Bruce Wayne
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Senior Appreciation: http://4te.ch/seniors2014
Mr. Zenon of Albany, GA by way of the Big Easy was unrated as a 2* Running Back when Coach Todd Spencer recruited him out of Deerfield Windsor School. Rivals indicates that he chose Tech over offers from Georgia Southern, Central Michigan, and UAB. The Southern fans were particularly bummed when Zenon Chose Tech and even had this priceless complaint about the star system to make: "Interesting that he didn't have a star ranking a few days ago but when he commits to GT his ranking goes up to 2 stars. That's standard procedure. If he committed to us he would have stayed at no stars."
Zenon's path to Tech really started in 2005 when Hurricane Katrina forced his family to pick up and flee east from the collapsing levees. At the age of 14 he lost his home and possessions as well as his familiar surroundings and ended up in a new town over 400 miles away. Tony adjusted to a new high school and smaller town by simply tearing up the turf at Deerfield Windsor to the tune of 5684 rushing yards on 650 carries (8.7 ypc) and 65 TDs for his career. He helped lead his team to two AAA finals and one state title before taking his 4.4 speed up to Atlanta.
After a redshirt year Zenon cemented himself in the Jacket fan's mind by running a wheel route after being lined up at BBack on the first offensive play from scrimmage against Middle Tennessee State. The result was a 73 yard TD catch. He took kick returns and had 18 touches for 392 all-purpose yards in this first season. He followed upI i 2012 by playing in all 14 games and adding in 6 "explosion" plays (as CPJ defines them) of 20 yards or more. Two were rushes and 4 were pass plays. In fact, Tony throughout his career showed how important the ABacks are in the passing game with a large number of significant receptions and for the year he averaged 27.9 yards per catch! 2013 was Zenon's Junior year and he did not see as many chances with the ball in the 11 games he played in. Perhaps the bulk of the chances to ABs who were 5-foot 8 or shorter were penciled in for Robert Godhigh.
Zenon came into 2014 with a wealth of experience but at a position loaded with Senior talent. As Jon Cooper reported, he would not, however, be denied in his last Spring Camp: "Starting the spring, I had a talk with my pops. He just told me to try and go out there and make a play every day," he said. "You make a play every day they won't forget about you. So that's what I've been trying to do. I don't have to think about too much because I've been here long enough to know all the plays. So just trying to improve on catching the ball, blocking, and everything and just going out there and having fun." Read more on his spring camp here and here.
Tony was one of the top camp performers and his head coach noticed: "He's playing fast and he's had a really good camp," said head coach Paul Johnson following Monday's practice. "I think he's always tried hard. I've never had a problem with his effort. I think things have just kind of come together a little bit. Hopefully he can keep it going."
And his All-American teammate also spoke highly of him before the season even began: "I'm glad I don't have to tackle him," said senior guard Shaq Mason, with a laugh. "He would make me look silly. Tony and Justin probably have the most shiftiness on the team. If Tony gets the ball with an alley or even a little lane, he's going to make anybody miss. Every team needs that one guy that can just break loose and make guys miss."
With the pressure on Tony did not disappoint but made his senior season one to remember. He started 12 games and played in 13 before missing the Orange Bowl due to an ACL tear in the ACC Championship Game against FSU. He rushed 45 times for 293 yards total and 4 TDs, a rate of 6.5ypc, and he had 8 catches for 161 yards (20.1 ypc) and a TD. His most memorable plays were a 57 yard TD run against Pitt and his big games against Miami and Tulane.
In the white-out game against da U, Zenon had the good fortune to be the one who put the game away with a 30 yard wheel route in a game that proved critical to the success of the season overall. Zenon discussed the play and how the season saw the Jackets beating Miami in Atlanta and ending up playing on the Canes home field on New Year's Eve: "It was a play that we practiced all week and put in the game for that situation," Zenon said. "I happened to be the guy that caught the ball and it worked out real well. That play set us up to win the game." . . . "This is such a storied game and a storied stadium. The 'Canes play there," Zenon said. "It is going to feel real good to be where the University of Miami wanted to be and to able to do it in their stadium."
