Arizona Football: Running Back Zach Green is NFL ready

Zona Zealots was so fortunate to get some time with former Arizona Football running back Zach Green as he prepares for the 2018 NFL Draft.

“Why isn’t Zach Green in?” “Why isn’t coach playing Zach?” “If we can’t run the ball right now, let’s put in Zach Green!” These are just a few of the things I said out loud in games and at home watching Arizona Football last season. When Green played, it was sensational, and I am not surprised that he is getting time with NFL teams because he worked hard to be NFL Ready.

Green’s junior year at Arizona started with sadness. Green attributes Arizona’s 3-9 season to Zach Hemmila’s passing, “That really hit us all pretty hard. No one knew how to cope with it.” His college Strength Coach Chris Allen became close to his dad and treated Green like his little brother, “He always kept me in shape during the season and kept my head on straight.” Coach Allen is very special to Green, and he learned a lot from him.

While his junior season may not have been optimal, his senior season went well. The running back with Trinidad Tobago roots recorded 11 touchdowns in his senior season while maintaining the same average yardage as his junior year but scored eight more touchdowns.

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Green scored his first college career touchdown against Colorado in his junior year. “That’s something every running back wants to do, to get that off your shoulder, it meant a lot to me,” said Zach. He would go on to score 13 more touchdowns by the end of his college career. He has a ton of potential, and that is what he is hearing from the NFL and his agent.

When Green was a junior, he didn’t get much of a chance to play, but he showed out in the last game of the season against ASU. This season he played like his career depended on it when he got the call. He had competition from JJ Taylor and Nick Wilson. He benefited from the famous Taylor ejection against Cal on a targeting call and Wilson’s injury. Green’s favorite play of his career came against Cal in that game when he rushed in the winning 25-yard touchdown in the second extra period in the overtime win. He rushed for 130 yards on 20 attempts and two touchdowns. What he loved most about playing football at Arizona was the high he got after scoring, “I don’t think anything could beat that.”

Rich Rodriguez, then head coach of the Arizona Football team, had very kind words to say about his senior running back after the Cal game, “Zack Green is everything that’s right about college football. You know he waited his time, he graduated in three years, and whatever role we asked of him, he delivers, and I’m just really proud of him.”

In high school, playing for St. Bonaventure in Ventura, Ca., Green was selected All-State First Team and Ventura Star’s Offensive Player of the Year for rushing for 1,700 yards rushing and scoring 27 touchdowns. That is no easy accomplishment, and something that Green is very proud of as well he should be. He was in great company with USC Trojans Adoree’ Jackson and Su’a Cravens. Mark Tennis of Calihisports.com had this to say, “He has arguably the best package of size, speed, lower body strength and agility of any back in the state.”

Zach’s dad urged him to take education seriously. He took extra classes in the Summer and Spring so he could graduate early. He earned his undergraduate degree in Urban and Regional Development in three years and is six credits shy of his masters in Real Estate and Development. But that will have to wait as Green is focused on the NFL Draft. He signed with agent Ryan Hays of  JB Sports. Hays got Green into the Tropical Bowl, and he played alongside former Arizona Football quarterback Anu Solomon.

Green won MVP of the game for his three touchdowns and dominance rushing the football. “There were people there that went to the actual NFL Combine that I beat out, and other top running backs,” explained Green, “It was kind of surprising because we were playing against people from like Alabama and stuff. So for me to win the MVP with people not knowing who I am, they end up searching me on the internet. It seems people are just now finding out about me.”

Both Anu and Zach weren’t used to the cold, wet weather, but they both performed well. “Man, this is kind of, has to be surreal. I’m still kinda on the high from that experience, and I think those bowl games are very important for people who are underrated, it gave me that opportunity to get showcased.” So now Green can say he can play in desert weather and cold, wet, humid weather, and but he doesn’t really care, he just wants to play in the NFL

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Arizona Football Pro Day went really well for Green. He benched 225 pounds 20 times, and he ran the 40 in 4.62 seconds and jumped 34 inches (vertical) so he feels for his size he tested well. “I tested extremely well for somebody that not that many people knew about, I just kind of came onto the scene after the season,” said Green.

We often wondered why Rich Rodriguez and his coaching staff didn’t play Zach more, and so did he. But he understood that it was their choice, and he decided to make the most out of every play he was called in to perform. “Every time they put me in, in the red zone, I knew I had to score because if I didn’t score, they’d put JJ in, so I knew I had to score on the first play or the second play.”

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“The coaches knew what they were doing because Nicks a great running back and JJ is a great running back, but I wish I would have gotten more time,” said Green, “The upside to that is that I’m fresh and I have no injuries, and the NFL scouts love that.”

Green loves the game of football, and he has been living under the radar for quite a while, “I’ve been under the radar my whole life, and that’s where I thrive, it’s great that the coaches are all talking to me now and I love that. My dad’s all for it, my dad’s excited, I mean it’s just a life-changing opportunity that I didn’t think I would have, everything has been pretty much in my favor.”

Green attributes his success to his trainers at Sports Academy HQ, and he has been training at their state of the art facility in Thousand Oaks, California. The Rams star Todd Gurley and others also train with Green and Solomon at the Sports Academy. Green is very thankful for the trainers at Sports Academy, “They honestly transformed my body from something else to pretty much a monster for the Pro Days, I really have to thank them and all their professionalism for playing a big role in how I tested. They believed in me and what I can do.”

Zach just wrapped up a tryout with the Arizona Cardinals and is set to meet with the San Diego Chargers on April 14th. “My agent has me projected to go in free agency, I just want a chance to play on a team in a camp,” clarified Green, “I just want to play because I love the sport.”

The inspiration for athletes comes from many places. For Green, it’s his dad. “My dad definitely plays a big role in everything. Everyone who knows me knows my dad’s always there and he’s always been a big part of my life, and I don’t think I’d be here without my dad. He’s going to be with me through thick and thin. The only reason I am where I am today, and I’ve gotten through not playing for a couple of years and kinda being down on myself, and he’s just been there to support me every step of the way, and I just appreciate that.”

One thing that Green will miss from playing at the University of Arizona is the Zona Zoo, “I don’t think anything can beat the Zona Zoo, they are always there through thick and thin, and I appreciate them a lot.”

Zach has a message for Wildcats fans, “I love all the Wildcats fans, and I hope they support the football team and sell out the football games, and make Arizona come back like in the past. If the fans did show up it would be like a 12th man, the power of an actual crowd can change the whole momentum of the game.”

Green remembers the Utah crowd changed the game, “I remember my eyes shaking in my head, I just couldn’t operate, and that was just because of the fans.” He can’t wait to see what happens next year, he feels there’s a new vibe in the program, he works out at the Arizona practice facility every day, “It’s a different feeling in the whole entire facility, he brought good vibes with him,”

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Feeling good, Zach Green is in the right place, he’s in the right state of mind, he’s testing out, well he’s got an agent getting him tryouts and more. We have always enjoyed Zach’s personality and fierce competitiveness, and we know he is going to be very successful in anything he does. When he’s done with football, he may just be a commercial real estate mogul slumming it living on The Strand in Manhattan Beach staring at the sunset knowing he accomplished all he set out to do.