Joel Klatt recalls emotional Zak Zinter moment when Michigan fans cheered for their offensive lineman - "Never seen anything like that in my career"
Michigan offensive lineman Zak Zinter gave Joel Klatt an experience of a lifetime while the FOX College Football analyst was on call for the Michigan vs. Ohio State game on Saturday.
The rivalry had fans cheering with high spirits at Ann Arbor before Zak Zinter suffered a severe leg injury. The usually roaring stadium hushed with players in disbelief, and what happened next surprised Klatt.
The Michigan Stadium witnessed an unprecedented display of support. He mentioned that the entire stadium, without any external cues, started chanting, "Let's go Zak!":
“And it’s not just one section. It’s not just one area. It was the whole stadium. It was loud. It was so loud I took my headset off to hear it, and I was blown away.”
Despite the situation, the Wolverines transformed adversity into inspiration. Joel Klatt continued explaining the scenes at the Big House and said:
“Then what happens on the next play? Next play: Bam. Touchdown from Blake Corum. It was incredible. I’ve never seen anything like it in my career. Never seen anything like it."
"Then, as Blake Corum runs into the end zone -- it’s the loudest I’ve heard Michigan Stadium in a long time -- he runs right up to our camera and flashes the six-five.”
The Michigan Wolverines (12-0, 9-0 Big Ten) were fueled by the emotional surge from the supportive crowd. They used the momentum to their advantage and rallied to secure a hard-fought 30-24 victory over the Ohio State Buckeyes (11-1, 8-1 Big Ten).
Joel Klatt couldn't believe the after effects of Zak Zinter's injury
Klatt also talked about the emotional scenes at the Big House after Zak Zinter's injury on his podcast - 'The Joel Klatt Show: A CFB Pod'. He said:
“The players that saw him immediately on the ground, they knew...and the air leaves the building. And it is quiet, you can hear a pin drop. There is a lot of emotion from his teammates. There was just an outpouring of emotion.”
"Then you see him get put on the cart, and now the stadium comes back alive, and now his fist goes up, and now they start to cheer, and now the players are, like, galvanized. Now, all of a sudden, his team is, like, ‘Alright, let’s go do this for 65, Zak Zinter.’"
Klatt revealed how Trevor Keegan, Zinter’s best friend and fellow guard was hitting the ground with his helmet in tears during a commercial break as the medical team was preparing for the air cast.
Zak Zinter was immediately transported to a local hospital where he successfully underwent surgery and is now recovering. However, he is out for the rest of the season as Michigan pursues a national championship.