ETSU Bucs Zach West Prepares To Face The Team He Grew Up Watching

College Football Previews ETSU at Vanderbilt

David Reese, ETSU

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – ETSU football opens the 2023 season on Thursday night in Nashville, Tennessee against Vanderbilt. ETSU Offensive Lineman, Zach West, a fifth-year redshirt senior, is excited for the season to begin. "It's hard to put into words just how excited I am to get back out there with my guys," West said. "We've put in a lot of hard work this offseason, and we're ready to show the world what we can do." The Bucs are looking to improve on their 3-9 record from last season. West believes the team can make a run at the FCS Playoffs this year. "We have a lot of talent on this team," West said. "We know we can do something special this year, and we're all excited to get started." West grew up in Nashville, and he dreamed of playing for the Commodores one day. "I always wanted to play for Vanderbilt," West said. "It was my dream school growing up." But West wasn't recruited by Vanderbilt out of high school. He ended up attending ETSU, where he has become a standout player. West has started 36 games in his career, and he has been named to the All-Southern Conference team twice. West is now one of the leaders of the ETSU football team. He is excited to lead the Bucs into battle against Vanderbilt on Thursday night. "It's going to be a special moment for me," West said. "I'm going to have a lot of friends and family in the stands, and I'm going to be playing against the team I grew up watching."