Zach Yenser: "It's a dream come true" to return to Kentucky

Zach Yenser feels right at home back in his Old Kentucky Home. The Wildcats’ new offensive line coach, who grew up right up the road from Lexington in Fort Mitchell, cannot wait to get to work at the University of Kentucky.

“It’s good to be home. There’s no doubt about it. Excited to be back,” Yenser shared on BBN Radio. “It’s a dream come true to get back here and be a part of this great university.”

Yenser’s mother is a UK graduate. He grew up cheering for the Cats, but spent his collegiate years playing football at Troy. That is where he began his coaching career as a graduate assistant for John Schlarman. A mentor to Yenser, Schlarman showed the young coach the work ethic it takes to be successful on the field and how to balance it with life at home.

“What stood out to me as a young football coach is also how awesome of a father and a husband he was while doing that. It really opened my eyes to say hey, you can be a college football coach, or a professional football coach, and still have time for your kids and your family. It really stuck out to me,” Yenser said. “That was a huge part of me growing in this business and having the confidence to move on and do it.”

Yenser wants Fast, Physical Linemen

Thursday is the first day Yenser will sit down with the Big Blue Wall and go to work in the offensive line’s meeting room. “Fired up” to get started, he wants to build on the legacy Schlarman created in Lexington.

“It’s an absolute pleasure to continue what Schlar started here in 2013. Just watching it and watching him grow from where they started in 2013 to where it is today — it’s an absolute honor and a privilege to get on campus and work with these guys with one of the best units in college football. I don’t take that lightly. I’m truly, truly excited about it.”

Yenser has experience coaching blockers in Sonny Dykes’ Air Raid scheme, and on the polar opposite spectrum in Kyle Shanahan’s offense in San Francisco. Regardless of scheme, there’s one thing all offensive linemen must do: play physically.

“I want em to play fast and that’s the whole thing: playing fast and being physical. I tell you what, for three years with the 49ers, I don’t think there was a game for three years that we didn’t go into thinking that we were the most physical football team, at least up front. It was a belief and a mindset of being the most physical football team. Not playing dirty and not playing anything outside of the rules, just playing tough, hard-nosed football,” said Yenser.

“That’s what I’m excited about bringing here and continuing what has been taught here is being that tough-minded football team up front. The goal is being the toughest football team every week that you step on the football field.”

When Yenser meets with the linemen today, he will lay down the ground rules for his unit. There’s only one rule for this Big Blue Wall. “I don’t do laziness.”