The game against Tulane was a homecoming for Zenon as he had about 40 family members and New Orleans friends in the stands. Tony went on to score 2 TDs in the game, both with runs into the endzone where his family and friends were all sitting. Like all of this year's seniors Zenon put the team first as after the game he ranked the most important part of the game being the Win and only second did he mention being able to get the win in front of his friends and family. Ken Suguira provides a great breakdown of Zenon's 19 yard TD run against Tulane here.
Although Zenon ended the season watching from the sideline as his teammates beat Mississippi State in the Orange Bowl, his spirits could not be dampened, nor did he leave Tech with any regrets. Instead, he left as a Dean's List student with a degree in management. His high school coach summarizes well: “Tony Zenon was an extraordinary football player and a great student as well. He is a success story from everything that he has gone through in his life to what he has accomplished on the football field,” [Allen] Lowe said.
CAREER HIGHS
Rushing Attempts:8 at Tulane, Sept. 6, 2014
Rushing Yards:66 at Pitt, Oct. 25, 2014
Rushing TDs:2 at Tulane, Sept. 6, 2014
Longest Rush:57 at Pitt, Oct. 25, 2014
Receptions:3, vs. Wofford, Aug. 30, 2014
Receiving Yards:85 at Middle Tennessee, Sept. 10, 2011
Receiving TDs:1, twice - last time at North Carolina, Oct. 18, 2014
Longest Reception:73 at Middle Tennessee, Sept. 10, 2011
Kick Returns:3 vs. Maryland, Oct. 8, 2011
Kick Return Yards:115 vs. Maryland, Oct. 8, 2011
Longest Kick Return:79 vs. Maryland, Oct. 8, 2011
All-Purpose Yards:131 vs. Miami, Sept. 22, 2012
Mr. Zenon of Albany, GA by way of the Big Easy was unrated as a 2* Running Back when Coach Todd Spencer recruited him out of Deerfield Windsor School. Rivals indicates that he chose Tech over offers from Georgia Southern, Central Michigan, and UAB. The Southern fans were particularly bummed when Zenon Chose Tech and even had this priceless complaint about the star system to make: "Interesting that he didn't have a star ranking a few days ago but when he commits to GT his ranking goes up to 2 stars. That's standard procedure. If he committed to us he would have stayed at no stars."
Zenon's path to Tech really started in 2005 when Hurricane Katrina forced his family to pick up and flee east from the collapsing levees. At the age of 14 he lost his home and possessions as well as his familiar surroundings and ended up in a new town over 400 miles away. Tony adjusted to a new high school and smaller town by simply tearing up the turf at Deerfield Windsor to the tune of 5684 rushing yards on 650 carries (8.7 ypc) and 65 TDs for his career. He helped lead his team to two AAA finals and one state title before taking his 4.4 speed up to Atlanta.
After a redshirt year Zenon cemented himself in the Jacket fan's mind by running a wheel route after being lined up at BBack on the first offensive play from scrimmage against Middle Tennessee State. The result was a 73 yard TD catch. He took kick returns and had 18 touches for 392 all-purpose yards in this first season. He followed upI i 2012 by playing in all 14 games and adding in 6 "explosion" plays (as CPJ defines them) of 20 yards or more. Two were rushes and 4 were pass plays. In fact, Tony throughout his career showed how important the ABacks are in the passing game with a large number of significant receptions and for the year he averaged 27.9 yards per catch! 2013 was Zenon's Junior year and he did not see as many chances with the ball in the 11 games he played in. Perhaps the bulk of the chances to ABs who were 5-foot 8 or shorter were penciled in for Robert Godhigh.
