Alan Zemaitis
Encyclopedia
Alan Zemaitis is a professional American football
cornerback
. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
in the 4th round (#122 overall) of the 2006 NFL Draft
. He currently plays in the Canadian Football League
for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
and is an assistant coach for the East Lake
Eagles High School Football team.
, was a three-time All-Big Ten
cornerback
and was second team All-America
in 2005. For two straight seasons he was a semifinalist for the 2004 Jim Thorpe Award
, given to the nation’s top defensive back. Zemaitis helped lead Penn State to an 11-1 record and a Big Ten
championship in 2005. His three interceptions in the season finale at Michigan State
helped seal a 31-22 victory that gave the Nittany Lions
the title.
Despite a violent car accident in January of 2003 that left him with several head wounds, Zemaitis played in every Penn State game over his four years and started 34 of his last 35. He finished his career with 181 tackles, and broke the Big Ten
and Penn State single-season records with 207 interception return yards in 2003.
defensive scheme: a big, physical defensive back who was equally comfortable in man-to-man
or zone
coverage. He played sparingly in 2006
due to injury and was released.
He was signed by Hamilton as a free agent on August 29, 2008.
in Rochester, New York
. Zemaitis' surname is of ethnnonymic origin and means "Samogitia
n" (žemaitis) in the Lithuanian language
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
in the 4th round (#122 overall) of the 2006 NFL Draft
2006 NFL Draft
The 2006 National Football League Draft, the 71st in league history, took place in New York City at Radio City Music Hall on April 29 and April 30, 2006. For the 27th consecutive year, the draft was telecast on ESPN and ESPN2, with additional coverage offered by ESPNU and, for the first time, by...
. He currently plays in the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Wildcats. The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Ivor Wynne Stadium...
and is an assistant coach for the East Lake
Eagles High School Football team.
College career
At Penn State University, Zemaitis, a tri-captainCaptain (sports)
In team sports, a captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field...
, was a three-time All-Big Ten
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
and was second team All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
in 2005. For two straight seasons he was a semifinalist for the 2004 Jim Thorpe Award
Jim Thorpe Award
The Jim Thorpe Award, named in memory of multi-sport legend Jim Thorpe, has been awarded to the top defensive back in college football since 1986...
, given to the nation’s top defensive back. Zemaitis helped lead Penn State to an 11-1 record and a Big Ten
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
championship in 2005. His three interceptions in the season finale at Michigan State
Michigan State Spartans football
The Michigan State Spartans football program represents Michigan State University in college football as members of the Big Ten Conference at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level...
helped seal a 31-22 victory that gave the Nittany Lions
Penn State Nittany Lions football
The Penn State Nittany Lions football team represents the Pennsylvania State University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big Ten Conference. It is one of the most tradition-rich and storied college football programs in the...
the title.
Despite a violent car accident in January of 2003 that left him with several head wounds, Zemaitis played in every Penn State game over his four years and started 34 of his last 35. He finished his career with 181 tackles, and broke the Big Ten
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
and Penn State single-season records with 207 interception return yards in 2003.
Professional career
The 6-2, 200-pound Zemaitis was considered a perfect fit for the Buccaneers’ Cover 2Zone coverage
Zone coverage, is a defense scheme in American and Canadian football used to protect against the pass....
defensive scheme: a big, physical defensive back who was equally comfortable in man-to-man
Man-to-man defense
Man-to-man defense is a type of defensive tactic used in American football, association football, and basketball in which each player is assigned to defend and follow the movements of a single player on offense. Often, a player guards his counterpart , but a player may be assigned to guard a...
or zone
Zone defense
Zone defense is a type of defense, used in team sports, which is the alternative to man-to-man defense; instead of each player guarding a corresponding player on the other team, each defensive player is given an area known as a "zone" to cover....
coverage. He played sparingly in 2006
2006 NFL season
The 2006 NFL season was the 87th regular season of the National Football League.Regular season play was held from September 7 to December 31, 2006...
due to injury and was released.
He was signed by Hamilton as a free agent on August 29, 2008.
Personal
He attended Spencerport High SchoolSpencerport High School
Spencerport High School is the only high school in the Spencerport Central School District, located at 2707 Spencerport Road, in Spencerport, New York...
in Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
. Zemaitis' surname is of ethnnonymic origin and means "Samogitia
Samogitia
Samogitia is one of the five ethnographic regions of Lithuania. It is located in northwestern Lithuania. Its largest city is Šiauliai/Šiaulē. The region has a long and distinct cultural history, reflected in the existence of the Samogitian dialect...
n" (žemaitis) in the Lithuanian language
Lithuanian language
Lithuanian is the official state language of Lithuania and is recognized as one of the official languages of the European Union. There are about 2.96 million native Lithuanian speakers in Lithuania and about 170,000 abroad. Lithuanian is a Baltic language, closely related to Latvian, although they...
.