Bowman back on track

[Husker_Power]

Bowman back on track after injuries derailed career

Cornerback Zackary Bowman's once promising football career was at a crossroads in March 2007 when he suffered a serious knee injury for the second time in seven months at Nebraska.

 

"I realized I could either walk away and not play again or I could keep going," said Bowman, who was selected by the Bears in the fifth round of the NFL Draft. "My biggest thing was I didn't want to have any regrets and I didn't want an injury to hold me down or hold me back from accomplishing something that I wanted to accomplish."

 

Bowman ultimately overcame the adversity to play in 11 games with four starts as a senior in 2007, registering 29 tackles, six pass breakups and one interception. He posted a career-high eight tackles at Missouri and helped preserve Nebraska's 20-17 win over Wake Forest with an interception in the end zone late in the fourth quarter.

 

"The main thing that was motivating me was just the opportunity to play again," Bowman said. "I was fortunate enough to get a scholarship to the University of Nebraska and play in front of 90,000 people who had my back through the good times and through the bad times."

 

Bowman had mostly good times early in his career. One of the nation's top junior college recruits after two stellar seasons at New Mexico Military Institute, he excelled in his first year at Nebraska in 2005, compiling 27 tackles, a team-high 14 pass breakups and two interceptions.

 

Shortly after the 2006 NFL Draft, ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. listed Bowman among the top 25 prospects in the 2007 draft. But he tore his left ACL on the third day of fall practice and was lost for the season.

 

"I was pretty down because I felt like that I was at the peak of my college career," said the 6-1, 197-pounder. "I had only got faster, stronger and smarter, and I really tuned into the game. Once I got hurt, it just kind of dropped everything.

 

"The toughest thing was just watching my teammates play. I wanted to be out there with them celebrating and making plays, but I wasn't."

 

After rehabbing his torn ACL, Bowman ruptured the patellar tendon in his right knee midway through spring practice.

 

"With the second knee injury, you start questioning yourself like, 'What did I do? Is it me?'" Bowman said. "But I realized that there was nothing I could do about it. When I hurt both my knees, I was going 100 percent, playing hard and they just happened."

 

Motivated to return to the field, Bowman finally reverted to form late last year.

 

"He really didn't come around until the end of this past season," Greg Gabriel, the Bears' director of college scouting, said in April when Bowman was drafted. "We're taking him really on the idea that he is 100 percent recovered now. He didn't play as well in 2007 as he did before that and that's because of the injury. The doctors feel he's in pretty good shape now.

 

"Bowman had a great combine. He is 100 percent recovered now. He just wasn't 100 percent during the season. He's ready to go."

 

A tall and lanky cornerback, Bowman ran a 4.36 in the 40-yard dash before he hurt his knees.

 

"I'm getting back to that point," he said. "But I feel great. I feel like I felt in 2005. My knees are healthy. It's just about getting them stronger and getting my body to work as one again."

 

Bears defensive backs coach Steve Wilks still sees some residual effects of the injuries.

 

"His body is healthy, but I think in his mind he's still a little tentative," Wilks said. "You can see in his movement at times, but I think it's just a process. Once he goes through OTAs and minicamps and really takes that first hit again, he'll be fine."

 

Bowman has an interesting background. With his father serving in the military, he lived in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Germany before attending high school in Alaska, where he played on the same prep basketball team as Kansas star Mario Chalmers.

 

Bowman then enrolled in junior college in Roswell, N.M., which is primarily known for an incident in 1947 that may or may not have involved the recovery of a UFO. The city has embraced the story, promoting a UFO museum and hosting an annual UFO festival.

 

Hoping to deliver an out-of-this-world performance as a rookie, Bowman is spending considerable time memorizing his playbook and learning his assignments.

 

"Those are the things I want to work on going into camp so when July hits I can go full speed and leave everything out on the field," he said.

 

Bowman was an accomplished special teams player at Nebraska and hopes to fill a similar role with the Bears.

 

"I love special teams because you can be a playmaker," he said. "Just look at Devin Hester. Every time he gets the ball, he's a show stopper. Everybody holds their breath.

 

"I want to come in and make a huge impact on special teams, whether it's to block for Devin Hester, to block a kick to get the offense the ball in good field position, or just anything to help the team out."

[BIGREDIOWAN]

Good luck to Zac and I'm really praying that everything works out for him in the long run.

