Freshman treasures coaching
The 21st in a summer series featuring newcomers to the University of Arkansas football team. Read previous stories at arkansasonline. com/2019hogs/
FAYETTEVILLE — University of Arkansas football coaches need to get used to shaking hands with Zach Zimos.
A lot.
Zimos, a freshman linebacker from Richmond, Texas, made it a habit of shaking hands with his coaches at Fort Bend Travis High School after every practice and game the past four years.
Clayton Odom, the defensive coordinator at Travis, said Zimos first shook his hand after a junior high camp.
It continued in high school, where Odom said Zimos played so well as a freshman that he was promoted to a starter for the varsity midway through the season.
“Zach’s freshman year, the thing that was really, really amazing is that after every single practice, he came up to each coach, stuck out his hand, and said, ‘Thanks for working with me, Coach,’ ” Odom said. “At first we were like, ‘Is this kid just sucking up to everybody?’
“But we could tell pretty quick that it was genuine. It just shows what kind of kid he is. He loves the game of football so much that he thanks you for allowing him to play.
“He knows that playing football isn’t a right, it’s a privilege. It’s a blessing for him to be on the field.”
Zimos plans to continue thanking his coaches at Arkansas and shaking their hands after practice as well as games.
“Really, it’s about the coaches at the end of the day,” Zimos said. “They put in more time than the players. I’m just really appreciative of what they do.
“My parents raised me as someone to say, ‘Thank you.’ That’s a big part of why I do it.”
Arkansas defensive coordinator John Chavis, who coaches the linebackers, is thankful to have Zimos, who is listed at 6-4 and 210 pounds. He’s the only linebacker in this year’s signing class.
“Obviously, he’s an outstanding player,” Chavis said in an Arkansas video posted on signing day. “He’s big, he’s strong, he’s focused, and he’s got a plan for everything.”
Zimos was rated a fourstar recruit by Rivals and the No. 22 outside linebacker in the country. He played safety as a high school freshman, outside linebacker as a sophomore and junior, and middle linebacker as a senior.
At Arkansas, Zimos is expected to play outside linebacker, including a pass-rushing package.
“He plays physical, and that’s what you’re looking for,” Chavis said. “When you start looking at his length, most great pass rushers are going to have that kind of length and those arms.
“He’s going to give us a dimension coming off the edge that we didn’t really have last year.”
Zimos had 98 tackles last season, including 80 unassisted. He also recovered two fumbles and blocked a punt. As a junior, Zimos had 56 tackles, 2 interceptions and 2 fumble recoveries.
“That kid is sideline to sideline,” Odom said. “He’s just relentless. You’re not going to get around him, and you’re not going to run through him.
“I don’t care how many people you send at him, he’s going to find a way to get to the football and make the tackle.”
Zimos said playing different positions in high school was a plus.
“It definitely helped a lot, just being able to see different perspectives on the field,” he said. “I learned a lot wherever I played.
“Knowing the whole defense definitely helps you know what read to make, what fit.”
Zimos, who graduated from high school May 25 and was in Fayetteville the next day, said he’s hopeful of contributing as a true freshman.
“I’m confident in my abilities,” he said. “I know everyone’s going to get an equal opportunity to show what they have, and hopefully I’ll have the upper edge.
“I want to gain the coaches’ trust whether it’s in the weight room, the film room, being on time for everything or practicing hard.”
Odom said practicing hard was never an issue for Zimos at Travis. At times, he had to ask Zimos to pull back for his teammates’ sake.
“Zach doesn’t have a halfspeed,” Odom said. “Everything he does is full speed.
“I’d have to say, ‘Hey, look, let’s slow down a little bit.’ He’d look at me and smile. I’d say, ‘I know, but we want to keep these guys on offense healthy. They’ve got to score points for us.’ ”
Chavis is going into his 25th season as an SEC defensive coordinator — he was at Tennessee, LSU and Texas A&M prior to Arkansas — and has coached 72 players who were NFL Draft picks.
“Coach Chavis is a Hall of Fame coach,” Zimos said. “He knows all the ins and outs of everything. I’m more than excited to get to play for him.”
Odom, who has been a Texas high school coach for 20 years, said Zimos is among the best three players he has coached along with two defensive backs he had at Katy — Collin Wilder, who plays at Wisconsin, and Travis Whitlock, who plays at Northwestern.
“Zach is by far the total package. He’s a Sunday kid,” said Odom, referring to playing in the NFL. “He has a natural knack for football, and he studies film and he’s really smart.
“He’s very coachable. There would be times I’d have to change up some things depending on who we played, and he got it. If he had questions, he’d ask.
“One time he sent me a text message about 11:30 at night. I was like, ‘Man, this guy is the real deal.’ ”