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CONTENTS
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From Kent
State to the Dawg Pound
Continued
by Phil Novak
photos by Mike Nash
 Zahursky prepares for a drill at practice. |
"His straight line 40 [meter] time, which to the NFL scouts is such an important thing, did not time out as fast as an athlete of his caliber should have," Molnar says. "I think that was a little bit of a deterrent to some of the teams because they put so much stock in that, even for an offensive lineman."
People often think going to Kent State or some low-profile football school may discourage teams from selecting a player, but Zahursky and Molnar both say this is not the case.
"They're looking for athletes," Molnar says. "We have more players in the NFL than some of the Big Ten teams do. Coming from Penn State or Kent State really has very little to do with being drafted."
Outside of his football career at Kent State, Zahursky also enjoyed just being a student majoring in criminal justice. If he were not in the NFL, Zahursky says he would probably be a probation or parole officer.
"I came back last year and got my degree," Zahursky says. "That was probably the best thing I could have done. The way injuries are in all sports, you're not going to play forever, so you've got to have something to fall back on. The biggest thing is getting your education."
Zahursky's former coaches have respect for him on and off the field.
"He's truly a class guy," Molnar says. "He does the university proud, but he's also very proud of this university. It's nice to know that somebody hasn't forgotten his roots."
His high school coach agrees.
"I'm really proud of him," Banc says. "He wasn't drafted, but he just kept working and plugging away, and I'm really happy with what he has accomplished."
Zahursky helped make history when he ran out on the field with the expansion Browns on September 12, 1999, for the first game in the new Cleveland Browns Stadium. He started his first game at right guard the very next week in Tennessee. It was a moment he won't forget.
"Our first play was on our own one-yard line," Zahursky says. "They punted the ball, and we got it all the way down there. The crowd was so loud we couldn't hear anything."
Zahursky went on to play in nine games that season, starting in seven of them. He has been moved around between right guard and right tackle, but he says he does not prefer one over the other.
"It doesn't matter where they play me," Zahursky says. "I just like to be on the field. I like to be playing, so wherever they want to put me is fine with me."
Even though he has been named a starter this year, Zahursky is not growing complacent.
"You can't ever really get satisfied because the past is behind you," Zahursky says. "You have to look to the future.