Former Nebraska Cornhuskers offensive tackle Ryan Klachko has tranferred to the Illinois Fighting Illini, as the school announced on Wednesday. A native of Springfield, Ill., he's heading back to his home state after redshirting his freshman year with Nebraska.
A 6-foot-4, 290-pound behemoth, Klachko was considered one of the top players in Illinois out of high school in 2011 after starring at Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin. After receiving offers from numerous top programs, including the Fighting Illini under former coach Ron Zook, he opted to head west to play for the Cornhuskers.
An opportunity never really presented itself in Nebraska, though, leading to Klachko's decision to transfer. He'll be forced to sit out the 2012 season due to NCAA transfer rules, but he'll retain three years of football eligibility once he's active in 2013.
Klachko is now the third player to join Tim Beckman's squad as a transfer after Northern Illinois safety Tommy Davis and Penn State offensive lineman Ryan Nowicki.
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