2015 DETROIT LIONS MEDIA GUIDE

34 - ZACH ZENNER
Running Back South Dakota State
Eagan, Minn. Ht: 5-11 Wt: 222
Year: Rookie Born: 9/13/91
Draft: FA-Det ‘15
TRANSACTIONS
‣ ¾ Signed by the Detroit Lions as an undrafted rookie free agent
on May 7, 2015.
COLLEGE
Left his mark on the South Dakota State football program as the first
running back in Division I football history to rush for 2,000 yards in
three straight seasons (2,044 in 2012; 2,015 in 2013; 2,019 in 2014).
Extremely productive runner who finished his four-year career at
SDSU with 1,095 carries for 6,548 yards and 61 touchdowns, as well
as 95 receptions for 909 yards and eight touchdowns.
‣ ¾ His 6,548 career rushing yards rank second all-time in school
history.
‣ ¾ Ran for 100 or more yards in 32 games during his career and
topped the 200-yard mark eight times.
‣ ¾ Was a three-time finalist for the Walter Payton Award, finishing
seventh in 2012, sixth in 2013 and sixth in 2014.
‣ ¾ Holds the SDSU single-game rushing record with a 295-yard
performance against Eastern Illinois in 2012, which he again
tied during the North Dakota game in 2013.
2014: Capped off his incredible college career in 2014 with 2,019
rushing yards on 337 carries, totaling 22 touchdowns, as well as
28 receptions for 331 yards and four touchdowns. He gained 100 or
more yards in 11 of the 14 games over the course of the season, and
his 158 points (26 touchdowns, one two-point conversion), ranked
second in the SDSU single-season record books.
‣ ¾ Scored a career-high five touchdowns (four rushing, one
receiving) in FCS playoff win at Montana State.
‣ ¾ Selected as a member of the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team,
the National Football Foundation Scholar Class and was a finalist
for the William V. Campbell Trophy.
2013: Became only the second player in FCS history to rush for two
2,000-yard seasons, posting 2,015 yards on a school-record 351
carries. Topped the 100-yard mark in 12 of the 14 games during the
season, including three games with 200 yards or more.
‣ ¾ Scored at least one touchdown in 13 of the 14 games, including
three-score outings against Southeastern Louisiana and
Youngstown State.
‣ ¾ Tied his own single-game record of 295 rushing yards in the win
over North Dakota.
2012: Broke into the offense as a sophomore by leading the FCS
Subdivision in rushing with 2,044 yards on 300 carries and added
13 touchdowns.
‣ ¾ Set the school record for single-game rushing yards with a 295-
yard performance against Eastern Illinois.
2011: Named to the Missouri Valley Football Conference All-
Newcomer Team after racking up 1,354 all-purpose yards as a
freshman. Recorded at least 100 all-purpose yards in nine of the
11 games he played in, including a season-high 157 at Cal Poly.
PERSONAL
Following a successful career at Eagan (Minn.) High School, was
named a finalist for the Minnesota Mr. Football Award after posting
1,181 rushing yards, 122 receiving yards and 17 total touchdowns as
a senior. Earned all-metro honors from both the Associated Press
and KARE-11 Television. Also helped the Eagan baseball team
qualify for the state tournament in 2009.
‣ ¾ Recipient of inaugural Mickey Charles Award for Academic
Excellence at SDSU — awarded to top scholar-athlete in FCS.
‣ ¾ Received Joseph F. Nelson Undergraduate Research Award at
South Dakota State University in 2013 for colon cancer research.
DETROIT LIONS
PLAYER PROFILES