ITG Legacy: Zach Parker

It seems like it is becoming harder and harder in this day and age to find football players that just have raw, genuine passion for the game; players that truly love the grind, love the hardship, love the endless competition with themselves, their teammates, and their opponents. Zach Parker was one of those players. Amidst numerous coaching changes, position changes, and players constantly competing for his starting spot, Parker maintained his determination and zeal through, and for, it all. The Lowndes WR/TE went on to win two national championships as a starter at Valdosta State University, and now he has taken the time to recap his experiences in hopes of providing current student-athletes with encouragement and advice.

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In the Game: Give us a summary of your athletic career, from your youth to today.Zach Parker: I was born and raised in Lowndes County, GA. I grew up playing baseball, basketball, and golf. Baseball was my first love, and I never even played football until I was in middle school. I played receiver in 6th grade, but I was a small skinny kid who didn’t like to hit. When I entered high school at Lowndes High, I played basketball and football, but I was still a small, skinny kid. I really believed that basketball would be the sport I would play at the next level. However, as I grew older and bigger, I really fell in love with football. With that said, I am so glad I continued to play basketball as it developed many skills that can help on the football field. I highly suggest athletes playing multiple sports in high school.

I was not a very big guy when I was young. I didn’t really grow until sophomore year. I shot up to 6ft 4in. I played receiver until I was moved to tight end my senior year, which admittedly was a tough year. It was a new coach and we were not very good. Therefore, most of my good memories come from my junior year. Unfortunately, we lost in the 3rd round of the playoffs. We were losing by 7 with one minute left and I caught a long pass inside the five to be first and goal, but… there was a holding call on the right tackle and they called it back.

I went to lots of camps the summer before my senior year, which is when I received all of my recruiting attention.  The University of Florida was the only big time program that was really interested, and they recruited me heavily right up until signing day. They said I was 3rd on their list (although who knows if that is actually true). It was a chaotic time, and because of that, I wish I had received more guidance on how to handle all of it. I received several offers from FCS and Division 2 schools, but I also received D-1 offers to Boise State, Bowling Green, and a few Ivy League schools. The three schools that I was most interested in were Appalachian State, Western Kentucky, and Valdosta State. I took a visit to those three schools, but I wish I had taken all 5 of my visits. I would have gone to Boise and Boiling Green if I had. I enjoyed my visit to Appalachian State. It was a beautiful mountain town. There facilities were great and I ended up committing. As time passed I found myself wishing I could get a full offer to Valdosta State.

My senior year in high school, a new coach came in that had a very run heavy offense that I was not fond of.  That made me drawn to the pass-heavy offense of Valdosta State. The only problem was they were only offering me a partial scholarship. I couldn’t justify going to a Division 2 school on a partial when I had full offers from several other schools. Finally, a few days before signing, Coach Hatcher called and said they were going to offer a full scholarship. I wrestled with backing out of my verbal commitment to App State, but in the end, it was a huge life decision that I had to make for myself, and I decided on Valdosta State. Looking back on it, I am so glad I made that decision. Barrett Wilks was my quarterback both at Lowndes and VSU, and I feel like we had a good connection on the field. Barrett was one of the best QB’s I ever played with. The year he was my QB at VSU, I had my best year with 54 catches. It was one of those situations where if he got in trouble he knew where I would be.

ITG: What is your proudest moment/favorite memory from your high school career? 

ZP: One of the moments I remember most from high school was my senior year against Valdosta. I wouldn’t say it was my proudest or favorite, just the most memorable. I had 4 catches for 125 yards and two TDs. Despite the best efforts and performances of the players, we still ended up losing. My mom has a picture of me coming of the field at her house. You can see how sad I was in that moment. It is definitely the most vivid memory I have of high school.

ZP: Unfortunately, I do not see to many other players from high school, and I am not on Facebook either, so that doesn’t help. I will run into one in town every once in a while. We will chat about the glory days and all the fun memories. It’s amazing how much you can remember when one of these conversations start. 

ZP: The first thing in recruiting is exposure. The old saying is that, “If you are good, they will find you.” While this is true for 5-star talents, if you are not quite in that range, it’s much more difficult. I highly suggest getting to as many summer camps as possible. I won MVP of the University of Florida camp, and that is when my recruiting took off. These camps are where exposure happens.

Secondly, find someone who you can trust that knows what recruiting is all about. This is a person you can ask for advice, as well get guidance on what coaches have told you and what they will tell you. Hopefully it can be you high school coach. I did not have this and I feel like it was my biggest obstacle. Trying to figure it all out on your own when you are 18-years-old is very difficult.

I would also advise you to take all 5 of your official visits. You will not have many opportunities in life to get treated like they treat you on a recruiting visit. Enjoy it, and you may be surprised what campuses you like and dislike.

Lastly, be selfish. This is about you. Not your mom or dad, sister or brother, friend or girlfriend. Go to a school for you!

ZP: I would look for a school that fits your needs athletically, academically, and personally. It is very important to know yourself. In college, I saw several guys who had to leave because they were homesick. If you are a hometown guy, stay close so you can get back and see your family. If you have a specific degree you want or an area that you would like to study, make sure the school you choose fits that need. Lastly, pick a school that has a playbook that suits your style. If you get offered by a school that is bigger than another, but the smaller school fits you as a player better, go to the smaller school. You will be miserable if you go from playing a lot of football in high school, to sitting the bench for 4 years in college. 

ZP: In college you find out who really loves the sport. Over 40 percent of the guys I played with in college quit. High school is fun. You practice a little, get a little tired, and then get to hang out with your friends. High school football can even be a social activity for some.

College is a job. Early morning lifting, full class schedule, film, practice, then more film. If you don’t take it seriously, you will not get to play. There will be someone right behind you ready to take your spot. You do have more freedom, which equals more trouble for some. It took me a full semester to figure out how to manage my time. Also, summer workouts in college are an entirely different story. I thought I had worked out at Lowndes with the Bigger, Faster, Stronger program; I was wrong. The very first workout I did in the summer at VSU, I puked in the first 30 minutes. It is just a different level. If you want to play college ball, take it seriously. Think about how many great high school players you hear of that go off to college to never be heard of again; it’s not because of their talent, it’s because of their drive. Talent can get you there, but drive and determination can be the difference between becoming successful or dropping out.

ZP: I enjoyed college the most. I played for Coach David Dean as my receivers/tight ends coach. He eventually became the head coach my senior year (ITG: Coach Dean just this weekend became the winningest coach in Valdosta State history). I loved how football became more serious in college. Many kids in high school where playing for fun, which is fine. It was refreshing for me to be surrounded by guys who loved the game as much as I did and connect as a team. Those that didn’t were weeded out quickly. I was able to start all 4 years in college. I was very fortunate with this because every year a new transfer or freshman would come in and compete for my position. I would have to battle every spring and summer to hold my position, but I didn’t mind at all. It would push me to be better.

We won two National Championships when I was at VSU. I will never forget those years and the bond I shared with my teammates and coaches.  Overall, I enjoyed the playing college football because of the love I had for the game and how I was playing with people who shared that same passion and genuinely cared about the game. I also played for the best coach I have in my career, David Dean, which makes all the difference. 

ZP: Grades, Grades, Grades, Grades Grades! I saw dozens of amazing football players who could easily be making a ton of money playing football that didn’t make it because of grades.