Zenon came into 2014 with a wealth of experience but at a position loaded with Senior talent. As Jon Cooper reported, he would not, however, be denied in his last Spring Camp: "Starting the spring, I had a talk with my pops. He just told me to try and go out there and make a play every day," he said. "You make a play every day they won't forget about you. So that's what I've been trying to do. I don't have to think about too much because I've been here long enough to know all the plays. So just trying to improve on catching the ball, blocking, and everything and just going out there and having fun." Read more on his spring camp here and here.
Tony was one of the top camp performers and his head coach noticed: "He's playing fast and he's had a really good camp," said head coach Paul Johnson following Monday's practice. "I think he's always tried hard. I've never had a problem with his effort. I think things have just kind of come together a little bit. Hopefully he can keep it going."
And his All-American teammate also spoke highly of him before the season even began: "I'm glad I don't have to tackle him," said senior guard Shaq Mason, with a laugh. "He would make me look silly. Tony and Justin probably have the most shiftiness on the team. If Tony gets the ball with an alley or even a little lane, he's going to make anybody miss. Every team needs that one guy that can just break loose and make guys miss."
With the pressure on Tony did not disappoint but made his senior season one to remember. He started 12 games and played in 13 before missing the Orange Bowl due to an ACL tear in the ACC Championship Game against FSU. He rushed 45 times for 293 yards total and 4 TDs, a rate of 6.5ypc, and he had 8 catches for 161 yards (20.1 ypc) and a TD. His most memorable plays were a 57 yard TD run against Pitt and his big games against Miami and Tulane.
In the white-out game against da U, Zenon had the good fortune to be the one who put the game away with a 30 yard wheel route in a game that proved critical to the success of the season overall. Zenon discussed the play and how the season saw the Jackets beating Miami in Atlanta and ending up playing on the Canes home field on New Year's Eve: "It was a play that we practiced all week and put in the game for that situation," Zenon said. "I happened to be the guy that caught the ball and it worked out real well. That play set us up to win the game." . . . "This is such a storied game and a storied stadium. The 'Canes play there," Zenon said. "It is going to feel real good to be where the University of Miami wanted to be and to able to do it in their stadium."
The game against Tulane was a homecoming for Zenon as he had about 40 family members and New Orleans friends in the stands. Tony went on to score 2 TDs in the game, both with runs into the endzone where his family and friends were all sitting. Like all of this year's seniors Zenon put the team first as after the game he ranked the most important part of the game being the Win and only second did he mention being able to get the win in front of his friends and family. Ken Suguira provides a great breakdown of Zenon's 19 yard TD run against Tulane here.
Although Zenon ended the season watching from the sideline as his teammates beat Mississippi State in the Orange Bowl, his spirits could not be dampened, nor did he leave Tech with any regrets. Instead, he left as a Dean's List student with a degree in management. His high school coach summarizes well: “Tony Zenon was an extraordinary football player and a great student as well. He is a success story from everything that he has gone through in his life to what he has accomplished on the football field,” [Allen] Lowe said.
CAREER HIGHS
Rushing Attempts:8 at Tulane, Sept. 6, 2014
Rushing Yards:66 at Pitt, Oct. 25, 2014
Rushing TDs:2 at Tulane, Sept. 6, 2014
Longest Rush:57 at Pitt, Oct. 25, 2014
Receptions:3, vs. Wofford, Aug. 30, 2014
Receiving Yards:85 at Middle Tennessee, Sept. 10, 2011
Receiving TDs:1, twice - last time at North Carolina, Oct. 18, 2014
Longest Reception:73 at Middle Tennessee, Sept. 10, 2011
Kick Returns:3 vs. Maryland, Oct. 8, 2011
Kick Return Yards:115 vs. Maryland, Oct. 8, 2011
Longest Kick Return:79 vs. Maryland, Oct. 8, 2011
All-Purpose Yards:131 vs. Miami, Sept. 22, 2012
