As he grew up, he would hit socks across his home with a spatula. I'll cherish all the memories we had bro. Glendale native Zach Hoffpauir, who played baseball and football at Stanford University after a brilliant athletic career at Peoria's Centennial High School, died in his sleep May 15. "He's someone every time I call him, he was totally present," McCaffrey says in the anniversary dinner speech that is in the documentary. I came back somewhere around 11:30, I was really tired and his door was still shut. Instead, he used those to connect with others. Zach Hoffpauir: The Real Story | Documentary - www.sports360az.com/ Ex-Stanford player Zach Hoffpauir diagnosed with CTE postumously I would tell him that hes the love of my life and he was enough, just him, Shannon Hoffpauir said. zachhoff10. I hate that its because of this, but maybe some positive can come of it. Former Stanford football player Zach Hoffpauir posthumously - SFGATE Hoffpauir suffered after his years of playing football. David Shaw, who coached Hoffpauir at Stanford, was philosophical about the loss. In high school, in addition to starring in two sportsand, of course, playing both offense (wide receiver, quarterback, running back) and defensehe became known as a charismatic leader. He played primarily on special teams in football and struggled mightily in baseball. 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. Ex-Stanford two-sport star Zach Hoffpauir dies at 26 He had trouble sleeping as his mind raced at night. 2023 Cronkite News. Copyright the Concussion Legacy Foundation. He began working locally, working with high school football teams in the Peoria and Phoenix area, including his old stomping ground, Centennial. Peter Jelovic, Centennial Highs athletic director, said the school was not yet planning a memorial. Hoffpauir was 26 at the time of his passing this past spring, just a few . Talented young athletes often dominate several sports in elementary school and even high school. Hes like my heartbeat.. Former Stanford athlete Zach Hoffpauir's life to be celebrated Zach Hoffpauir Death and Obituary News - What Happened to Zach That doesnt tell the story,, Friends remembered Hoffpauir for his energy and personality. My family wanted answers to help us process the loss of Zach, said Doug. Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy is a degenerative brain disease found posthumously in the brains of football players. The neurologist who diagnosed Zach with Lyme Disease prescribed him medication to help him stay balanced. They cheered for her the entire match. 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 sad thing about it is that Zach loved this: People, fun times, this is who Zach was. It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Joyec Ann Hoffpauir (Rosenberg, Texas), born in Houston, Texas, who passed away on February 17, 2023, at the age of 78, leaving to mourn family and friends. He had to medically retire due to concussions prior to Stanfords bowl game in 2016. Christian McCaffrey was his best friend. 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. Hoffpauir's parents, Doug and Shannon, were recognized College Sports | Who is Zach Hoffpauir? Wiki, Biography, Age, Family, Cause of Death Praying for the Hoffpauir family during this time.. ", McCaffrey family hit hard by Hoffpauir's death, The future of the NFL combine: Is there really a chance it could end forever? To the general public, Zach Hoffpauir is just an athlete and coach who died too soon. 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. Doug Hoffpauir did not provide a cause of death. (Courtesy of the Hoffpauir family), Zach Hoffpauir, center, shows off his well-known dance moves with his Stanford teammates before a bowl game in 2016. The father of Zach Hoffpauir, the former Stanford football player and Northern Colorado football coach who died last week at the age of 26, said the family has donated Hoffpauir's brain to . Zach struggled with severe depression and anxiety and was eventually diagnosed with Lyme disease. Zachs cousin, J.D. 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. 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. Zach Hoffpauir: Sporting world rocked by death at age 26 - Yahoo! He also starred as an outfielder on Stanfords baseball team and was drafted by the Diamondbacks in 2015. He finally found his direction. The mini explosions were always followed by apologies. He left baseball and returned to football, in February landing an assistant coach job at the up-and-coming University of Northern Colorado, coached by Ed McCaffreya former pro and father of current NFL star Christian McCaffrey, Hoffpauirs close friend and former Stanford teammate. He was the friend who picked up the phone. Dont mess with his friends, dont mess with his family, said Lynn. He did things the right way. "People always thought I was the happiest guy, Hoffpauir said on Untold. By Tom Scanlon, Glendale Star Managing Editor. Former Stanford multi-sport athlete Hoffpauir, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Bay Area weather: After thunderstorms and hail, snow could be on the way this weekend, Former Stanford multi-sport athlete Hoffpauir died of accidental overdose, autopsy shows: report, UCLA stuns Stanford women in Pac-12 tournament semifinals, Brink, Jump lead No. Hoffpauir's father, though, stressed to Jon Wilner of the San Jose Mercury News that his son did not commit suicide. Although he had a plethora of offers from Division I colleges for baseball or football, Zach wanted to play both. D-backs draftee Zach Hoffpauir dies at 26 | 12news.com - KPNX He told Shaw how he had identified the most important quality in any great coach was not discipline, communication, or any tactical trait. Hed have been out there, messing with everyone, Doug said. Northern Colorado coach Zach Hoffpauir suffered concussions, battled 6 Stanford over Oregon to reach Pac-12 semis *** Pac-12 Hotline is not endorsed or sponsored by the Pac-12 Conference, and the views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the Conference. I got to know him after the freshmen football season was over, cause he also started on the varsity basketball team at point guard as a freshman. We also knew that this research could help others, and that is exactly what Zach would want.. Manoj, who has worked as a freelance videographer for Riccio Productions, ZAP Entertainment and Harvard University, is working in the Phoenix Sports Bureau. Sign up for free today. Follow him on Twitter @azc_obert. Zachs father, Doug Hoffpauir, said Zach spent his life taking time to connect with others. Former Stanford Two-Sport Star Zach Hoffpauir Dies At Age 26 We were celebrating