Zach Yenser embraces recruiting work he will be doing

Zach Yenser (San Francisco 49ers Photo)

What will it be like for new Kentucky offensive line coach Zach Yenser to now have to help recruit players after being in the National Football League with the San Francisco 49ers the last four years?

“I loved the recruiting process when I was coaching in college and building relationships and getting to handpick your guys that fit in your room and you want to coach and develop,” Yenser said. “I am excited about recruiting.”

Not long after Yenser was hired Kentucky got a commitment from 6-8, 280-pound all-state lineman Malachi Wood of Madison Central.

“College players are younger than NFL players but they still want to be coached,” Yenser said. “You don’t coach differently. They want to know techniques. They want discipline and to be held accountable. You don’t get to spend as much time with college kids as NFL players. NFL guys don’t have to go to school and are not  pulled in as many directions, so you just have to be more creative with the time you do have with the college guys.”

Yenser won’t change his physical approach to offensive line play.

“One thing I learned from the 49ers is that it is not just the system but it is the mentality you have every time you step on the field. We knew every time we stepped a foot on the field that we were the most physical team,” the UK offensive line coach said.

“We did it best because of the mentality we had and what I loved here is that coach (Mark) Stoops is dedicated to this scheme. We are going to try and be the most physical offensive line every day we step on the field. It is the mentality of how you run those plays. We just want to be the most physical.”