Zac Etheridge
{{Short description|American football player and coach (born 1988)}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox college coach
| name = Zac Etheridge
| image =
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| current_title = Cornerbacks coach
| current_team = Miami
| current_conference = ACC
| contract =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1988|7|6}}
| birth_place = Troy, Alabama, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| player_years1 = 2007–2010
| player_team1 = Auburn
| player_positions = Safety
| coach_years1 = 2012
| coach_team1 = Penn State (GA)
| coach_years2 = 2013–2014
| coach_team2 = Georgia Tech (GA)
| coach_years3 = 2016–2017
| coach_team3 = Western Carolina (DB/OLB)
| coach_years4 = 2018
| coach_team4 = Louisiana (DB)
| coach_years5 = 2019–2020
| coach_team5 = Houston (DB)
| coach_years6 = 2021–2023
| coach_team6 = Auburn (S)
| coach_years7 = 2024
| coach_team7 = Houston (DB)
| coach_years9 = 2025–present
| coach_team9 = Miami (FL) (CB/DPGC)
| overall_record =
| bowl_record =
| tournament_record =
| championships =
| awards =
| coaching_records =
}}
Zac Etheridge (born July 6, 1988) is an American football coach and former player who currently serves as the cornerbacks coach at the University of Miami. As a player, he was a four year starter at safety for Auburn, as well as a team captain on their 2010 National Championship team.
High school career
Etheridge attended Charles Henderson High School in Troy, Alabama.{{Cite web |author=Staff Reports |date=2008-08-03 |title=CHHS graduate Zac Etheridge enters his sophomore year as Auburn's strong safety |url=https://www.troymessenger.com/2008/08/03/chhs-graduate-zac-etheridge-enters-his-sophomore-year-as-auburns-strong-safety/ |access-date=2023-02-13 |website=The Troy Messenger |language=en}} He initially played basketball and baseball before ultimately deciding to focus on football.{{Cite web |last1=Han |first1=Giana |last2=Goldman |first2=Laura |date=2021-08-27 |title=From Auburn player to Auburn coach, Zac Etheridge comes 'full circle' |url=https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2021/08/from-auburn-player-to-auburn-coach-zac-etheridge-comes-full-circle.html |access-date=2023-02-13 |website=al |language=en}} Etheridge grew up watching Auburn and Alabama football and began to dream of playing for Auburn after watching the programs 2004 team and becoming enamored with the programs sense of "family and tradition". Described as scrawny, Etheridge originally struggled in gaining attention from major programs but received an offer from Auburn after attending a camp ran by the team. On August 14, 2005, he would commit to play college football at Auburn University.
College career
Etheridge would make an immediate impact at Auburn, starting 12 out of 13 games as a freshman in 2007 and earning Freshman All-American honors with 65 tackles.{{Cite web |last=Vitale |first=Josh |title=Former Auburn football standout Zac Etheridge returns as cornerbacks coach |url=https://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/sports/college/auburn/2021/01/08/auburn-football-zac-etheridge-returns-defensive-backs-coach-bryan-harsin/6604251002/ |access-date=2023-02-13 |website=Montgomery Advertiser |language=en-US}} Etheridge remained a strong contributor for the Tigers as a sophomore, recording 75 tackles and one interception.{{Cite web |last=junny |date=2012-03-28 |title=Zac Etheridge To Join Penn State Coaching Staff |url=https://www.blackshoediaries.com/2012/3/28/2908576/zac-etheridge-to-join-penn-state-coaching-staff |access-date=2023-02-13 |website=Black Shoe Diaries |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Zac Etheridge College Stats, School, Draft, Gamelog, Splits |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/zac-etheridge-1.html |access-date=2023-02-13 |website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}} In his junior season he suffered a neck injury while attempting a tackle in a game against Ole Miss.{{Cite web |last=Woodberry |first=Evan |date=2010-10-27 |title=A year after injury, feel-good tale of Zac Etheridge and Rodney Scott persists |url=https://www.al.com/sports/2010/10/a_year_after_injury_feel-good.html |access-date=2023-02-13 |website=al |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Duarte |first=Joseph |date=2019-10-30 |title=10 years later, Zac Etheridge thankful after 'scariest part of my life' |url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/cougars/article/10-years-later-Zac-Etheridge-thankful-after-14579855.php |url-access=subscription |access-date=2023-02-13 |website=Houston Chronicle |language=en-US}} Following the injury he lacked control over his body and was ultimately diagnosed with torn neck ligaments and a broken vertebrae.