Michigan OL Zak Zinter with broken tibia and fibula, headed into surgery
Michigan Wolverines football senior 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 Saturday afternoon in Ann Arbor. Zinter’s mother, Tiffany, provided an update on his status this evening.
“Headed into surgery now,” Tiffany Zinter wrote on Instagram. “Please pray for Zak’s surgeons, the surgery, a perfect recovery and for him to understand the injury! Broken tibia and [fibula].
“HUGE THANK YOU to the hundreds of family/friends/fans that have reached out! Please know we’ll read them when we get a moment. We are beyond feeling the LOVE!
“On the bright side … he’s 3-0 against OSU!! This is a TEAM and a brotherhood. They FaceTimed him from the locker room when he was in the ER, true brothers!!! Love this TEAM and FAMILY!!! FOREVER GO BLUE!!!”
Zinter and his family were honored before the game as part of Michigan’s senior day festivities.
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“It was extremely difficult,” Michigan interim head coach, offensive coordinator and line coach Sherrone Moore said during his postgame press conference. “When you’re around a player for four years, or you’re just around all these guys in general, you don’t want to see any of them get hurt in any way. It was hard, especially a kid of his caliber on and off the field, more so off the field.
“Just a great student athlete, great person. Just got off the phone with his mom. Think we got some positive news. He’ll heal, and he’ll be ready to go down the road at some point.”
Michigan and Ohio State were tied at 17-17 when Zinter went down. On the next play from scrimmage, following a several-minute delay as Zinter was carted off the field and transported to the hospital, senior running back Blake Corum dashed for a 22-yard touchdown.
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“My guy was going down, Zak’s my guy,” the Michigan running back said. “He’s another guy that came back for unfinished business. That’s why we came back. To see him go down the last game hurt. Very emotional seeing what he was going through down on the ground.
“But we came together and we knew we had to do it for him. The very next play, boom, we went up. I know he’s going to come back stronger than ever. One of the best guards in the nation. It’s tough, losing a piece like that, but I believe in my guy, I believe the next man is ready to step up. But I’m praying for Zak, and I know he’ll be back better than ever.”
Moore inserted graduate Trente Jones at right tackle and slid starting right tackle Karsen Barnhart, another graduate, down to right guard.
“We’re always talking about the five best guys, whoever it is,” Moore said of the decision. “At that point in the game felt like moving Karsen in there and putting Trente out there was the best decision. And it worked out well.”
Michigan rushed for 110 yards on 13 carries after the Zinter injury and pulled away for the 30-24 victory.
The Wolverines will play Iowa in the Big Ten championship game next weekend in Indianapolis.
