70 DAYS TO KICKOFF: Zach Hanson

#70 Zach Hanson Redshirt Senior 6-8 | 313 Sacramento, Calif. Bio

Position: Offensive Line Previous College: Sacramento Community College Projection: Second-String Status: On Scholarship

Zach Hanson (b. Feb. 13, 1988) is a rare breed of player — he was part of Ron Prince's Great JUCO Experiment in 2008, yet didn't turn into a total bust like so many other members of that roster-management catastrophe.

Now, that's not say he has turned into a superstar, either. He played in all 12 games in 2009, but did not start any.

He then entered 2010 as the leading candidate to start at left tackle, but was beaten out by incoming JUCO tackle Manase Foketi. (And who better to beat out a 6-8, 313-pound monolith than a guy nicknamed after a mountain?)

To add injury to insult, he wasn't even tabbed to replace the temporarily injured Clyde Aufner at right tackle until after Ethan Douglas, a then-sophomore, had first crack at it, only to suffer a season-ending injury two plays into the year.

Hanson started the subsequent three games before yielding the position back to a now-healthy Aufner just prior to the infamous Nebraska blowout.

He continued as Aufner's backup throughout the season, probably logging the most playing time of any non-starting offensive lineman in 2010. Barring any more unforeseen injuries, it seems he will continue in that role this season.