{{Cite web |last=Schlabach |first=Mark |date=2011-01-07 |title=Zac Etheridge relishes second chance |url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/bowls10/columns/story?columnist=schlabach_mark&id=5996976 |access-date=2023-02-14 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}} The injury threatened to end Etheridge's playing career but he would return to the field for his senior season in 2010 after completing 9 months of physical therapy.{{Cite web |last=Vitale |first=Josh |title=Auburn football's Zac Etheridge confirms he's being retained on Hugh Freeze's staff |url=https://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/sports/college/auburn/2022/12/20/auburn-football-zac-etheridge-remain-on-staff/69742311007/ |access-date=2023-02-13 |website=Montgomery Advertiser |language=en-US}} In 2010, he was named a team captain, started all 14 games and would have three interceptions on the season including one in the first quarter of the Tigers national championship victory over Oregon.{{Cite web |last=King |first=Nathan |title='No puppies allowed': Inside Zac Etheridge's vision as recruiter, teacher |url=https://247sports.com/college/auburn/LongFormArticle/zac-etheridge-auburn-cornerbacks-roger-mccreary-houston-louisiana-bryan-harsin-2021-161885278/ |access-date=2023-02-13 |website=AuburnUndercover & ITAT |language=en-US}} In 2012, Etheridge was awarded the James Owens Courage Award, which is awarded to an Auburn player who demonstrates "courage in the face of adversity".{{Cite web |last=Erickson |first=Joel A. |date=2013-09-05 |title=Former Auburn safety Zac Etheridge will receive James Owens Courage Award Saturday |url=https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2013/09/former_auburn_safety_zac_ethri.html |access-date=2023-02-13 |website=al |language=en}}
Coaching career
Etheridge began his coaching career in 2012 when Bill O'Brien hired him as a graduate assistant at Penn State. He would then serve in the same role for two seasons at Georgia Tech before being hired by Western Carolina as a defensive backs and outside linebackers coach.{{Cite web |last=Crepea |first=James |date=2016-04-09 |title=Ex-Auburn DB Zac Etheridge hired at Western Carolina |url=https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2016/04/former_auburn_defensive_back_z.html |access-date=2023-02-13 |website=al |language=en}} In 2018, Etheridge worked as the defensive back coach at Louisiana. Following two seasons as the defensive backs coach at Houston, Etheridge returned to his alma mater in 2021. In 2022, following the firing of Bryan Harsin for Hugh Freeze it was announced that Etheridge would remain on the new staff, making him and running backs coach Cadillac Williams the only coaches retained by Freeze.{{Cite web |last=Samra |first=Steve |date=2023-02-12 |title=Hugh Freeze assesses the value of having former players on staff |url=https://www.on3.com/college/auburn-tigers/news/hugh-freeze-assesses-the-value-of-having-former-players-on-staff-college-football-sec/ |access-date=2023-02-13 |website=On3 |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Ferguson |first=Justin |title=Keeping Zac Etheridge was a no-brainer, and it's already paid off in a big way |url=https://www.auburnobserver.com/p/zac-etheridge-recruiter-auburn-football-2023 |access-date=2023-02-13 |website=www.auburnobserver.com |language=en}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://auburntigers.com/staff-directory/zac-etheridge/2822 Auburn profile]
- [https://uhcougars.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/zac-etheridge/539 Houston profile]
{{2010 Auburn Tigers football navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Carnell}}
Category:American football safeties
Category:Auburn Tigers football coaches
Category:Auburn Tigers football players
Category:Penn State Nittany Lions football coaches
Category:Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football coaches
Category:Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns football coaches
Category:Western Carolina Catamounts football coaches
Category:Houston Cougars football coaches
Category:People from Troy, Alabama
Category:Coaches of American football from Alabama
Category:Players of American football from Alabama
Category:African-American coaches of American football