Clemson safety details playing with a torn shoulder, nerve damage

Zanders looks better than ever at August camp.

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Fri Aug 13 12:31:38 GMT-04:00 2021

CLEMSON – Early in Clemson’s game at Notre Dame last November, safety Lannden Zanders picked himself up off the grass, winced in obvious pain, and gingerly walked to the sideline. Social media, as it often does, went ballistic, blaming the Shelby, North Carolina, native for anything and everything wrong with the defense.

If they only knew the pain Zanders felt in his shoulder. If they only knew that he played through the pain for the love of his teammates and coaches. If they only knew.

Zanders felt like he was headed towards a breakout season and was having a stellar fall camp when a tackle led to a torn labrum and rotator cuff.

"Before my injury, I felt like I was playing my best football,” Zanders told the media Thursday. “I tore my shoulder in fall camp and talking to the doctors and hearing them say I need surgery, it kind of got to me mentally. 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 then described the immediate aftermath of the injury.

“When it first happened, it was really painful. They popped it back in and I went and got an MRI,” he said. “A couple of hours later they told me I needed surgery and they gave me a couple of choices and asked me what I wanted to do.”

What he wanted was to play and be there for his teammates. He played through the pain but knew it was affecting his play.

"Last year I was favoring it because I didn't really want it to pop out again,” he said. “It really messed up my angles and how I was coming down. It got to me.”

The injury at Notre Dame made his shoulder worse, and he estimates he played most games at less than 70-percent effectiveness.

“When I made a tackle (against the Irish), nerve damage messed it up again and I lost feeling for a while,” Zanders said. “That is what kept me out for a couple of weeks. When you have an injury, you mess up your angles and your pursuit angles. So, it messes you up mentally and physically.

“After the Notre Dame game, when my arm was dead, I reconsidered it (delaying surgery). But I knew we had a chance to get to the Playoff and definitely wanted to come back and help my team."

Zanders missed spring practice after surgery to repair the shoulder, rehabbed and spent time in the weight room not only strengthening his shoulder but adding good weight.

“Last year I wanted to be 210 but I couldn't get that weight up,” he said. “This year, I was able to get my weight up and still feel good running and everything. Wanted to be a more sure tackler. I told my coaches I might be 217 but I still feel like I am 205. I still feel really good. “