High School Football
Springside-Chestnut Hill QB Liam Zelman Commits to Holy Cross
Springside-Chestnut Hill Academy quarterback Liam Zelman racked up ten Division I offers during his first three seasons as a starting signal caller. This will mark his second season with SCH: he spent his first two seasons at Demarest in New Jersey.
Despite a wealth of options to choose from, once Holy Cross came calling, Zelman didn’t need much time to make up his mind. The Crusaders offered Zelman, a 6-foot-3, 215 pound rising senior in the class of 2026, on June 8. He made an official visit the following week, then committed on June 18.
What helped Zelman make up his mind? His first impression of Holy Cross head coach Dan Curran and offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Andrew Dresner.
“I had been introduced to them probably about a week and a half previous to me getting the scholarship,” Zelman said.
“And we sat there in the room with them and they talked to us. I was super high on their board. Eventually what it came down to was their winning culture. They’re a great staff, all great people. I just feel like that is a place where I can succeed and that’s a place where my very specific playing style can be valued.”
Learning to Adjust
Liam Zelman’s unique playing style includes dual threat ability. He prides himself as a physical athlete capable of lowering his shoulder to gain extra yardage, but noted that he wants to learn how to temper that nose for contact in preparation for the college game.
“I can definitely be a very physical player. With my size throughout high school, I’ve always been a bigger guy. So I’ve been able to put my shoulder down and “run over” guys. But I think during college — and starting this year — It’s not gonna be as much putting my body on the line,” Zelman said. “So I’m definitely gonna have to tone it down… I’ve been trying to learn how to slide and run out of bounds: going to the sideline, just getting rid of that unnecessary contact.”
A two-sport athlete, Zelman also participates in track and field. During his time at Demarest, he focused on the javelin throw. Zelman described how the two throwing instruments, pigskin and weapon of war, compare.
“It translates to throwing a football. There’s a lot of similar characteristics in between the two. If you’re throwing a ball and you’ve gotta hitch up in the pocket, you’ve gotta plant your left foot and you’ve gotta rip that thing. It’s very similar to a javelin throw,” Zelman said. “Very, very similar motions… but obviously with the javelin there’s not really a lot of touch. You’ve just gotta throw it as far as you can.”
Quarterback Mind Games
Liam Zelman also played safety while at Demarest, picking up on certain defensive cues thanks to his experience on the other side of the ball. Although he said it took time to adjust, that experience added a cerebral element to his game.
“It really helped me develop: where my eyes need to be as a quarterback. So a lot about it is alignment and assignment. So if I see a safety’s feet are closed and one is in front of the other then most likely they’re pass protection, right? They’re going to bail,” Zelman said. “But if a safety has feet side-by-side then most likely they’re playing the run. Their eyes are in the backfield. So it just gave me a lot of insight, background information on what a defense really is trying to accomplish.”
That knowledge will help Zelman process the defenses he faces at the next level.