FARGO - The yards gained from the line of scrimmage for South Dakota State University running back Zach Zenner are historic, and in the future will probably be labeled legendary. To date, he has 6,415 career yards.
That ranks him third all-time in FCS rushing yardage in a career that started somewhat from anonymity. He was a redshirt freshman in 2011 after signing with the Jackrabbits out of Eagan, Minn., as a decent recruit, but not one of those all-heralded, multi-star guys.
Now a senior, Zenner is one big game away from breaking the all-time record set by Adrian Peterson of Georgia Southern from 1998-2001. He needs 144 yards, although the team in front of him in the second round of the FCS playoffs on Saturday, North Dakota State, has made life tougher on him than anybody.
He has yet to be on a team that has beaten the Bison.
"Certainly aware of it, but it's not really the focus," Zenner said. "It's not, 'We've never beaten them or I've never beaten them.' The focus is to win this time."
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His focus has been obvious to the SDSU coaching staff for five years. A biology major with equally impressive academic awards as athletic honors, his plan is to attend medical school, although that may wait awhile.
Professional scouts have told SDSU head coach John Stiegelmeier that Zenner will have a chance at the NFL. He's been invited to the East-West Shrine all-star football game in mid-January.
"Medicine is my passion, science is my true passion," Zenner said. "I'll end up there somehow. After football is done, I'll find my way into that field one way or another."
There's no questioning his durability, in school or on the field. He has 1,063 career carries averaging 6.0 yards per attempt. He has 31 games of at least 100 yards and eight games of at least 200.
He currently has 8,075 multi-purpose yards - that includes receiving and kickoff return yardage. To get a sense of scale, that is the all-time record in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. Second place is 5,602 by Arkee Whitlock of Southern Illinois.
He's done it by taking care of himself. On Monday, Stiegelmeier was looking around the SDSU athletic complex for Zenner when he found him away from everybody else, stretching on a Yoga mat, with a plate of pasta he brought from home.
Zenner said that's part of his routine in addition to SDSU's strenuous offseason conditioning program. Stiegelmeier said his running back practices at the same hard pace that he plays a game.
"I'm a big Yoga guy," Zenner said. "In the offseason, I try to do it once a week or once every two weeks. It's relaxing and good for my body."
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There won't be much in the form of relaxation starting with the 2:30 p.m. kickoff on Saturday. After four games of rushing for less than 50 yards against the Bison, Zenner got free a couple of times in the 37-17 Bison win last month with 96 yards.
"He's as a strong of a back as you'll see," said Bison defensive coordinator Matt Entz. "We continually preach to our kids: you have to put a chest on this kid and we need to get multiple people to the ball carrier."
