Photo credit: Reggie McLeroy)
By Kyle Roberts
Louisiana Tech may have found a pair of local linebackers to “ride together” in 2025.
Ruston High School soon-to-be senior linebacker Zheric Hill committed this past week to stay home and play collegiately for the Bulldogs, reuniting the dynamic duo both Hill and recently graduated Jadon Mayfield, who were both recently a crucial part of the 2023 Non-Select Division I state championship — the first for Ruston High in over 30 years.
For Louisiana Tech, it will be “Bad Boys 2.0” as they call themselves, going from red and white to red and blue.
“It’s a very special situation for those two,” Ruston High head coach Jerrod Baugh said. “They developed a really tight relationship through the years. It made it easy (for Zheric) to make that decision, and I’m proud for them. It never makes me any difference for where the kids go to school as long as it’s something they’re comfortable with and an opportunity to further their education.”
Hill said that Tech’s current coaching staff made the university feel like home, especially on his Junior Day tour.
“It was a beautiful day,” Hill said. “I’ve lived my whole life here, but I got to see what Tech was really like. And I love the relationships that I have been able to build with the coaches so far.”
And who else would host Hill on his visit? Of course — Mayfield, his former first team All-District 2-5A and All-Lincoln Parish Bearcat teammate, who just so happened to be the Louisiana Sports Writers Association All-State 5A Defensive MVP in 2023 .
“It was a great time,” Mayfield said. “It’s very exciting to see him want to come to the school that I’m at — and now we get to run it together for another three, four years. I think we can dominate this conference again. I’m just so happy that we can help bring winning back to Louisiana Tech and help make it a better program where everybody wants to come.”
Hill, too, is excited to reunite with Mayfield after the pair’s incredible 2022 and 2023 seasons together at Ruston High, where, incredibly, the two combined for over 450 total tackles and 15 sacks over their two years.
“The chemistry is there,” Hill said. “We’ve already played together for two years in a row, so it’s going to be exciting for me to watch him play when I’m beside him again, and I’ll just piggy-back off of what he does.”
Even better for Hill, multiple players from the 2022 Bearcat state runner-up team are already in a Tech uniform: Jaden Osborne, Dyson Fields and most recently, Christian Davis, who transferred to Louisiana Tech from Northwestern State.
“It’s really unique as far as these former high school teammates who (are at Tech now),” Baugh said about the reunion of former Bearcats on Tech’s roster. “So I think this helped Hill’s decision along with his relationship with Mayfield.”
But before Hill dons the State-T on his helmet, he’ll be one of the main leaders on the defense that is looking to defend a state championship — a Bearcat defense that graduated plenty of starters from last season.
“It makes me very excited to bring it everyday,” Hill said. “Last week was our first week of summer workouts, and we’re just putting the pieces together to try to get back to the state championship. I’m excited, and I’m ready (for the season), to be honest.”
And for Mayfield, he has no doubt that Hill is up to the task.
“It’s been amazing seeing him becoming the man he is and becoming a leader,” Mayfield said. “He’s taking control of this team in his own way. It’s very exciting to see what a young man he’s become from his freshman to his senior year.”
