On Saturday, Michigan’s game against Ohio State took a catastrophic turn after 2022 second-team All-American and
potential first-team All-American offensive tackle Zak Zinter was carried off the field in the third quarter due to a
severe leg injury.
Zinter, the anchor of one of college football’s top offensive lines, was carried off while pumping his fist to wild shouts
from the Michigan crowd, and quarterback J.J. McCarthy hugged Zinter’s parents.
Michigan already had incentive against Ohio State. Zak Zinter pushed it over the top.
The whole Michigan squad was on the field to send Zinter off:
In an almost cosmic turn of events, Blake Corum scored from 22 yards out on the very next play behind Michigan’s
offensive line, giving Michigan a 24-17 lead. Corum celebrated by holding up the digits “6-5” in honor of Zinter.
According to Ohio State’s radio broadcast, coach Ryan Day also went up the tunnel to talk to and soothe Zinter’s
parents.
Zinter suffered a major left leg injury after an Ohio State player collided with him on a block.
He went down and was cared for by the staff while the Michigan football team stood on the field. “Let’s go Zak”
chants rained down from the Michigan fans. Zinter was almost immediately ruled out of the game, but the extent of
his injury is uncertain.
Following Michigan’s win, interim coach Sherrone Moore did not provide a detailed health update, but he did say he
spoke with Zinter’s mother and received “positive news.” There was no indication that Zinter will return for next
week’s Big Ten championship game against Iowa or a potential postseason game, but Moore said he believes Zinter
would eventually heal.
Tiffany Cosmar Zinter, Zinter’s mother, stated that her son had broken both his tibia and fibula as a result of the
play, and that he was going into surgery. She stated that Michigan players FaceTimed him from the locker room
while he was in the ER.
