Male to win the Class 6A state championship, the school's first title. He said it was "crazy" to watch his team play but he had to leave before the game ended.
"I play some guitar in a band and we had a gig in my hometown that night," Reiners said. "We had to leave and listen to the last quarter on the radio going back for our gig. We were playing in a local bar and it turned out crazy after the team won. It certainly made for some good tips that night."
He started playing guitar in the third grade but doubts he would ever embark on a professional music career. He's a physics major who intends to attend graduate school to be an engineer.
"At Centre if you want to go into engineering, physics or math are the best majors and physics just seemed more interesting," Reiners said. "I always wanted to do something in the math-science area. Engineering just seemed like a natural profession."
He said growing up he always liked to "tinker, fix and build stuff" and that he helped his grandfather build street rod cars before his grandfather moved to Florida.
"Me and him had been working on a 1956 Mercury Monterey and he taught me to weld so I did most of the body work," Reiners said. "He  moved and I had to sell the car before I was finished but it did sell pretty fast."
