MICHIGAN OL ZAK ZINTER SUFFERS BROKEN TIBIA AND FIBULA AGAINST OHIO STATE, OUT FOR THE YEAR
The University of Michigan may have taken down Ohio State for the third straight year on Saturday but it didn’t come without cost as the defending Big Ten champs lost starting offensive lineman Zak Zinter for the rest of the year.
Zinter, 22, has been a key piece of the Michigan offense over the past three years and will be a huge hole to fill after he went down late in the third quarter of the 30-24 win after an Ohio State defensive tackle fell on his left leg.
An All-American at right guard, Zinter chose to come back to Michigan for his senior year instead of entering the NFL draft with the team feeling like they “had unfinished business” following last year’s collapse in the Fiesta Bowl against the TCU Horned Frogs. The 6-foot-6, 322-pound lineman was circled by the entire Michigan sideline at the team’s logo before he was carted away mid-game amidst applause and chants of “Let’s Go, Zak” inside the Big House.
A statement from Zinter’s family confirmed hours after the game that the Massachusetts-born offensive lineman had suffered a broken tibia and fibula. “Huge thank you to the hundreds of family/friends/fans that have reached out,” the statement, put out by Zinter’s mother Tiffany, read. “Please know we’ll read them when we get a moment. We are beyond feeling the LOVE!”
“On the bright side, he [Zinter] IS 3-0 against OSU! This is a team and a brotherhood! They [the team] FaceTimed him from the locker room while he was in the ER, true brothers!! Love this team and family! Forever, Go Blue.”
Zinter went into surgery on Saturday night, which was successful and eventually received a visit from head coach Jim Harbaugh, who has missed Michigan’s last three games after he was handed a controversial suspension by the Big Ten a few weeks ago.
“Surgery went great, Love TEAM 144,” Zinter wrote on X. “Thanks for having my back boys and finishing strong! I’ll be back better than ever. See you in Indy [for the Big Ten Championship]!”
The Wolverines take on the Iowa Hawkeyes next week in the Big Ten Championship game. A game in which they are huge favorites and where a win would send them to the College Football playoffs. The team has more than a few reasons to be fired up for the game but with someone like Zinter sidelined due to injury, the team now has yet another “chip” on their shoulder they can use as motivation.
Michigan running back Blake Corum, who punched in a go-ahead touchdown the next play after Zinter was carted off, said the team felt like they had to secure the win for Zinter. Corum threw up Zinter’s number, 65, as his touchdown celebration.
“Zak’s my guy,” said Corum after the game. “He’s another guy that came back for unfinished business, you know, that’s why we came back. Seeing him go down the last game hurt. [It was] very emotional seeing what he was going through down on the ground. But we came together. We came together and we knew we had to do it for him and the very next play, boom, we went up.”
“I know he’s going to come back stronger than ever. [He’s] one of the best guards in the nation. It’s tough losing a piece like that but I believe in my guys. I believe they’re ready, I believe the next man is ready to step up. But I’m praying for Zak and like I said, I know he’ll be back better than ever.”
Arguably a top two team in the nation right now, most people feel like the National Championship is Michigan’s for the taking this year. While they still have to get past Iowa and perhaps a powerhouse from the SEC such as Georgia, it sure seems like the Wolverines like their chances this season. The team’s brazen motto “Michigan vs Everybody,” following bouts of adversity has been their mantra throughout the year.
-Maher Abucheri
Twitter: @pabloikonyero
Photo: Maize & Blue Nation. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.