Tom Zbikowski (right) talks to his running mate in the secondary, Haruki Nakamura, during practice. Both, drafted in 2008, find training camp easier to handle the second time around. (Baltimore Sun photo by Karl Merton Ferron / August 16, 2009) |
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When the Ravens went about reshaping their roster in the 2008 draft, one of the priorities - after a quarterback, anyway - was to improve special teams. To that extent, they invested a third-round pick in Notre Dame safety Tom Zbikowski.
It was the perfect match: tough guy for a tough defense, accomplished special-teamer, passionate player.
Zbikowski finished second on the team with 23 special teams tackles as a rookie. On top of that, he chipped in on about 20 plays a game in various defensive packages, hinting at greater contributions.
"We thought he was a versatile guy who could fill a lot of roles for us," Eric DeCosta, the Ravens' director of player personnel, said. "With a new coaching staff coming in, with Jerry Rosburg coming in [as special teams coordinator], and John Harbaugh and his experience as a special teams coach, one of the things we wanted to do as a scouting staff was bolster the special teams. And Zibby was a guy we felt could do that."
Zbikowski was a two-time captain at Notre Dame. Of his seven career touchdowns, three came on punt returns and two on fumble returns. So the Ravens knew about his special teams prowess.
What they also found was a demeanor that almost perfectly meshed with the identity the Ravens have come to embody on defense: tough, resilient, relentless.
"I think he's a tough guy," DeCosta said. "We like tough football players on defense. Obviously with his background as a professional boxer and amateur boxer, he grew up in a blue-collar environment. He's got the right mentality to be a good football player."
It's a mentality that was nurtured in Park Ridge, Ill., where Zbikowski grew up the "runt" of the family, the youngest of three children of Ed and Susan Zbikowski. According to Ed Zbikowski, his son got his athleticism from his mother and his toughness from his father.
"In our family, we pride ourselves on mental toughness, not having a breaking point," Zbikowski said Monday in Westminster. "We don't know what Tom's breaking point is. He has a tremendous tolerance for pain. And he shows no fear."
Although Tom Zbikowski has a pedigree in the boxing ring - his father was also an amateur boxer - his passion always was in football. The elder Zbikowski remembers Tom trailing after his older brother E.J. to play football with older guys. Those older guys put Tom Zbikowski at safety and told him if he allowed anyone to score, he was done playing.
Zbikowski continued to play. With the Ravens, he continues to improve. In the preseason opener, he had four tackles, a sack, a quarterback hurry, a forced fumble and a tackle for a loss.
Like his running mate in the secondary, Haruki Nakamura, also drafted a year ago, Zbikowski knows his way around training camp better this year.
"We know about being a rookie," he said. "You're freaking out trying to be 20 minutes early to every single meeting. You have no down time. You're panicking the whole time, you're not really comfortable, not sure what to do.
"Once you're through it one time, you get the schedule down, you know when you can sleep and nap, and what time to get to a meeting or practice."
More, Zbikowski, 24, has learned how to work at his craft. The team was impressed with his dedication in the offseason and the commitment to get better.
"I think Tom has done a really good job of working on his weaknesses," DeCosta said.
Zbikowski was a good enough boxer to hold his pro ring debut at Madison Square Garden, knocking out Robert Bell in 49 seconds. He won a second bout in South Bend's Civic Center in 2007, an exhibition that benefited the Make a Wish foundation on behalf of Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis' daughter.
According to Ed Zbikowski, Tom has donated more than $60,000 from his fights to charities through his own foundation. Zbikowski was going to stage a pay-per-view fight last May to benefit ALS, the disease that afflicts O.J. Brigance, the Ravens' director of player development. But the Ravens preferred he not fight, and the event was canceled.
"I'm very proud of him, as any parent would be," Ed Zbikowski said. "I'm more proud of the person he is than the athlete he is."
It was the perfect match: tough guy for a tough defense, accomplished special-teamer, passionate player.
Zbikowski finished second on the team with 23 special teams tackles as a rookie. On top of that, he chipped in on about 20 plays a game in various defensive packages, hinting at greater contributions.
"We thought he was a versatile guy who could fill a lot of roles for us," Eric DeCosta, the Ravens' director of player personnel, said. "With a new coaching staff coming in, with Jerry Rosburg coming in [as special teams coordinator], and John Harbaugh and his experience as a special teams coach, one of the things we wanted to do as a scouting staff was bolster the special teams. And Zibby was a guy we felt could do that."
Zbikowski was a two-time captain at Notre Dame. Of his seven career touchdowns, three came on punt returns and two on fumble returns. So the Ravens knew about his special teams prowess.
What they also found was a demeanor that almost perfectly meshed with the identity the Ravens have come to embody on defense: tough, resilient, relentless.
"I think he's a tough guy," DeCosta said. "We like tough football players on defense. Obviously with his background as a professional boxer and amateur boxer, he grew up in a blue-collar environment. He's got the right mentality to be a good football player."
It's a mentality that was nurtured in Park Ridge, Ill., where Zbikowski grew up the "runt" of the family, the youngest of three children of Ed and Susan Zbikowski. According to Ed Zbikowski, his son got his athleticism from his mother and his toughness from his father.
"In our family, we pride ourselves on mental toughness, not having a breaking point," Zbikowski said Monday in Westminster. "We don't know what Tom's breaking point is. He has a tremendous tolerance for pain. And he shows no fear."
Although Tom Zbikowski has a pedigree in the boxing ring - his father was also an amateur boxer - his passion always was in football. The elder Zbikowski remembers Tom trailing after his older brother E.J. to play football with older guys. Those older guys put Tom Zbikowski at safety and told him if he allowed anyone to score, he was done playing.
Zbikowski continued to play. With the Ravens, he continues to improve. In the preseason opener, he had four tackles, a sack, a quarterback hurry, a forced fumble and a tackle for a loss.
Like his running mate in the secondary, Haruki Nakamura, also drafted a year ago, Zbikowski knows his way around training camp better this year.
"We know about being a rookie," he said. "You're freaking out trying to be 20 minutes early to every single meeting. You have no down time. You're panicking the whole time, you're not really comfortable, not sure what to do.
"Once you're through it one time, you get the schedule down, you know when you can sleep and nap, and what time to get to a meeting or practice."
More, Zbikowski, 24, has learned how to work at his craft. The team was impressed with his dedication in the offseason and the commitment to get better.
"I think Tom has done a really good job of working on his weaknesses," DeCosta said.
Zbikowski was a good enough boxer to hold his pro ring debut at Madison Square Garden, knocking out Robert Bell in 49 seconds. He won a second bout in South Bend's Civic Center in 2007, an exhibition that benefited the Make a Wish foundation on behalf of Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis' daughter.
According to Ed Zbikowski, Tom has donated more than $60,000 from his fights to charities through his own foundation. Zbikowski was going to stage a pay-per-view fight last May to benefit ALS, the disease that afflicts O.J. Brigance, the Ravens' director of player development. But the Ravens preferred he not fight, and the event was canceled.
"I'm very proud of him, as any parent would be," Ed Zbikowski said. "I'm more proud of the person he is than the athlete he is."
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I was ecstatic when the Ravens picked him!! I used to watch him when he was playing for Notre Dame!! I was like daaaamn, what if he joins my Ravens with that background and mentality!! and next thing I know, he's a Raven!! Looking forward to see more from him! I wish they let him return punts!! Youtube him and watch how he returned punts and INTs as an Irish!
mezzano3 (08/18/2009, 11:15 AM )