Zanders Coach Comments on Iowas 2nd Commitment

As we reported earlier today, Iowa received its second verbal commitment of the 2003 recruiting season when DB/WR Jonathon Zanders told the Hawks that he would be heading down I-380 in the fall of 2003.

Since announcing the commitment, we were able to speak with Cedar Falls head football coach Pat Mitchell and athletic director Gary Koenen regarding Zanders.

“He is about 6-feet-2, 185-pounds now,” Mitchell said of Zanders, making him taller and heavier than we had originally been led to believe. “He is just a great athlete and a great kid.”

Athletics Director Gary Koenen said that “Zanders is a great person and has been a great citizen at Cedar Falls High”.

Mitchell said one of the things that Iowa fans will notice is what the Iowa coaches saw on tape: Zanders is not afraid to bring the wood.

“He sort of seems thin and wiry,” Mitchell said. “But he plays like he weighs 215-pounds. He just absolutely cracks people.”

There are times when words do not do an interview justice, as the reader can not hear the excitement or the inflection of a voice that adds to a description of a player you have never seen in person. Many of Mitchell’s comments fall into that category.

When Mitchell spoke of Zanders hitting, you could tell the coach was getting pretty excited over recalling some of the bone crushing hits he has seen Zanders dish out over the past 14 games of Zanders varsity career.

“You just look at him and his body….well, let’s just say that the way he hits people should not happen with his body style. I am not saying he is weak, but he hits like a linebacker. He will really, really hit you.”

Speaking of linebackers, Cedar Falls awards the ‘Golden Hammer’ honor each year to the best defensive player. The award has always gone to a linebacker. That was until this past year when Zanders took totaled the most points in their award system.

In 11 games, Zanders had 49 solo tackles, 24 assists, 1 forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, two interceptions and 11 pass break ups.

“These are genuine stats,” Mitchell quipped. “We don’t load them up to make anyone look better than they are.”

Zanders also played receiver for Cedar Falls, but Mitchell said they were a run oriented team and did not throw the ball much.

Mitchell said that through eight games (the only offensive stats he had available at the time of our conversation) Zanders caught 16 passes for 419 yards (26.2 yard per catch). An amazing nine of those catches, more than 50% of them, went for touchdowns, including a long of 63 yards.

As a punt returner (through all 11 games, as Cedar Falls was 9-2) he returned 21 punts for 454 yards (21.6 yards per return) for two touchdowns and a long return of 65-yards.

He returned 14 kickoffs for 387 yards (27.6 yards) with a long of 60 yards. He also returned one fumble 94-yards for a score.

“He was our big play guy.” Mitchell said in what might be the biggest understatement of 2003.

Mitchell said Iowa assistant Reese Morgan has been involved with Zanders from very early on. Iowa State was involved early as well, but the coach who was recruiting Zanders left Iowa State and they had just started recruiting him again. Northern Iowa was also in the mix.

Mitchell said that Iowa just kept falling more and more in love with Zanders during the last month.

Three weeks ago, we didn’t think that a scholarship offer would come maybe until the fall,” Mitchell said, speaking of an impending offer from Iowa.

“Then Reese called me back a week later and said that Zanders was among their top 10 in-state targets.”

“A week after that, he called me back and said that he was in their top five in-state.”

Why the sudden upgrade in interest, we wondered?

“Their defensive backs coach Phil Parker was watching film and he saw something on there that he really liked and showed the rest of the staff.”

That ’something’ was one of Zanders signature crushing tackles.

“Then I guess the other coaches started to watch more film and saw that he did that sort of thing consistently, so they felt he could really help them out.”

Unless you can bring the wood to the Iowa secondary, it seems that you need not apply. The hitting prowess of Bob Sanders, Derek Pagel, Benny Sapp and Chris Smith was on display last fall and in the Alamo Bowl game. Another Iowa defensive back prospect, Greg Thrasher from Texas said that he noticed the same thing when he watched Iowa defeat Texas Tech 19-16 in the Alamo Bowl.

”What really impressed me was how they played in the Alamo Bowl. I saw their defense and how they played, I was very impressed with their performance,” Thrasher recently told HN.com.

As for Zanders, Mitchell feels the Hawkeyes are getting a good one who will only get better.

“He is a great team leader and a flat out fierce competitor.” Mitchell said. “We have sent some players down to Iowa City over the years. Matt Purdy, Mike Flagg and Bruce Kittles; it’s always fun to watch them play and we are delighted that Jonathon is going to Iowa as I have nothing but respect for their coaching staff and the way they run their program.”

HawkeyeNation hopes to speak with Zanders in the very near future and will file a full report.

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