[Ohio Pete]

He's making plays in camp:

4:36 p.m. Figures a pick would follow. Kyle Orton tried to hit Fontel Mines in the corner of the end zone but the ball was picked off by rookie Zackary Bowman. Call it a good play by Bowman, not a bad throw from Orton.

[AR Husker Fan]

He's making plays in camp:

4:36 p.m. Figures a pick would follow. Kyle Orton tried to hit Fontel Mines in the corner of the end zone but the ball was picked off by rookie Zackary Bowman. Call it a good play by Bowman, not a bad throw from Orton.

Good to hear - that guy certainly deserves some good luck for a change.

[Ohio Pete]

Moving up the Depth Chart?

 

'Unknowns' move up Bears' depth chart

David Haugh | On the Bears

11:23 PM CDT, August 5, 2008

 

BOURBONNAIS

 

Their names aren't on the tips of tongues of fantasy league players. Their signatures haven't been among the most sought after at training camp. Their careers have yet to take off and spots on the roster and depth chart are anything but a lock.

 

But two weeks into training camp, five Bears players hard to identify without a program have quietly earned notice from the people who matter most to their careers: the coaches and front-office executives banking on their progress.

....

Zackary Bowman, corner

One day during the first week of practice, Bowman was the last player on the field working with defensive backs coach Steven Wilks on the proper technique to jam receivers. Bowman went to high school in Alaska, so he's used to long summer days.

 

The rookie looks to have made good use of his time, combining nifty footwork with physical play to stand out early among backup defensive backs. A fifth-round selection, Bowman dropped in the draft because of concerns over a torn ACL. But one visiting former NFL executive credited him with "first-round talent."

 

Expect him to make an impact on special teams as the season progresses and slowly gain confidence if injuries force him into action at cornerback....

 

It's a shame the injuries and lack of proper instruction derailed his college career.

[DJR313]

That's not incredibly surprising, I just wish it would have shown while he was here. I think Zack has potential to be really good if he can stay healthy.

[HSKRNOKC]

That's not incredibly surprising, I just wish it would have shown while he was here. I think Zack has potential to be really good if he can stay healthy.

 

 

I agree. It would have been nice to have him healthy. Best of luck to a great young man.

[Husker Homer]

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sp...,2456704.column

 

Looks like Bowman is working hard and getting noticed at Bears camp! He's going to be a steal for the Bears.

[Overland Park Husker]

See HERE

[Husker Homer]

Sorry MODS! I put this on the wrong thread! That'll teach me to have 8 IE windows open:)

[BIGREDIOWAN]

That's not incredibly surprising, I just wish it would have shown while he was here. I think Zack has potential to be really good if he can stay healthy.

That's definately going to be key to his career!

[Apathy]

He's making plays in camp:

4:36 p.m. Figures a pick would follow. Kyle Orton tried to hit Fontel Mines in the corner of the end zone but the ball was picked off by rookie Zackary Bowman. Call it a good play by Bowman, not a bad throw from Orton.

 

Why does this play sound exactly like the one against Michigan at the Alamo Bowl in 05' when he picked off Chad Henne.......Ah memories

 

Keep up the good work with my Bears!!!!!!!!!!!!

[DJR313]

He's making plays in camp:

4:36 p.m. Figures a pick would follow. Kyle Orton tried to hit Fontel Mines in the corner of the end zone but the ball was picked off by rookie Zackary Bowman. Call it a good play by Bowman, not a bad throw from Orton.

 

Why does this play sound exactly like the one against Michigan at the Alamo Bowl in 05' when he picked off Chad Henne.......Ah memories

 

 

That was possibly one of the most incredible INT's that I have seen. Absolutely phenomenal concentration to catch with one hand and get the one foot in bounds. Incredibly clutch play. I thought that was the beginning of him being a shutdown corner, it's too bad injuries and poor instruction curtailed him.

[admo]

I listed to a little bit of the Bears / Chiefs preseason game on Sirius. OSU's Dontrelle Savage was returning a kickoff and got planted by Bowman. The Bears announcers said "if he doesnt make this team, which he has shown he certainly will... wow.. and he got clipped in the back as well".

 

It was something to that effect. They were impressed with his hit & how he's played on special teams.

[Husker_Power]

The Chicago Tribune:

 

Moving up: The Bears moved rookie cornerback Zackary Bowman from the practice squad to the active roster, signing him to a four-year contract. Bowman was a fifth-round pick in the 2008 draft out of Nebraska.