He said his memory wasnt what it used to be, Doug Hoffpauir recalled. He goes I would love to go fishing with you and papa but I have too many video things going on today with school. So the last thing we talked about I just said, Zach I love you, and he goes Yeah, I love you, too.. He persisted and persevered.. After games, I was like, I dont feel happy, I feel relieved, but then Im thinking about the next one, and Im all stressed out again, Zach said on the podcast Untold with Jordan Simone in September of 2019. At Centennial, Zach was a multi-sport athlete. Local Sports Things To Do Business eNewspaper Politics USA TODAY Obituaries Travel. The legacy of Zach Hoffpauir lives on forever at Centennial high school. Try our free interactive obituary template. You knew when (Zach) was coming down the hallway. His new role at Northern Colorado included recruiting Arizona. We, as his family, believed that he could do whatever he wanted in life, said Doug. Hoffpauir was with his father, Doug, in Arizona during the coronavirus pandemic. But Im sure, you know, Zachs looking down on us and know(s) that hes been honored.. Zach would come back to Arizona, medically retired from football. He couldnt fight this alone. The Coyotes went 11-2, losing to Scottsdale Chaparral 31-30 in the state semifinals. In the documentary, Hoffpauirs mother described a world in which her son lived into middle age. He was chosen by The Arizona Republic as the greatest football player in Centennial's rich history. (Courtesy of the Hoffpauir family), Zach Hoffpauir wears sunglasses and a lei at his graduation from Stanford. The Mystic Krewe of Apollo Baton Rouge celebrated its 41st annual ball Jan. 21 at the Raising Cane's River Center. Zach Hoffpauir, who died at 26 and was perhaps the greatest football player to come out of Centennial, will have his No. Hed be in your heart.. Just to so many people, so many people he would have reached and touched in the future. He broke the mold and spent his life helping others do the same no matter what kind of mold they were supposed to fit into. He was born to Shannon Hoffpauir, Doug Hoffpauir, According to AZCentral, Hoffpauir was staying with his dad in Arizona during the COVID-19 coronavirus crisis. But he knew something was wrong.. 3 Cardinal past No. On Untold, Zach shared how a psychologist helped him learn how his sense of self-worth had plummeted after Stanford because he felt he was no longer living up to external expectations. In the closing moments of his Untold interview, Zach spoke about the power of vulnerability and opening up to others about what youre going through. Athletically, Zachs freshman year in Palo Alto was not as prolific as his freshman year at Centennial. Zach Hoffpauir. A recently-hired University of Northern Colorado assistant football coach died Thursday. He rooted for the underdogs. UCLA stuns Stanford women in Pac-12 tournament semifinals Football, baseball, basketball and track, it didnt matter. He had a unique ability to understand people from all walks of life.. Today at No. May 21, 2020. Zach Hoffpauir died on Thursday, May 14, 2020, at the age of 26. In the late stages of last week, it was revealed that former Stanford Cardinal multi-sport athlete Zach Hoffpauir, who passed away in May, had died due to an accidental overdose, according to a report citing the county medical examiner in his native Arizona.. David Fernandez, Centennial High Schools school resource officer from the Peoria Police Department, tweeted a fond memory: A few years ago, Zach Hoffpauir was back at Centennial mentoringI was standing nearby watching when a young student walked up and said, Hey, whos that?, I replied, Thats who you want to grow up to be.. Local Sports Things To Do Business eNewspaper Politics USA TODAY Obituaries . His athletic talent and intense loyalty were both on display in a chippy series against rival Cal in April 2015. On stage at Christs Church of the Valley after Zachs death, Tyler Thorne urged those in attendance to live as Zach did to be completely present for the needs of others. C hristian McCaffrey posted a photo of Hoffpauir on his Instagram account Friday which began, Yesterday Heaven gained an angel, and I lost one of my best friends in the world. He called Hoffpauir a true friend and great brother to anyone he knew. Add a Memory. zachhoff10. But by the time he was 26, after several concussions at Stanford, his frontal lobe was full of the lesions that are the hallmark of CTE. It was compassion, Zach said. You can see the history of people like Zach, going slowly downhill. Every day Zach Hoffpauir gave his love and passion to his family, his teammates and the players he coached. 