Lannden Zanders trying to get right mentally after shoulder injury last year

After practice concluded last Thursday afternoon, Lannden Zanders took some time to respond to questions from the media. The main topics consisted of questions regarding changes in his playing weight, the shoulder injury that plagued Zanders’ 2020 season, thoughts on Georgia.

• Zanders was asked about the weight that he’s gained in the offseason and said he feels, “really, really good.”
• “I told my coaches, I might be 217lbs. but I feel like I’m 205lbs. I still feel really, really good.”

Zanders’ told reporters that he struggled to get his weight up last season, but this year he has come into fall camp at a more ideal weight.

• “Last year, I wanted to be about 210 but just I couldn’t keep that weight up. But with this year, I was able to get my weight up, still feel good.”

Along with the increase in weight, has been the increase in muscle for the veteran safety. 

• “I’m at 100% and gained some weight, put some muscle on, and feel good.”

Part of the reason that Zanders’ felt the need to bulk up and build more muscle was to return stronger than ever from last year’s shoulder injury.

• Zanders responded to a myriad of questions about his torn labrum and separated shoulder saying that “it definitely messes (him) up mentally and also affects (him) physically.”
• “It affects me big time mentally. When you have an injury and you’re just so worried about it, you really don't think about the game plan. You do, but then you think about how you're going to tackle, and when that happens you mess up your angles and your pursuit angles and how you want to come down and stuff so it definitely messes you up mentally and also affects you physically.”
• He went on to say,  “I was always thinking about my right shoulder. So definitely kind of messed me up on my tackling.”

Now that 2020 is over and we find ourselves weeks away from the start of the 2021 season, Zanders is focusing on playing a smarter, healthier brand of football.

• “I feel like I'm more of a head-up guy now because of my shoulder (injury). Last year I was kind of favoring and not trying to you know, pop it out again. But yeah, it definitely affected me mentally.”

When asked whether he felt he had something to prove coming off of an injury, Zanders did not mince words, stating, “I know what I can do.”

• “I wouldn’t say that. I trust my coaches. I know what I can do. I know last year wasn't my best, but I don't have to prove to nobody I'm just going to play football like I know I can.”

While he doesn’t look to blame his injury for a subpar performance last season, he chooses to recognize that it did impact his level of play. 

• “Before my injury, I thought I was playing my best football. And then I tore my shoulder in fall camp. Then talking to the doctors telling me I need surgery kind of got to me mentally. So I feel like all year I was mentally down. Not really focused on football just really trying to protect myself and that really affected my game.”

Zanders looks to get back to playing his best football this year. With the regular season only three weeks away Zanders reiterates one of Dabo’s favorite mantras with respect to who they will play. No matter who their opponent is, “we're still going to prepare the same way.”

The safety told reporters that the week one game is always important and “It definitely sets the tempo.” 

However, Zanders respectfully and confidently mentions, “I feel like it’s any other year, no matter who was our first opponent, we're still going to prepare the same way.”