The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/106890
where are they now? Michigan, what the true definition of success meant, but I still hold a lot of my principles and goals the same," he said. "You always tweak your mindset as you experience different things in life. The one thing is you want to leave this place better than you found it. If we can all do a little bit of it, it's enough to make it a better world." Even if that means spending a little time in Notre Dame, Ind. "I promise everyone, I'll only attend there for three or four days if I can," he quipped. "And I will not root for them." ❑ The Zoltan Mesko File Michigan Accomplishments: Four-year letter winner, 2006‑09, and four-year starter … Runner up for Ray Guy Award as nation's best punter in 2009 after leading the Big Ten with a 44.5-yard net average … Four-time Academic All-Big Ten selection … Became the all-time leader in punts and punting yardage in 2008 and was named to the All-Big Ten first team … 2009 All-Big Ten selection, secondteam All-American and first-team Academic All-American … Holds the career and single-season records for punts and punting yards at Michigan. Professional Accomplishments: New England selected Mesko in the fifth round of the 2010 NFL Draft, and he set a rookie record in averaging 38.4 net yards per punt. He's been the team's punter ever since, and he likens the franchise to Michigan under Lloyd Carr. "They're very factual," he said. "If you're good, they'll tell you, if you're bad, you're bad, and they'll tell me what I need to improve. That's what we like, the honesty of the coaching staff and the amount of effort and hard work going into it. That formula of hard work has been paying off after being instilled in high school." Mesko and starting quarterback (and former Wolverine) Tom Brady chat Michigan football even though they're a decade apart. Michigan Memory: Mesko received an offer from Ohio State only hours after Michigan offered. His mother reportedly helped with his decision. "That's true, but I had to veto it myself," he said. "Just because Michigan offered me, two hours later Jim Tressel called me. Me being a huge Ohio State fan, it was tough, but I had been instantly converted. With my experience and the education I got, it was an absolutely foolproof system. I ended up going to a school that would provide a great education that would open a lot of doors for me." Family: Mesko is single and lives just outside of Boston. His parents still reside in the Cleveland area and still watch him every week. "They are antsy in their seats every Sunday now instead of Saturday. They have their superstitions, which I can't stand," he joked. "I say, 'Mom, I couldn't care less if you have your foot up and are sipping on your favorite soup or coffee [when I kick].'" Education: Mesko earned his bachelor's degree in finance and marketing in 2009 and his master's in sports management in 2010.