6 Stanford over Oregon to reach Pac-12 semis, Former Stanford, Cal MBB coach Mike Montgomery says schools are not keeping up with college changes, Stanford women: Brink, Jones power No. It made so much sense. "He loved his head coach, Ed McCaffrey. Share Obituary. I never doubted for a second whether or not he had my back. Zach even joined his mother for a Mothers Day sermon last year when he shared about his mental health. He was 26. He was a young, intelligent coach with limitless potential, wrote Ed McCaffery in a Facebook post after Zachs death. So much so, that he decided to pack up his bags and head back to Stanford to complete his senior year and have one more run with Stanford. "It's humbling to have been trusted by his family to share his story with those who never got to know the real Zach Hoffpauir.". He made us all proud all the time. Thats the last thing he said. It changed his life, Doug Hoffpauir said. No cause of death for the former Stanford football and baseball player has been released. Find out how. Mike Nowels is an assistant sports editor for The Mercury News and East Bay Times. I dont want people to think, This could happen to your kid. I mean, it could happen. Its probably what the public will remember him for. His heart ached to care for them. View all 23 comments. Zach was known for encouraging friends to keep pursuing their faith and shooting the breeze with family friends. But on May 15, 2020, Hoffpauir died of an accidental overdose at age 26. Its startling to see. The university . It was the first time in a long time that he felt purpose. But as much of a light as he was for others, Zach Hoffpauir struggled to find his way out of his own darkness. They passed by the No. Hoffpauir was a multi-sport athlete at Centennial High School and excelled at a variety of sports, including football and basketball. Fiorentina captain Davide Astori, a defender who has also been capped by Italy 14 times, has died, the club EDMONTON A Edmonton homeless man whose spontaneous piano performance was viewed on theinternetby millions ofpeople has died. Doug Hoffpauir, Zach's father, told Richard Obert of the Arizona Republic in a text message about . It allowed him to focus on good things in his life, even if those things were having a family or air conditioning. He did things the right way. Hoffpauir's father, though, stressed to Jon Wilner of the San Jose Mercury News that his son did not commit suicide. Former Stanford two-sport standout Zach Hoffpauir, an All-Pac-12 safety who also played minor league baseball for the Diamondbacks, passed away on Thursday in Arizona. Rare two-sport star Zach Hoffpauir dies at 26, By Tom Scanlon, Glendale Star Managing Editor. Like so many others across this country and around the world, Zach was furloughed due to the pandemic and forced to return to Arizona. Hoffpauir's father, Doug Hoffpauir, confirmed his death to The Arizona Republic. He was everything to everybody. I am devastated by the loss of Zach Hoffpauir, a friend to me and my family since his playing days with my son Christian at Stanford. Hoffpauir didnt start tackle football until eighth grade and never played in the NFL. Brad Cesmat, founder and CEO of Sports360AZ.com, said that he first approached Shannon and Doug about doing a documentary on their son in mid-May. That speaking to Zach was like speaking to an adult.. A mass of Christi Zach had been staying with his father in the Valley during the coronavirus pandemic shutdown. Im done. Inside I was so miserable. People sometimes assume they are violent, superficial and emotionally immature. "He was so excited to get back to Northern Colorado and try to influence lives beyond football," his father told the Arizona Republic. He was named Beat Writer of the Year in 2013 by the Football Writers Association of America for his coverage of the Pac-12, won first place for feature writing in 2016 in the Associated Press Sports Editors writing contest and is a five-time APSE honoree. McCaffrey shared similar sentiments, noting Zachs unique passion for leading the players and honesty about his own experiences. He was a walking example of how to care for people, a rare soul. The news broke last Thursday via an NBC affiliate in Phoenix. 