So, when Ed McCaffery, the former NFL player and Christians father, took the head coaching position for the University of Northern Colorado in February 2020, Christian recommended his father add Zach to the coaching staff. I am so incredibly saddened that a bright light that could have had such a positive influence on so many lives burnt out way too soon, McCaffrey wrote in an email. Im done. They went above and beyond, even when he had concussions. He had to medically retire due to concussions prior to Stanfords bowl game in 2016. College Sports | Details are here, and thanks for your support. 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. His new role at Northern Colorado included recruiting Arizona. Northern Colorado assistant coach Zach Hoffpauir has died, the program has announced. January 28, 2016: OF Zach Hoffpauir retired. 31 jersey retired this month. Hoffpauir didnt start tackle football until eighth grade and never played in the NFL. (Courtesy of the Hoffpauir family). Months later, Brain Bank researchers informed the Hoffpauirs that Zach had Stage 2 (of 4) CTE. I was totally at peace with it, Doug Hoffpauir said Monday. (Courtesy of the Hoffpauir family), Zach Hoffpauir, center, smiles for a photo with his mother, Shannon, right, and sister Hillary. 3 Cardinal past No. Surrounded by her beloved family, Joyce Ann Hoffpauir, 78, passed away Friday, February 17, 2023. Never miss an issue. Find an Obituary. He would always come back to Centennial to help out the Coyotes. Zach Hoffpauirs legacy undoubtedly lives on in the example he set for how to treat others. His brain was later studied at the VA-BU-CLF Brain Bank, where researchers diagnosed him with Stage 2 (of 4) CTE. Reporter Jon Wilner contributed to this story. College Sports | Stanford aims to bounce back and chase Pac-12 title, Cardinal ranked No Glendale native Zach Hoffpauir, who played baseball and football at Stanford University after a brilliant athletic career at Centennial High School, died in his sleep May 15. He excelled in both and became one of the best athletes in Centennial history. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Yet through the darkest points in his life, he still prioritized others. And I said, Thats that Hoffpauir kid that plays football?. 'There will never be another Zach Hoffpauir' - Peoriatimes Zach Hoffpauir, the former Centennial High School football and baseball star who went on to play both sports at Stanford before being drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks, died of a drug overdose . Here's everything we know, Richardson sets QB mark for vertical, broad jump, QB Young 5-10 1/8, 204 pounds at NFL combine, Sources: Patriots tell QB Hoyer he's being cut, Horns' Robinson: Versatility worthy of early pick, Jones: Not fixated on Cowboys' drought, just '23, Sources: Raiders plan franchise tag for Jacobs, WR Addison to Steelers' Pickett: 'Come get me', Wolverines' Turner wows with 4.26 40 at combine, Everything you need to know about Geno Smith's contract negotiations. In the documentary, Hoffpauirs mother described a world in which her son lived into middle age. Zach Hoffpauir documentary shows his big impact on lives - MSN "He had quite a number of what we call lesions in the brain," McKee says in the documentary. As the calendar turned his freshman year, Hoffpauir went on to start at point guard on the schools basketball team and nearly hit .400 on the baseball team. I came back somewhere around 11:30, I was really tired and his door was still shut. He also starred as an outfielder on Stanfords baseball team and was drafted by the Diamondbacks in 2015. All rights reserved. In school, Zach was loved by many that knew him for his wit and his engaging personality. I would tell him to breathe deep with Jesus and I would see him soon.. The Stanford Cardinal family collectively mourned one of their own this weekend after the news of Zach Hoffpauir, the former two-sport star, passed away on Friday, May 15, 2020.. Hoffpauir was with his father, who confirmed the news to the Arizona Republic, not citing a cause. (Courtesy of Morgan Williams), Zach Hoffpauir smiles while on the football field at Stanford. Ex-Stanford player Zach Hoffpauir diagnosed with CTE postumously His same ability to connect with people that made him such an outstanding teammate made him an instant fit in coaching. He has roots in Colorado and Arizona and joined the Bay Area News Group in March 2019. McCaffrey shared similar sentiments, noting Zachs unique passion for leading the players and honesty about his own experiences. When the stories came out in mid-May of last year, the glaring headlines -- another athlete who died of a drug overdose -- Shannon Hoffpauir knew there was more to the story. Hoffpauir was a multi-sport athlete at Centennial High School and excelled at a variety of sports, including football and basketball. 