University of North Carolina Athletics
Football
- Title:
- Graduate Assistant Coach - Special Teams/Tight Ends
- Email:
- zhanson@unc.edu
- Phone:
- 919-966-2575
A former offensive line standout at Kansas State, Zach Hanson joined the UNC coaching staff in 2016, and works with the special teams units.
In 2016, Hanson helped develop some of the best special teams units in the country. The Tar Heels led the nation in punt coverage, allowing opponents to return nine punts for just two yards. Carolina also finished the season second in the nation in kickoff return average (26.97).
Under Hanson's tutelage, freshman punter Tom Sheldon earned USA Today Freshman All-American accolades, while ranking in the Top 20 nationally in net punting. Senior place-kicker Nick Weiler earned honorable mention All-ACC honors after booting 15 field goals, including a 54 yard game-winner at Florida State.
Hanson came to Chapel Hill after four seasons on Kansas State's coaching staff, including three as an offensive graduate assistant. Hanson served as K-State's offensive quality control coach in 2012 as he assisted in film breakdown and scouting reports among other duties. After working with the offensive line for his first three seasons on staff, Hanson spent the fourth working with K-State's wide receivers. As a member of the staff, Hanson helped the Wildcats to four bowl appearances, including a trip to the Fiesta bowl in the Big 12 Championship season of 2012.
Hanson, who played in 37 games as a Wildcat from 2009-11, earned All-Big 12 honors in 2011 as an offensive tackle, and was a second-team Academic All-Big 12 honoree as well. He started at left tackle for the Wildcats in 2011, helping K-State earn a 10-3 record and an appearance in the AT&T Cotton Bowl. Hanson also started several games in 2010, playing significant time while rotating between left to right tackle throughout the season, earning honorable mention All-Big 12 honors.
A native of Linden, California, Hanson originally signed with Nevada out of high school but opted to attend Sacramento City College prior to K-State. He obtained a degree in social sciences from Kansas State in 2010 and earned his master's degree in sociology in 2014.
He is married to Annie Hanson, Carolina's director of on-campus recruiting.
