As the Bulldogs (2-0) faced off against Northwood this past Saturday, one player stood out among the Bulldog’s defensive group.
Redshirt freshman linebacker, K.C. Zenner, was seen flying all over the field, racking up tackles and game changing plays as Ferris shut down Northwood.
Zenner, who plays in a hybrid linebacker/safety position in Ferris’ defensive scheme, has stepped into big shoes this year as fills in at a spot left open in the offseason by former Ferris standout, Marvin Robinson. Despite the differences in stature between Zenner (5’11”, 205 lb) and Robinson (6’5”, 210 lb), they show similarity in playmaking ability.
In his first game action in 2014 against McKendree a week ago, Zenner tallied six total tackles and one sack in Ferris’ historic 75-14 beatdown of the Bearcats.
Zenner followed that performance with an even better one against Northwood on Sept. 13. Zenner more than one-upped his tackle total with nine stops, but that was only the beginning of his impressive stat line.
Zenner shadowed Northwood’s signal caller, breaking down and wrapping up the QB for the first sack of his Bulldog career. The play was listed as a loss of three yards against Northwood.
Roaming in the defensive backfield for the Bulldogs, Zenner also added his first interception of the 2014 season. Northwood junior quarterback, Mark Morris, tried to sneak a pass past Zenner, who then plucked it out of the air and ran the pick back 19 yards.
Zenner’s play early on this season has impressed as he has been able to show off both strength and finesse at his position. He has shown aggressiveness in the front seven to come up and make tackles, and has showcased solid coverage skills to play the ball well while it’s in the air.
Zenner, and the rest of the Bulldog’s defense, will have a tall order next week, as they face off once again against GLIAC rival, Grand Valley, on Satrday Sept. 20 with kickoff slated for 7 pm.