If he had only hit the books as hard as he hit quarterbacks at Homewood-Flossmoor, Isaiah Coe would already be playing major college football.

He knows that now.

Although he didn’t have the grades coming out of H-F, Coe never gave up on his dream. He never gave in, either. He never doubted this day would arrive.

The 6-foot-3, 310-pound defensive tackle had plenty of suitors in high school, too.

Michigan State, Illinois and Iowa State offered him scholarships after a standout senior season at H-F that featured 53 tackles, including 18 for loss, and seven sacks. A future of playing in a Power Five conference was within his grasp for the first time. And this is where the heaviest of lessons was learned.

“I didn’t take school as seriously as I needed to at H-F and I had to face the consequences,” Coe said. “It was in the middle of my junior year that it hit me. I started to try harder and go all out in class.

“Even though I didn’t get my grades to where I needed them to be, I was on a better path at the end of high school than I was at the beginning.”

Ultimately, the path to success could just be beginning for Coe, who will sign a national letter of intent Wednesday with tradition-rich Oklahoma, a Power Five program and member of the Big 12.

Coe returned Dec. 9 from an unofficial visit to the Norman, Oklahoma campus. And it was a feeling like nothing he had ever experienced.

Yes, Christmas had arrived early.

“It was a feeling of joy for me and my parents,” Coe said. “Oklahoma has such a rich history, and it has a lot of pride. There is a real, genuine care for football. I loved everything about the campus. It’s a must-go situation for me.”

But first, Coe had to go to Iowa Western Community College after graduating from H-F. He made an immediate impact as a freshman in 2019, totaling 37 tackles and 6 1/2 sacks in 10 games.

Most importantly, Coe got the job done in the classroom.

“I was disappointed I couldn’t play at a big college coming out of H-F,” Coe said. “I looked at it like I didn’t reach my ultimate goal, but I’m going to one of the best junior colleges in the country.

“I couldn’t do anything about the past. That part of my life was over. But I knew if I did my part at Iowa Western, everything would take care of itself.”

Coe executed the plan to perfection. He was ranked as the No. 3 defensive tackle in the country for junior colleges by 247Sports.com. He also excelled in the classroom.

The only downfall was the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference canceled the 2020 season due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Coe still received more than 10 offers, including Kansas State, Mississippi, Arkansas, Syracuse, Missouri and Houston.

The allure of becoming a Sooner, however, proved too powerful.

H-F coach Craig Buzea referred to Coe as the “total package.”

“He’s athletic and has good speed for a kid his size,” Buzea said. “He’s explosive off the line. And he loves football.”

Coe will graduate later this month from Iowa Western with an associate’s degree and will enroll in January at Oklahoma.

In all, Coe will have three years of eligibility remaining to make his mark at one of the most football-crazed communities in the country.

“This isn’t a shock to me and my family that I was presented with this offer by Oklahoma,” Coe said. “I think I’ve earned everything I’ve been through in my life. I’ve tried to do the best that I can.”

A lesson learned. And a lesson for all.