his accomplishments not knowing that it caused a lot of pressure for him to perform.. "He loved his head coach, Ed McCaffrey. Following his death, Hoffpauirs family donated his brain for concussion research. Faust's team accumulated 15 hours of footage to put into the 30-minute documentary that not only includes interviews from his parents Shannon and Doug, but insight from Ann McKee, a neurologist and director of Boston University's CTE Center on the results of the study on Hoffpauir's brain. The next morning, Hoffpauir did not wake up. Joyce Ann Hoffpauir. Zach Hoffpauir, the University of Northern Colorado safeties coach and former two-sport Stanford standout, was anything but a stereotype. PEORIA - It was a moment of celebration but also melancholy as Doug and Shannon Hoffpauir led a crowd to the middle of the Centennial High School football field. Two Zach Hoffpauir danced well and danced often. You can see the history of people like Zach, going slowly downhill. (Courtesy of the Hoffpauir family). Grabill has interned as a photographer with McGaw YMCA Camp Echo and Phoenix Magazine. It didnt kill former Stanford football player Zach Hoffpauir, who died accidentally in May 2020 when he unknowing took Percocet that had been laced with fentanyl. A year ago, the college sports world was stunned after former Stanford defensive back Zach Hoffpauir died suddenly at the young age of 26. But Im sure, you know, Zachs looking down on us and know(s) that hes been honored.. Out of the limelight, away from the studies and the pressures around him, Zach found his respite and could focus on keeping himself at peace and playing baseball. We remember things through stories, and we forget things when we take down the things that mean so much to us, we cant tell those stories anymore. Ill never be the same, his mother, Shannon Hoffpauir, said. 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. He made me better.. Reporter Jon Wilner contributed to this story. Former Stanford two-sport star Zach Hoffpauir dies at 26 - ESPN.com 17 UCLA, My AP WBB ballot: Stanford-UCLA starts Cardinals huge week. They passed by the No. It was not meant to be, however, as Zach would hang up the gloves for a final time and head back to Arizona. Yet through the darkest points in his life, he still prioritized others. Jaguars won't spend big, but here are five players they could target in free agency, The most memorable pre-NFL draft workouts ever: Coaches, scouts, execs make their picks, 2023 NFL franchise tag tracker: Raiders tag Josh Jacobs, the NFL's rushing leader. While Zachs official cause of death is an accidental overdose, Zachs mother, Shannon, feels that even this label is disingenuous. His father confirmed the death to the Arizona Republic but did not provide a cause. Hoffpauir left Stanford in 2015 after being taken by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 22nd round of the MLB draft and played a minor league season that summer. 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. 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. Find out how. 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. He was in the middle of everything, from his dance moves to his football hits, to his baseball home runs, to his transparency and resiliency and leading the room. He will be remembered for his love of God, family, and friends. "It was riddled with CTE lesions.". He was good enough to be drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks and played parts of two minor-league seasons. Fill in some information about your loved one, and we'll generate some text that you can use as a starting point for your online memorial. In school, Zach was loved by many that knew him for his wit and his engaging personality. Drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks with the 646th pick of the 22nd round, Zach split time between Missoula, Montana, and Hillsboro, Oregon. Add a Memory. He was like a brother to our boys, Ed McCaffrey said. (Courtesy of the Hoffpauir family), Zach Hoffpauir holds up a small sign that reads, "Look who's turning 25," on his birthday. Zach showed me the way when I got to college. Zach Hoffpauir, a former football and baseball player at Stanford, died in May of an accidental drug overdose, according to a reportciting county medical examiner records in his native Arizona. 2B Jarrett Hoffpauir and P . 'There will never be another Zach Hoffpauir' - Peoriatimes He was like a brother to our boys and recently found his calling as our safeties coach at Northern Colorado. It allowed him to focus on good things in his life, even if those things were having a family or air conditioning. He also shared how he increased his emotional literacy and was able to name the emotions he was feeling rather than bury them. Local Sports Things To Do Business eNewspaper Politics USA TODAY Obituaries Travel. Every time Centennial players step on the field, they will walk by the No. Zach knew something was wrong. 3 Cardinal past No. Hoffpauir's parents, Doug and Shannon, were recognized Doug Hoffpauir said in the days after his sons death that he was certain Zach did not die by suicide. The Mystic Krewe of Apollo Baton Rouge celebrated its 41st annual ball Jan. 21 at the Raising Cane's River Center. And so, that was kinda hard, because these are the things that Zach loved, this is where he wanted to be.. Former Stanford, Cal MBB coach Mike Montgomery says schools are not keeping up with college changes He spent one year in their organization (Class-A), then returned to Stanford for the 2016 season to complete his football career. Doug Hoffpauir is sharing his sons story to shine a light on the effects of CTE and to encourage those struggling to seek help. Hope Hoffpauir Obituary. Zach was the hardest hitter, most aggressive player I ever played against, said McCaffery at the memorial. 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. He wanted to touch their lives and make sure they were whole on the inside and not just football players to be used.. If that day marks the official start to an athlete's season then Zach Hoffpauir has been in season for 296 days. He was chosen by The Arizona Republic as the greatest football player in Centennial's rich history. When Zach took that step up from high school athletics to college athletics, Zach began to feel as if he was losing his passion for the game, his father said. He holds a MA from Arizona State's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. New UNC head football coach Ed McCaffrey hired Zach in February to coach safeties. 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. On the field, Zach excelled in baseball and football, and earned All-American honors for both.