Football: UConn Recruit Tommy Zozus
Long snapper Tommy Zozus is one of the newest additions to the team.
Zozus started playing in Punta Gorda, Fla., in the fifth grade. He found a love for the game when he saw a group of friends playing football at the bus stop every day before and after school.
Zozus started in the Pop Warner late, where other kids start playing at 6 or 7 years old. He began as a center, which is when he learned how to long snap. In high school, Zozus became the long snapper after his varsity team’s snapper got injured. In his sophomore year of high school, he officially moved up to varsity.
Zozus played other positions throughout high school, but it wasn’t until a coach at Zozus’ high school asked him if he wanted to be a walk-on long snapper at Florida International University that he became only a long snapper.
He said the FIU coach at the time helped take the team to three bowls in hopes one of them would lead to a conference championship, but that idea was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Zozus made great friends and memories at FIU, but when the pandemic hit, it hit hard.
Zozus noted that he was one of the first people to get COVID-19, and did not realize it because of the light symptoms. When he tested positive, he had to stay quarantined in an apartment until he tested negative. The real anxiety settled in after thinking how this affects an athlete.
“As an athlete, you are always worrying if you get injured or sick or if someone takes your spot,” Zozus said. “So, I was really stressed out.”
After he tested negative, he saw a cardiologist and a pulmonologist before he could return, making his total recovery time about six weeks.
Zozus entered the transfer portal because he knew he wanted a change. Though he spoke with many coaches, he connected with the coaching staff at UConn the most.
“When I had my official visit and walked in the facility and all the coaches greeted me, the first thing I noticed was they had great chemistry,” said Zozus. “I felt like they were all committed to turning around a failing UConn program and were just as excited about the possibilities as the recruits.”
Zozus never felt more confident in his commitment to UConn, as he “blurted out he was committing” during his photo shoot.
The UConn football team went 1-11 last season, so Zozus received criticism from people about his decision to go to the college for their football program.
“I responded with ‘They had an awful program,’” Zozus said. “Coach (Jim) Mora will turn the football program around.”
Zozus is looking forward to the upcoming season at the University of Connecticut. He stated that while being a part of the UConn football program will be new to him, the “concept of working hard on a Division I level is not.”
One of Zozus’ goals is to mentor the younger athletes on the team on the importance of why they’re at UConn and to not get caught up in the partying and social status.
“Mentoring the younger players is huge in the success of a football program,” Zozus said. “I really want to use my past leadership experience to help these young players be the best versions of themselves.”
Zozus also will be taking this upcoming year as an opportunity to work even harder and push himself to be the best he can be in hopes of getting exposure with the National Football League.
“Like all football players, I dream of playing on Sundays,” he said. “I am going to take this year to become the best long snapper and athlete I can be so perhaps I can get invited to a bowl game for some NFL exposure in 2023.”