2023 Cronkite News. All rights reserved. Zach Hoffpauir (above in 2014), who played a combined seven seasons for the Cardinal on both the football field and baseball diamond, passed away yesterday at just 26 years old. Normally, Doug says Zach would be able to rebound quickly from things. The University of Northern Colorado, where Hoffpauir was hired in February as an assistant football coach in charge of the safeties, said Hoffpauir died in his sleep Thursday. He was at the same time: the big brother you always wanted, the life coach you never knew you needed and the friend you knew would always have your back.. Medical examiners will perform an autopsy on his body, and the family donated his brain to Boston University for chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) research. I felt helpless because I wanted to fix things for Zach, but I did not know what was really wrong.. They passed by the No. But Hoffpauir sustained several concussions during his career and displayed many of the classic CTE symptoms, including mood swings, depression and memory loss. Athletically, Zachs freshman year in Palo Alto was not as prolific as his freshman year at Centennial. Mostly he loved sharing his life and experiences with our players, who he was born to mentor. "He loved his head coach, Ed McCaffrey. No one does. He challenged me, said Shaw. He never played Pop Warner. You knew when (Zach) was coming down the hallway. Hed have been out there, messing with everyone, Doug said. It didnt matter where they came from, how much money they made, what they looked like or what their life experiences were. Doug remembers his son saying to him that, there is something wrong with my head. He stood for caring for others, said Cavness. The pressure was. Fiorentina captain Astori found dead aged 31 before match. Doug Hoffpauir, Zach's father, told Richard Obert of the Arizona Republic in a text message about . He was 26. Former Centennial High School standout, D-backs draftee Zach Hoffpauir dies at 26 Zach Hoffpauir played safety at Stanford and was a baseball player, drafted by the D-backs in 2015. At that time, we didnt bring freshman up (to varsity), but he probably couldve played on the varsity team as a freshman. Reverend Zach Sasser, Pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Lafayette, will officiate. He was like a brother to our boys and recently found his calling as our safeties coach https://t.co/eNYbQB30fv. My testosterone levels were almost gone. He was the friend who picked up the phone. One year after the death of his son, Doug Hoffpauir heard from the brain doctors at Boston University. 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.. Zach Hoffpauir Death and Obituary News - What Happened to Zach Hoffpauir This is a developing story that Zach Hoffpauir may have sadly passed away, according to some statements posted on social media. The pills had been laced with fentanyl, according to a report from the Maricopa County Medical Examiners office. Hoffpauir played two seasons of minor league ball, in 2015 and 2018, hitting .224 with three homers and nine RBIs in 107 at-bats in rookie and Class-A ball. I didnt have to tell him. Talented young athletes often dominate several sports in elementary school and even high school. "He was so excited to get back to Northern Colorado and try to influence lives beyond football," his father told the Arizona Republic. Zach Hoffpauir was a multi-sport athlete at Centennial High School in Peoria, Arizona before becoming an all-conference defensive back and outfielder for Stanford University. And that would have been really hard for Zachary to endure, and to watch himself deteriorate.. While his mental state never got down to where it was before, it was enough to keep him up night after night. Zach Hoffpauir was 26 years old. Zach Hoffpauir was raw, passionate, outspoken, competitive. He was a member of Trinity Baptist Church in Lake Charles, LA. Former Centennial, Stanford athlete Zach Hoffpauir dies at 26 He was Do tax exemptions apply to costs like burial, cremation and floral arrangements? Were going to let them do the research.. 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. This is fun, Zach told Taylor once his helmet was on straight. We, as his family, believed that he could do whatever he wanted in life, said Doug. I would hope that seeing (Zachs) number, sharing those stories, keeping a record here on campus allows us the opportunity to not forget, said Adam Larsen, the athletic director at Centennial. He never lost an argument, or a dance battle, and he said what he meant and meant what he said. At Zachs memorial service, Stanford football coach David Shaw reflected on Zachs willingness to speak up to the Stanford coaching staff when he thought change was necessary. You could just feel the charisma coming off of him, Justin Sanchez said. