By John Montgomery
Welcome back. Welcome home.
Zbikowski is BAAAAAAAACK in Chicago at St. Patrick.
Tom Zbikowski is hoping to use his life experiences on and off the field to revitalize the football program at St. Patrick High School in Chicago. He has compiled an impressive resume from his playing days at Buffalo Grove, Notre Dame and the Baltimore Ravens in the NFL. Zbikowski, who grew up wanting to be the next Mike Tyson and was even unbeaten in eight bouts as a professional boxer, also hopes to start a boxing program at St. Patrick after the football season. His next major goal is to fight actor Jake Paul.
For now, his focus is on Shamrock football after spending the last three football seasons as an assistant coach at Western Michigan and Brown.
Nobody has to remind Zbikowski that St. Patrick hasn’t won a conference championship in football since 2002. For whatever reason, the Shamrocks haven’t been able to achieve success on a consistent basis, usually with at least one team standing in the way. In basketball, it was St. Joseph. In football, it was Joliet Catholic, a 15-time state champion.
St. Patrick is best known for its success in basketball with back-to-back 500-game winning coaches Max Kurland and Mike Bailey, who guided the Shamrocks to third place in last year’s Class 3A tournament.
In football, St. Patrick overcame a 5-4 regular season in 2021 to advance to the Class 5A quarterfinals. Previously, they had won only eight games in the last three seasons. The Shamrocks have won 11 conference championships but never have won a state football title or a Prep Bowl.
St. Patrick alumni, students and fans are hoping that Zbikowski can have the same impact that former Gordon and DePaul basketball star Tom Kleinschmidt has had at DePaul Prep, which has won three state championships in a row. And former Northern Illinois University quarterback Jordan Lynch, who has guided his alma mater Mount Carmel to four state championships, including the three in a row.
Zbikowski has an interesting perspective on his first head coaching assignment.
“I didn’t come (to St. Patrick) to win a state championship but that would be nice,” he said following a recent practice session. “I don’t want to go 0-9, either. I want to win and send kids to college. I will measure my success by the number of kids who receive scholarships to play college football. That number is very important to me.”
The Shamrocks open their 2025 regular season on Friday night at Yorkville. They will entertain Elgin Larkin in their home opener at Triton College in Week 2.
Zbikowski’s new boss, St. Patrick president Dan Santucci, a former NFL player, recalls when he and Zbikowski were teammates at Notre Dame.
“I had the privilege of having Tom has a teammate and there is no one who has played with more passion and intensity than him,” Santucci said.
“Tom’s experience at the highest level of football will be a tremendous asset to St. Patrick,” said St. Patrick athletic director Matt Reardon.
To generate more interest among alumni, St Patrick has plans to play an alumni football game at newly renovated Hanson Stadium on a yearly basis.
Meanwhile, his focus is on the 2025 season. He hired former St. Patrick quarterback Tom Barrett to run the Shamrocks’ offense and former Holy Cross football player Kevin Walz to run the defense with help from former St. Patrick coach Dan Galante, who won 77 games at the Northwest Side school.
Zbikowski said his team will throw the football while running a 4-3 defense.
“Working with Tom has been a great experience,” Barrett said. “Everybody thought we were getting this Buddy Ryan guru but he knows a lot about the game of football. He is more concerned about impacting young men.”
Zbikowski’s life in the NFL wasn't as glamorous as many people might believe with games practices and meetings every week.
“People don’t understand the loneliness of being a professional athlete,” he said. “There isn’t enough money in the world.”
And he recalls his never-to-be-forgotten experiences as a two-time All-America defensive back at Notre Dame in 2005 and 2006.
“It was more impressive that I graduated from Notre Dame,” he admitted. “I wasn’t a good student.”
For the time being, he is more anxious to prove he is a good coach. To build a successful program at St. Patrick, Zbikowski knows he must compete on and off the field against neighborhood rival DePaul Prep, which won the Class 4A football championship last year.
The Shamrocks are in the Purple Division of the newly realigned Chicago Catholic League with DePaul Prep, Benet and St. Viator. They have only four returning starters and a new quarterback in Gavin Gardner.
Competing in the Catholic League allows Zbikowski an opportunity to fulfill another dream—to play in the Prep Bowl against the Chicago Public League champion in a classic city rivalry that dates to 1934. And if he has any influence in the matter, he hopes to see the game moved back to Soldier Field.
"I would love the opportunity for our team to play in that game,"
But first is the matchup Friday night at Yorkville. Game 1 of his new career with the Shamrocks
“I am excited about Friday night. I know my boys have worked hard,” Zbikowski said after Monday’s practice. He also was inspired by his team’s performance in a scrimmage against Hersey on August 22 that attracted a large crowd in Arlington Heights.
“That scrimmage was the most beneficial thing we have done,” he said. “I have accomplished many things in my life but having the ability to impact a young man’s life is most important.”
The first opportunity is Friday night against Yorkville.
Photo credit: St. Patrick High School