KFBCA Top 11: JC Heim

The Kansas Football Coaches Association picked their All-State teams in early December, including the All-Class Top 11. Kansas Pregame is providing capsules for each of the Top 11 selections. Check out Washburn Rural linebacker JC Heim's capsule below. For a look at the complete 2023 KFBCA All-State teams click here.

Washburn Rural came up just short against Derby in a 29-28 state semifinal heartbreaker in late November, prior to which, they were unbeatable.

The Junior Blues reeled off 11 consecutive wins in their path to the semis, due largely to the dominant defense led by a strong group of seniors, including KFBCA Top 11 selection JC Heim, a 6-3, 220 pound linebacker.

Heim started off as a freshman in 2020 playing junior varsity, before later working his way onto the varsity field for a Rural team that finished 4-6, but it would take awhile before the up and coming defender would catch up to the speed of the varsity game.

“When he was a freshman we brought him and some of his freshman teammates up for a couple late season varsity games,” head coach Steve Buhler said. “During one of those games he got in and got his first taste of Friday nights under the lights. After a series he came off saying ‘Man I’ve got to get faster.’ After that he had a vision of where he wanted to go and how he was going to get there. If it was about getting stronger he did it. If it was about speed he worked at it by doing speed drills and going out for track. If it was about technique he would spend more time with coaches. As we have mentioned to our young guys, JC is very talented, but he didn’t just show up as good as he was when he was a frosh.”

The freshman’s attitude paid off going into his sophomore season, when he began making a major impact on the field, recording 74 tackles, eight tackles-for-loss, and a sack and helping Rural take a huge step forward, recording an 8-2 mark and reaching the second round of the state playoffs.

And while defense is where Heim has built a majority of his reputation on the gridiron, he also showed his effectiveness on offense, gaining 320 yards on 44 carries with five TDs, earning All-League honorable mention at running back as well as linebacker.

“JC is very athletic and fast for his size but he has great football instincts,” Buhler said. “He anticipates very well.”

Entering his junior season, Heim and Washburn Rural had created buzz, bringing back a majority of their contributors from the prior season.

One of those talented returning starters was JC’s twin brother, Jaren, who went on to record 70 tackles and seven tackles-for-loss.

JC, meanwhile, recorded 60 tackles, 13 tackles-for-loss, five sacks, seven QB pressures, five forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, four pass breakups, three punt blocks, and a defensive touchdown.

“The two are inseparable,” Buhler said of his dynamic twin brother duo. “Each one has their own unique talents that really do complement each other. They are both great football players individually, but together they are game changers.”

Both Heims earned first team All-Centennial League honors on defense while leading Rural to the state quarterfinals and an 8-3 record. The Junior Blues allowed just one touchdown in the first two rounds of the playoffs, before ultimately losing to defending state champs Derby.

Hype again surrounded Heim and his team going into 2023, and they did not disappoint, starting the season off 11-0 and winning a Centennial League title along the way.

Heim was key defensively, recording an incredible 153 tackles, 17 tackles-for-loss, eight sacks, two interceptions, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and a defensive TD. While offensively he rushed for 530 yards and 12 total TDs.

As in years before, the senior also provided key leadership for the Junior Blues.

“JC has always been a leader by example,” Buhler said. “He has an outstanding work ethic at practice or in the weight room. His teammates know if they want to keep up they’re going to have to work hard at it.”

The Heims combined for 269 tackles and six interceptions on the year and earned All-State honors as well as winning 6A Co-Defensive Player of the Year recognition from Sports in Kansas.

JC has received DI interest from multiple programs including Kansas and Kansas State, along with numerous DII, JUCO, and NAIA offers, and despite Rural’s season again coming to an end at the hands of Derby, the words of six-time state championship head coach Brandon Clark speak volumes. 

“We faced JC the past two years and as much as we tried to scheme around him, we couldn't because he played sideline-to-sideline,” Clark said. “He not only was a great football player, he played the game the right way. I was always a huge fan of his watching him compete on film.”