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. Stanford's Hoffpauir had concussions; brain to be studied Doug said the university reached out the day after news broke about his son's death to . I could only speculate that started four or five years earlier.. Hoffpauir played safety and McCaffrey was a running back. Zach even joined his mother for a Mothers Day sermon last year when he shared about his mental health. "People always thought I was the happiest guy, Hoffpauir said on Untold. Sometimes he had so much love for other people, said Christian McCaffery, Zachs Stanford football teammate at the celebration of life. Zach showed me the way when I got to college. 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. At times, you just didnt know what you could do to help him. The statistical production wasnt there yet, but Zach Hoffpauir didnt need to produce on the field to make an impact on his teams. It has been 296 days since the Stanford football team opened fall camp to begin . He loved coaching those boys, Shannon Hoffpauir said. Zach also loved dancing, whether it was in the car, in the Hillsboro Hops baseball clubhouse the minor league team for which he played briefly on the field or at a concert. They shared stories about Zach. He was a young, intelligent coach with limitless potential, wrote Ed McCaffery in a Facebook post after Zachs death. I would tell him that hes the love of my life and he was enough, just him, Shannon Hoffpauir said. He was like a brother to our boys and recently found his calling as our safeties coach at Northern Colorado. Zach Hoffpauir, the University of Northern Colorado safeties coach and former two-sport Stanford standout, was anything but a stereotype. He was 26. A post shared by Zach Hoffpauir (@zachhoff10). He made us all proud all the time. He was a natural at just about any sport he played.. Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today. 17 UCLA He played primarily on special teams in football and struggled mightily in baseball. We support patients and families through the CLF HelpLine, providing personalized help to those struggling with the outcomes of brain injury. Cardinal mourns loss of Zach Hoffpauir - Rule Of Tree 2023 www.azcentral.com. ", McCaffrey family hit hard by Hoffpauir's death, The future of the NFL combine: Is there really a chance it could end forever? After the Arizona Diamondbacks selected him in the 22nd round of the 2015 MLB Draft, Hoffpauir took a year off from football to spend a season playing minor league baseball. Shook up about this, Ertz tweeted. He began writing whenever he felt anxious, listing whatever he felt grateful for in that moment to ground him. (Photo by Mary Grace Grabill/Cronkite News). If someone needed a listening ear, advice or a shoulder to cry on, he was there and it wasnt a burden. 2B Jarrett Hoffpauir and P . Zach went 6-12 with three home runs in the series, including an infamous post-homer stare down with a Cal pitcher who had been taunting Stanford. With Zach preparing for his first season at NCU, he spoke with Shaw about the craft. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. I dont want to act and feel this way. David Shaw, Zachs head football coach at Stanford, said Zach had the uncanny ability to get inside you. Zach motivated people, made them feel better and sometimes reduced the size of their egos. At Stanford, his three-year totals were 11 homers, 58 RBIs and a career .295 batting average. Zach loved sports and the opportunities they gave him, but he loved spending time with people a lot more. Grabill has interned as a photographer with McGaw YMCA Camp Echo and Phoenix Magazine. When, how and why music should be incorporated into a funeral service, How to create a personal tribute to the life of your loved one, Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, J.P. Richardson "The Big Bopper" and Roger Peterson, Making the holiday season bearable during grief. Kenneth Manoj expects to graduate in December 2021 with a masters degree in sports journalism. He enjoyed making new friends and always made a point to keep in contact with them through the years. Yep, thats 99 cents for 90 days, with the option to cancel anytime. And we connect in weaknesses.. Like a modern-day Jim Thorpe or local Bo Jackson, Hoffpauir refused to stick to one sport: After graduating from Centennial High School, he excelled in baseball and football at Stanford University. Last Thursday morning, Zach Hoffpauir passed away at the age of 26. 