0. The speakers who eulogized Zach had all coached him, played football or baseball with him, or grown up with him. (Courtesy of the Hoffpauir family). BRAVES -- Purchased contracts of P Zach Schreiber from Triple-A Richmond, P Charlie Morton from Double-A Mississippi and RHP Jairo Cuevas from Single-A Myrtle Beach. (Courtesy of Morgan Williams), Zach Hoffpauir smiles while on the football field at Stanford. That he didnt have enough love for himself.. He finally found his direction. He was a member of Trinity Baptist Church in Lake Charles, LA. He was 26. He had a shorter fuse and he snapped at friends and family more quickly. ", McCaffrey family hit hard by Hoffpauir's death, The future of the NFL combine: Is there really a chance it could end forever? Zachs father, Doug Hoffpauir, said Zach spent his life taking time to connect with others. Christian McCaffrey was his best friend. 3 Cardinal past No. 2023 Cronkite News. Were going to let them do the research.. He quickly made a name for himself on the Centennial freshman football team. Centennial remembers football standout Zach Hoffpauir, a life taken too soon. Disputed loan at center of Commanders probe, More than 25 years experience covering NFL, college football and NASCAR. (Courtesy of the Hoffpauir family), Zach Hoffpauir, right, and Christian McCaffrey, left, stand during a Stanford football practice. Itll be hard, but his life on Earth wasnt easy, either, and he did more good for others than many ever will. He did things the right way. And same for the people who went through it with him. They cheered for her the entire match. And I said, Thats that Hoffpauir kid that plays football?. Zach Hoffpauir (R) had 99 tackles in his time at Stanford. While Hoffpauir was a star athlete on the field, no o. The school provided no further details. He had trouble sleeping as his mind raced at night. While Zachs official cause of death is an accidental overdose, Zachs mother, Shannon, feels that even this label is disingenuous. Follow him on Twitter @azc_obert. Send Flowers. He sought advice for personal growth and mentored others. I dont want to act and feel this way. He was good enough to be drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks and played parts of two minor-league seasons. Sormani, who has a self-titled YouTube channel, is working in the Phoenix News Bureau. Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy is a degenerative brain disease found posthumously in the brains of football players. Copyright the Concussion Legacy Foundation. View profile . They passed by the No. 17 UCLA, My AP WBB ballot: Stanford-UCLA starts Cardinals huge week. And there isnt anyone who can tell them whats happening. Zach Hoffpauir, a two-sport standout at Stanford who earned All-Pac 12 honours as a safety in football and played two seasons in the Arizona Diamondbacks' minor league system, has died at age 26. The doctors said he was just vulnerable, Doug Hoffpauir said. But as he played through those first three years, he began to feel the effects of playing two sports at an elite collegiate level, while also meeting the academic standards of a college like Stanford. Hoffpauirs freshman slump was a blip in an otherwise decorated career in Palo Alto. Despite never having Zach as a student, she knew him well during his time there. Shannon doesn't want her son's death to go in vain as just another sad statistic. August 25, 2021 8:12 am PT. He was a walking example of how to care for people, a rare soul.. Of course, he didnt have everything together. At Stanford, Hoffpauir played safety in football and was a star baseball player. Prior to high school, Zach played one year of eight-on-eight tackle football. (He) loved his family so much and would do anything for the people he cared about. Zach knew something was wrong. He was 79. At Zachs celebration of life, Stanford administrator Ron Lynn described Zach as a young man with an old soul. Centennial Highs football coach Richard Taylor added a similar sentiment. A 30-minute documentary on former Centennial football star Zach Hoffpauir, who died last year, will air Monday on Sports360az.com. He hit .455 his senior year in high school in 2012 with five home runs and 22 RBIs. While his mental state never got down to where it was before, it was enough to keep him up night after night.