Interview: 2018 Florida OC Zack Zambrano Anchoring Nation’s No. 7 Ranked Team

Written by Ryan Wright

Twitter: @RyanWrightRNG

Shocking how the game of football can work from time to time, especially when trying to understand what college coaches put a point of emphasis on during the recruiting process. The mentality of needing a stud left tackle has seemingly blinded coaches to the importance of the engine that drives any offensive line forward – the center. Finding an intelligent center that can call out blocks, recognize defenses, snap under center or in the shotgun, and get on his block with one hand all while a nose guard or defensive tackle hovers inches away is not an easy process. Even with 16 offers on the table, it is hard to not believe that Zack Zambrano is one of the best in the nation at his position but is still one of the more overlooked talents still on the market.

Easy to type out and to say publicly, Zambrano has it all. At 6-3.5, 290 pounds, he is ideally fitted as Division-I interior offensive lineman. With a bench press at 385 pounds able to put up 225 pounds 21 times with a squat over 500 and a deadlift at 600, he is strong enough. IQ – carries a 4.6 weighted GPA and has a 1240 on the SAT and a 27 on the ACT.

What about experience? Starter for Plantation’s (FL) American Heritage should be enough, but there is more to Zambrano than that. How about making the varsity squad as a freshman starting as the team’s long snapper? The Patriots posted a 13-3 mark in 2014 earning distinction as one of Florida’s best teams beating Godby (Tallahassee) 38-0 for a state title. Playing guard during his sophomore season, the Pats posted a 9-2 season suffering a heart breaking 27-20 loss to Hallandale in the playoffs a couple of weeks after beating the same team 38-15 to end the regular season. Starting at center during his junior year, American Heritage started out hot and kept it going streaking to a 14-0 mark downing Ponte Vedra 35-33 for another 5A title.

The Patriots are a consensus Top 20 team in the nation ranked No. 7 by MaxPreps. The 2017 team has started the year 2-0 downing Virginia Beach’s Bishop Sullivan Catholic 14-7 and then took care of Nevada’s Liberty High School (Henderson) 31-0. Due to Hurricane Irma, Game 3 against Miramar has been postponed with the rest of the season on hold until Mother Nature has finished her own version of run blocking Florida.

When Florida’s 2017 high school season gets back into full-swing, Zambrano has a full head of steam behind him on the recruiting trail. He has 16 reported offers out there, with a 17th announced during the interview. The offers extended are from Maryland, Columbia, Colorado State, Appalachian State, Princeton, Southern Miss, Tulane, Buffalo, Ohio, Liberty, Samford, Middle Tennessee State, Western Michigan, Penn, Florida Atlantic, and Marshall. Interest is coming in from Nebraska, South Florida, Illinois, and Virginia.

In a Recruiting News Guru stylized interview, I sat down with one of Florida’s best getting insight on American Heritage’s start to the 2017 season with a quick update on Zambrano’s recruiting process.

Interview

Zack, how did offseason workouts go for you?

“Really well. My lifts went up. The team, in general, as summer workouts went along kept growing. We never stagnated. We kept progressing each week. In my opinion, it could not have gone any better.”

What was the focus of your workouts improving you blocking technique?

“I was working on my initial two steps getting power off the snap of the ball. I was making sure that I can get the jump on defenders as the center. I worked on firing off with my off-hand.”

Two games into the 2017 season, how have you taken your game to the next level?

“As a senior, I have started to lead more. All the seniors have worked hard to get to this point. We are putting everything that we have learned – the experience, the workouts, and the training together showing everything to the young guys while leading the team towards another state title.”

Did you attend any college camps this summer?

“I went to Virginia, Illinois, UPenn (Pennsylvania), and a FAU (Florida Atlantic) satellite camp.”

Of all the camps, which was your best camp performance?

“I’d say probably Illinois. I had about 14 to 16 reps there, I was not beaten in any of the pass-pro reps.”

Nice. Your offer sheet blew up over the spring and summer, how many offers do you have now?

“I have 17 offers. I have a Cornell offer that I have not announced until now.”

Which schools are showing the most interest in you but have not offered yet?

“Virginia and Illinois are showing the biggest interest.”

Last time we spoke you had visited Maryland and Miami but had several potential unofficial visits set up. Which schools have you unofficially visited so far?

“Maryland, Miami, FAU, Virginia, Illinois (camp), Columbia, Penn, and Princeton.”

Do you have any unofficial or official visits set for this fall?

“We are ironing that out now. I have a couple of schools, one to Penn and one to Princeton set. I am figuring out a couple of others with my parents this weekend.”

Good luck with that. Let’s get back to football. In your eyes, how have the Patriots looked so far in 2017 compared to the title team last season?

“Honestly, I think we are looking really good. We did not need the shock of losing to Booker T. This year’s seniors still remember that loss. That loss is something a lot of us still think about to this day. Throughout the offseason, that has been in the back of our minds. We could have been a little bit better and beaten Booker T. That loss may have cost us a shot at a national championship.

“Leadership wise we have been doing well. We have a lot of guys stepping up taking the helm, including myself. We might be further along at this point than last year. We are in a really good spot.”

Other than the leadership on the team, what are the differences?

“We are gelling a bit quicker. We all get along well, just like last year. We are like family. Playing for family is a big motivator.”

What challenges have you faced on the field against Bishop Sullivan Catholic and/or Liberty, and how did you up your game to take on those challenges?

“Bishop Sullivan was a really solid team. They had a good D-line. During the game, I was not firing out low enough. I realized it and fixed it. I had to up my game. We had to step on them and not let up. It was a mindset change. We had to make sure everyone else was ready to go. We played really well. By the time we got to Liberty we were ready to go to work. They talked a lot, we did not say a word. I think that says a lot about the character of our team.”

Are defenses attacking you any differently this year over previous seasons?

“Not really. We faced some odd fronts in our first two games, usually most teams play us in a base 4-3. We make our adjustments, not much has changed. Maybe as the season goes on we will see some differences. We handle changes well. Our offense has been great at making in-game adjustments.”

Have you kept track of your knockdowns and pancake blocks this season?

“I don’t know the exact number. I think I am roughly at 10-12 total.”

Is there a game or two you are really excited to play on the regular season schedule coming up?

“Chaminade (Madonna). That game is on TV (Sept. 22). Playing them is always fun. What guy does not want to go play on TV and play football? The game I am most excited to play in our district is against Cardinal Gibbons (Oct. 13). We go at it every year.”

With all the fun football brings, there is the serious side of life, what are you and your family doing to avoid Hurricane Irma?

“We are putting up shutters and bringing everything outside inside. We have a hurricane plan ready and we are stocked with food and water. We have family and friends close by to help. We are all bunkering down. We have walkie-talkies to communicate with one another while the hurricane is going on.”

The Miramar game scheduled for Sept. 8 was moved to Wednesday, Sept. 6, but then was postponed. For now, are the next couple of games against Coconut Creek and Chaminade-Madonna essentially put on hold until after Irma passes?

“I’m not sure what will happen. Any games missed will have to be made up on bye weeks that line up. For the out of district games, if scheduled for late in the season that more than likely will not happen. No matter what, we have to be ready to play. Hopefully we get to play next week. We are playing it by ear and waiting to see what happens.”

Thanks for your time today Zack, thoughts and prayers with you, your family, and the Patriots through Irma.

“Thank you.”

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Photo credit: gregbishopphoto.com; American Heritage captains (2017)

Photo credit: American Heritage; No. 57 Zack Zambrano