Stanford (Ill.) Olympia senior offensive tackle recruit Blaine Halley (6-foot-6, 285 pounds) on Wednesday decided to end his recruiting process and gave the Southern Illinois University Salukis his verbal commitment. Halley discusses his recruiting process and college decision in this latest recruiting update.

"SIU is just an overall great fit for me and I'm excited about my decision," Halley said. "SIU offers a great education in my major (forestry conservation) plus the football portion is also a great fit for me at SIU."

Halley also pointed towards a handful of key factors which led to his commitment to the SIU Salukis.

"SIU just always made me feel welcomed and a part of the football program already. I've spent a lot of time getting to know the coaches at SIU including head coach Nick Hill and offensive line coach Dan Clark. The coaches at SIU are really great people and I just have a good connection with the staff. SIU is also a winning program that has had a lot of success recently and the football program is heading in the right direction. I had a great visit to SIU back in the spring and I'm excited to get back soon for another visit and then I'm sure I'll take an official visit later in the year."

Halley, who was offered and recruited by SIU as an offensive tackle recruit also considered a handful of schools before committing to the SIU Salukis.

"My Top 3 schools ended up being SIU, Illinois State and also Austin Peay. All three schools offer my major and Illinois State is just 30 minutes from home so they had also recruited me hard. SIU just offered a great combination of academics and an impressive program in my major. SIU's success on the field was another key factor which put them over the top for me. I love how fast and physical the SIU offense plays and I'm excited to get an opportunity to be a part of it."

Halley was asked what advice he would give a younger player when it comes to the recruiting process?

"I'm a small school kid so just getting my name out there was challenging early on. The process can get rough at times but you jut need to keep working and getting better every day. I was also able to get out to a bunch of different camps and showcases and those also helped me get my name out there and played a big role in my recruiting process. Once the coaches starter to figure out who I was the recruiting process got better."

Halley is also thrilled to put his recruiting process behind him.

"I can just focus now on my senior season and I don't have to worry about my recruiting process. .It feels really good to be committed to SIU, and it definitely takes away some of the pressure I was starting to feel with my recruiting."

Blaine Halley is verbally committed to Southern Illinois University.