Jim Harbaugh, Michigan players open up on Zak Zinter's impact despite injury

Michigan right guard Zak Zinter went down with a significant leg injury in the third quarter of the team’s 30-24 win over arch rival Ohio State in Week 13. Zinter’s mother later confirmed the standout lineman broke his fibula and tibia.

Despite undergoing surgery only a week earlier, Zinter was in attendance for Michigan’s 26-0 triumph over Iowa in the Big Ten Championship. After the game, head coach Jim Harbaugh opened up on Zinter’s impact on the team.

“I’ve seen it go one of two ways. You rally around your teammate, or the other thing is just incredible sadness and worry,” Harbaugh said. “I know what it’s like to have a bone broken because they rub together, until they can get it really stabilized and isolated and get some kind of pain medication in you. Those bones are rubbing together. That’s a pain you have never felt before.

“Just how tough and stoic he was and signalling to his team. What he said at the hospital was he was going to make it here. Hey, if it’s possible, we would love to bring that to life. He was here just like he said. Yesterday was a super long day for him with the flight and moving around and everything. The team wanted to dedicate the game to him.”

The Wolverines made the most of the dedication. In the win, Michigan held Iowa to 155 total yards of offense and seven first downs. When the dust settled, one man hoisted up the Big Ten Championship trophy: Zak Zinter.

Zak Zinter is beloved by his teammates

Zinter’s teammates would want it any other way.

“Seeing my guy Zak out there meant a lot. Because he didn’t have to be,” running back Blake Corum said. “He just got out of surgery last week. I bet you he was still in pain, but he did it for the team.

“Therefore, we did it for him. Just seeing him go out there on the coin toss on crutches, on the sideline, just his presence, just everything he brings to the team, he doesn’t have to say much. Just him being there means a lot… His presence, it means a lot to us. He is still there. He is still on the ride. Blessed to have Zak.”

Corum isn’t the only one feeling the blessing.

“Zak is a big piece of this team. And he’s not a “woe is me” guy, even though he is hurt right now, he is still going to lead. It felt great to have him out there. It felt great to see him,” defensive back Mike Sainristil said. “That’s somebody that guys on this team turn to. His words mean a lot, and his actions speak for themselves.”

Of course, nobody understands the weight of Zinter’s actions more than the man his actions protect. Quarterback JJ McCarthy pulled back the curtain on his perspective of Zinter, as well.

“He does so much for us because he enlivens all of us to play our best for him,” McCarthy said. “When Coach made this game for him, we were doing it for him, it just brought another level of urgency and motivation to go out there and do it for him.”