by Bill Seals
Preparing to play linebacker at Iowa State, a long-time commit for the 2020 class lined up at multiple positions and in multiple fronts there as a high school senior.
Barnesville (Minn.) defender Hunter Zenzen, who committed to the Cyclones back in mid-April, said he was able to hone in on his craft this fall while helping his squad make the Class 2A state semifinals.
“I put a lot more focus on my team, rather than the year before when I was getting recruited a little bit,” said Zenzen. “I felt some of my focus was not all the way there. This year, I felt like all my focus was there for my team.
“I played linebacker a lot more, just because I’m going to be playing it in college. We mostly ran a 3-4 look and I mostly played inside and a little bit of outside. I became a lot more comfortable at the SAM, MIKE and WILL spots. I moved around a lot. Getting deeper into the season, like in the semifinals, we ran a 4-3 and I was the MIKE.”
After watching his season in a semifinal-round loss, the 6-foot-3, 215-pound Zenzen has moved onto the basketball season. He’s also getting excited for this month’s football signing day.
“Ever since last spring and going to the summer camps, meeting all of the commits and going to the games, I’ve been really looking forward to signing and making everything reality,” he said.
Several Iowa State coaches are traveling this week, as the latest contact period commenced on Sunday. Zenzen’s future position coach Tyson Veidt made the trek up to Barnesville on Tuesday to watch him play basketball.
“It’s always nice to catch up with him,” Zenzen said. “We have a very good relationship for a player and position coach. I hadn’t seen him in a while, so it was great seeing him. I’ll see him next weekend on my official visit. Many of the commits will be there all at once. We’ve got guys from Florida, central Iowa, Minnesota and all over the country. We’ll all be in one spot.”
Zenzen attended a pair of games at Jack Trice Stadium this season, sitting in on one memorable post-game speech from head coach Matt Campbell.
“I made it down to the games against Texas and Iowa,” he said. “It was really cool to pay attention more specifically to (the linebackers). I spoke with Mike Rose and watched him play, which was really cool. Hopefully one day I can be in that spot.
“I was in the locker room after the (Texas) game and I could not be any more excited to play for a team than I am for Iowa State. Just the environment and the way Coach Campbell is around the team.”
One of three linebacker commits in the 2020 class, Zenzen will join Iowan Cole Pedersen and Florida native Ar’Quel Smith in inking with the Cyclones later this month.
Preparing to play linebacker at Iowa State, a long-time commit for the 2020 class lined up at multiple positions and in multiple fronts there as a high school senior.
Barnesville (Minn.) defender Hunter Zenzen, who committed to the Cyclones back in mid-April, said he was able to hone in on his craft this fall while helping his squad make the Class 2A state semifinals.
“I put a lot more focus on my team, rather than the year before when I was getting recruited a little bit,” said Zenzen. “I felt some of my focus was not all the way there. This year, I felt like all my focus was there for my team.
“I played linebacker a lot more, just because I’m going to be playing it in college. We mostly ran a 3-4 look and I mostly played inside and a little bit of outside. I became a lot more comfortable at the SAM, MIKE and WILL spots. I moved around a lot. Getting deeper into the season, like in the semifinals, we ran a 4-3 and I was the MIKE.”
After watching his season in a semifinal-round loss, the 6-foot-3, 215-pound Zenzen has moved onto the basketball season. He’s also getting excited for this month’s football signing day.
“Ever since last spring and going to the summer camps, meeting all of the commits and going to the games, I’ve been really looking forward to signing and making everything reality,” he said.
Several Iowa State coaches are traveling this week, as the latest contact period commenced on Sunday. Zenzen’s future position coach Tyson Veidt made the trek up to Barnesville on Tuesday to watch him play basketball.
“It’s always nice to catch up with him,” Zenzen said. “We have a very good relationship for a player and position coach. I hadn’t seen him in a while, so it was great seeing him. I’ll see him next weekend on my official visit. Many of the commits will be there all at once. We’ve got guys from Florida, central Iowa, Minnesota and all over the country. We’ll all be in one spot.”
Zenzen attended a pair of games at Jack Trice Stadium this season, sitting in on one memorable post-game speech from head coach Matt Campbell.
“I made it down to the games against Texas and Iowa,” he said. “It was really cool to pay attention more specifically to (the linebackers). I spoke with Mike Rose and watched him play, which was really cool. Hopefully one day I can be in that spot.
“I was in the locker room after the (Texas) game and I could not be any more excited to play for a team than I am for Iowa State. Just the environment and the way Coach Campbell is around the team.”
One of three linebacker commits in the 2020 class, Zenzen will join Iowan Cole Pedersen and Florida native Ar’Quel Smith in inking with the Cyclones later this month.