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. Hoffpauir was known as a hard hitter and suffered at least five documented concussions before medically retiring from football in 2016. Zach Hoffpauir | Obituary | Beyond the Dash "Hardbecause he loved coaching," Doug Hoffpauir said Thursday night in a text to The Arizona Republic. Zach Hoffpauir Death. Its hard to find people who when youre around them and theyre truly present, said Thorne. I was able to see, even in his brokenness, he was such an influence on people, Shannon Hoffpauir said. Its always surprising when you see multiple lesions in the brain of someone so young, McKee said. Hoffpauir suffered after his years of playing football. Cavness, expressed the same feeling in his eulogy. He made me better.. Zach knew something was wrong. 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. Several themes emerged from their tearful tributes. 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.. This eventually led him to getting a coaching job with the University of Northern Colorado, coaching the safeties. Jeb Bush confirmed Thursday ATLANTA Former U.S. Sen. Zell Miller, a lifelong Democrat and the father of Georgia's lottery-funded HOPE scholarship while serving as governor, died Friday. The father said at the time that the Hoffpauir family had donated Zachs brain to concussion research. Mike Nowels is an assistant sports editor for The Mercury News and East Bay Times. Because if he had to, he would challenge you and he would step up and say, This is not right.. UCLA stuns Stanford women in Pac-12 tournament semifinals Jason Hoffpauir | The Gazette Former Stanford football player Zach Hoffpauir was posthumously diagnosed with CTE at the age of 26, a physician who researches the disease said on Tuesday . Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy is a degenerative brain disease found posthumously in the brains of football players. Zach Hoffpauir documentary shows his impact in life before his death ", More:Family donates former Centennial, Stanford athlete Zach Hoffpauir's brain for CTE research. Zach also set an important precedent by talking about his own struggles with mental health and encouraging others to seek help in their darkest hours. To what degree was CTE involved in Zachs deteriorating emotional and psychological state? But he never did it from a place of superiority. Clear to partly cloudy. Hoffpauir passed away on May 14, 2020, and was honored Friday by his alma mater during its game against Hamilton. You have permission to edit this article. We wont find out for over a year, Doug Hoffpauir told this news organization at the time. The speakers who eulogized Zach had all coached him, played football or baseball with him, or grown up with him. It was compassion, Zach said. To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.comor 602-316-8827. Joyec Ann Hoffpauir Obituary (1944 - 2023) | Rosenberg, Texas Zach would come back to Arizona, medically retired from football. This documentary sets the story straight and expands on Zach's journey from childhood to mental health struggles in adulthood to the lasting impact he had on. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! Theres no way to specify when the disease started. Zach Hoffpauir in his own words - YouTube The Sentinel staff takes a closer look at a new team daily, counting backward from No. What will the Buffalo Bills do without defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier? Zach had previously detailed some of his experiences with depression, which can be a symptom of chronic traumatic encephalopathy the degenerative brain disease linked to head trauma in football and other sports. A year ago, the college sports world was stunned after former Stanford defensive back Zach Hoffpauir died suddenly at the young age of 26. He had depression, anxiety and insomnia. Zach Hoffpauir: The football coach Greeley didn't get to meet His athletic talent and intense loyalty were both on display in a chippy series against rival Cal in April 2015. He had a unique ability to understand people from all walks of life.. RELATED STORY The Chelan County Natural Resource Department Obituary | Harley Ennis Hoffpauir | Johnson Funeral Home For most his life, Zach Hoffpauir was guided forward by sports. TRANSACTIONS - Orlando Sentinel People from all walks of life were invited to his Peoria, Arizona, service to pay respects and remember the honor it was to have known him. His playing style for Stanford football was no exception. Jon Wilner has been covering college sports for decades and is an AP top-25 football and basketball voter as well as a Heisman Trophy voter. To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.comor 602-316-8827. Zach Hoffpauir, who died at 26 and was perhaps the greatest football player to come out of Centennial, will have his No. He is a graduate of the University of Northern Colorado with a BA in elementary education and minors in teaching English as a second language and sociology. Follow him on Twitter @azc_obert. He was an inspiration to all who have faced adversity. McCaffery, a running back drafted by the Carolina Panthers in 2017, was told about Zachs condition and acted without hesitation.