Monroe’s Zimmerman to walk on at WSU

In the fall, Monroe senior quarterback Andrew Zimmerman wasn’t worried about recruiting.

Zimmerman was too busy leading the Bearcats to a 4-0 start to the season and prime position for a postseason berth.

That made it all the worse when Zimmerman went down with a torn medial collateral ligament in Monroe’s fifth game of the year against Kamiak in mid-October. One of the leaders of the team, Zimmerman still put the team first, coaching up his younger brother Zach who took over at quarterback for Monroe.

“I don’t know if a 17- or 18-year old football player could have handled it any better,” said former Monroe head coach Brett Jay, who coached the Bearcats for the 2014 season. “He just continued to show up every day and lead however he possibly could. He was just a great teammate. He would even give his input on Friday nights on the playing field. He’s a very smart, cerebral football player.”

Prior to his injury, Zimmerman had sent out recruiting videos and heard from a couple of smaller schools, like Whitworth and Chapman (California). After the season ended, Jay sent Zimmerman’s highlight real to Washington State University, who got back to him the same day about hosting his quarterback for a visit.

“They got back to me within hours and asked if I wanted to go over to the Apple Cup,” Zimmerman said. “I went over there and watched them play, met with one of their coaches and committed two months later.

“It was super quick. I hadn’t even begun to talk to them until after the injury.”

Unlike other schools who cut off contact with Zimmerman after his injury, WSU made it clear they wanted the quarterback to walk on and compete for a job.

“They always bring on five or six quarterbacks and they said it’s an open competition,” said Zimmerman, who is looking to major in either sports management or sports broadcasting at WSU. “They told me, ‘You’re going to be a freshman coming into a program with a lot of experienced quarterbacks. But quarterbacks are always getting reps.’ They’re always having quarterbacks throw.

“I’m stoked. It’s always been my dream to play D-I, Pac-12 football. To get this opportunity is awesome. I’m ecstatic to play with the best of the best.”

Jay wasn’t surprised at all that Washington State showed interest in his quarterback.

“He’s an incredible young man,” Jay said. “He deserves the absolute best. He’s a 4.0 student and he’s our student body president. I think all those roles he plays — he’s just going to be a great leader in their locker room and in their program. He leads by actions. He goes out and just does it. That’s exactly what he did for our football team.”

After seeing all his older brother has been through the past five months, perhaps no one is happier for Andrew Zimmerman than his younger brother, Zach.

“The week after it’s like, ‘(I wish) it didn’t happen.’ It was rough. He’s pretty much my role model,” Zach Zimmerman said. “I look up to him for everything — school and sports — growing up as a kid I wanted to be like him. Everything ran smoothly for him and then this happened. It was a big blow to me. That’s my big brother.

“Now, I’m the proud brother. Shoot, he’s got the opportunity to play D-I football.”

Jay praised Zimmerman’s commitment to the Bearcats, even after his injury. He went over film with Zach and took on a coaching role as his knee healed up.

“In my eyes he’d play through me,” Zach Zimmerman said. “He’d teach me what he knows and then when something good happens you should’ve seen his eyes. It’s like it was him out there. In the weeks after he was still a little shooken up. He wished he was on the field.”

The younger Zimmerman said the knee injury — which required surgery — could barely slow Andrew Zimmerman down.

“Oh my gosh, he’d still be out there on the practice field in his crutches in the pouring-down rain,” Zach Zimmerman said. “It didn’t matter. He was out there. It was on his mind all the time: getting back. He was working hard from the get go.”

The duo has continued to work together to improve in the offseason. Andrew, who was medically cleared on Feb. 3, and Zach — who will be a junior next year at Monroe — continue to throw together.

“One thing Zach and I will be doing a lot is throwing with each other,” Andrew Zimmerman said. “I’ve got to rehab and he’s got to work on some stuff like I do. We like to push each other and compete. I’ll definitely be working a lot with him in the next couple months.”

Zach Zimmerman said he has no doubt in his mind his older brother will pick up right where he left off: winning games.

“I know he’s going to fight to start,” Zach Zimmerman said. “That’s what he does. He’s been fighting for the past five months because of his knee injury. He’s a fighter. He’s going to go and fight for that spot.”