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. Zach Hoffpauir: The football coach Greeley didn't get to meet 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. After the attempt on his life, Zach slowly found his footing with a combination of medication, therapy, and self-reflection. He began working locally, working with high school football teams in the Peoria and Phoenix area, including his old stomping ground, Centennial. Because if he had to, he would challenge you and he would step up and say, This is not right.. A post shared by Zach Hoffpauir (@zachhoff10). Centennial coach Richard Taylor always regarded Hoffpair as one of his favorite players to coach because of the way he impacted the team. If someone needed a listening ear, advice or a shoulder to cry on, he was there and it wasnt a burden. January 28, 2016: OF Zach Hoffpauir retired. Dont mess with his friends, dont mess with his family, said Lynn. And we connect in weaknesses.. 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(Photo by Mary Grace Grabill/Cronkite News). That doesnt tell the story,, Friends remembered Hoffpauir for his energy and personality. They will let us know when they plan to have a service.. (Courtesy of Shannon Hoffpauir), Zach Hoffpauir, left, poses for a photo with his cousin, Morgan Williams, at the family's 2019 Christmas Celebration. Zach, 26, died in his sleep May 15 at his father's home in Arizona. Local Sports Things To Do Business eNewspaper Politics USA TODAY Obituaries Travel. Family of Zach Hoffpauir will donate ex-Stanford player's brain to 3 Cardinal past No. His brain was later studied at the VA-BU-CLF Brain Bank, where researchers diagnosed him with Stage 2 (of 4) CTE. Inside I was so miserable. Then, as Shannon says in the documentary, "He didn't sleep one night and he got a Percocet from a friend and it was laced with Fentanyl and he died instantly.". Their brains should be pristine. We were all lucky to know you for the time we did.. Hoffpauir helped coach football at Anthem Boulder Creek last season with Beau Kitson, one of his close friends. Zach Hoffpauir (R) had 99 tackles in his time at Stanford. After graduating from Stanford, Hoffpauirs physical and mental health declined. He was a walking example of how to care for people, a rare soul.. He was the friend who picked up the phone. Once college was over, Zach struggled with the lack of a next.. He hit .258 with three home runs and seven RBIs in 62 at-batsbetween rookie and Single-A ball. Somethings wrong with me and I dont know what it is, Zach said of his thoughts at the time. Stanford safety Zach Hoffpauir (10) had 99 tackles in his Stanford career. But on May 14, while living with his father in Phoenix during the pandemic, Hoffpauir took a Percocet to help him sleep and never woke up. 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. His lowest point came in the spring of 2019 when he tried to overdose on Xanax and Benadryl, he said on a podcast last fall. My testosterone levels were almost gone. Hoffpauir played safety and McCaffrey was a running back. He was the personality of the school, too, said Diane Dunham, a history teacher at Centennial. His junior year, Hoffpauir earned All-Pac-12 honorable mention as a safety in football and as a right fielder in baseball. Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today. He was a true friend and a great brother to anyone he knew. Zach Hoffpauir, one of the greatest athletes in Arizona high school history, died Thursday morning. Doug could tell he was cognizant of and upset by his mood changes. He was the definition of a natural athlete. He played primarily on special teams in football and struggled mightily in baseball. Zachs father, Doug, remembers waking up and knowing something was wrong. He was never one of the so-called Pee Wee bobbleheads, where the young brain sits atop an undeveloped neck and absorbs hundred, if not thousands of hits. Manoj, who has worked as a freelance videographer for Riccio Productions, ZAP Entertainment and Harvard University, is working in the Phoenix Sports Bureau. "He's like my heartbeat.". He made people want to be like him, be like God and be something more. 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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. (Courtesy of the Hoffpauir family), Zach Hoffpauir, right, and Christian McCaffrey, left, stand during a Stanford football practice. Zach Hoffpauir's Legacy Enshrined Forever At Centennial Doug Hoffpauir, Zach's father, told Richard Obert of the Arizona Republic in a text message about . Zach knew something was wrong. A year ago, the college sports world was stunned after former Stanford defensive back Zach Hoffpauir died suddenly at the young age of 26. Centennial to retire Zach Hoffpauir's No. 31 jersey during on-field Its so sad.. It was not meant to be, however, as Zach would hang up the gloves for a final time and head back to Arizona. "He's someone every time I call him, he was totally present," McCaffrey says in the anniversary dinner speech that is in the documentary. But Im sure, you know, Zachs looking down on us and know(s) that hes been honored.. Hoffpauir recently was hired by Northern Colorado football coach Ed McCaffrey to be his defensive backs coach. He was a young, intelligent coach with limitless potential, wrote Ed McCaffery in a Facebook post after Zachs death. It didn't kill former Stanford football player Zach Hoffpauir, who died . 2023 Cronkite News. Now we better understand why Zach struggled so much during the last few years of his life.. Get Fishing Supplies listings phone numbers, driving directions, business addresses, maps and more. Zach took the job as a defensive backs coach at NCU. At the time of his death, he was staying with his father in Arizona during the coronavirus pandemic. But on May 15, 2020, Hoffpauir died of an accidental overdose at age 26. He was 26. The diagnosis helps explain why Zachs mood and behavior changed so much once he left college. Its hard to find people who when youre around them and theyre truly present, said Thorne. All rights reserved. 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. His same ability to connect with people that made him such an outstanding teammate made him an instant fit in coaching. It was compassion, Zach said. Living with suspected CTE can be difficult, but CTE is not a death sentence and it is important to maintain hope. Family. Hired in February to coach safeties on Ed McCaffrey's new staff, Hoffpauir coached in the Arizona high school ranks previously. Zach Hoffpauir, who died at 26 and was perhaps the greatest football player to come out of Centennial, will have his No. He was born on September 21, 1993, in Glendale, Arizona, United States. He texted previous coaches, like Shaw, for advice on how to be a good football coach and honorable leader. The school provided no further details. It was a stripping of identity for me, said Zach about the retirement on the 2019 podcast. Its a loss on so many levels.. 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, Bears new head football coach Ed McCaffrey wrote on Instagram on Friday. I could only speculate that started four or five years earlier.. UCLA stuns Stanford women in Pac-12 tournament semifinals I would tell him that hes the love of my life and he was enough, just him, Shannon Hoffpauir said. 2B Jarrett Hoffpauir and P . 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. They played football together at Stanford. "To a point it was exhausting talking to him. Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy is a degenerative brain disease found posthumously in the brains of football players. Hope Hoffpauir Obituary (1957 - 2019) | Crowley, Louisiana - Echovita Coincidence? Zach Hoffpauir, a former football and baseball player at Stanford, died in May of an accidental drug overdose, according to a report citing county medical examiner records in his native Arizona . (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri) Former Stanford safety Zach Hoffpauir died Thursday. Theres no way to specify when the disease started. I have nothing else to give.. "He loved his head coach, Ed McCaffrey. UNC football honors former assistant coach Zach Hoffpauir, family Zach knew something was wrong. For most his life, Zach Hoffpauir was guided forward by sports. It changed his life, Doug Hoffpauir said. It has been 296 days since the Stanford football team opened fall camp to begin . We were celebrating his accomplishments not knowing that it caused a lot of pressure for him to perform.. The university . The University of Northern Colorado football team honored its former assistant coach Zach Hoffpauir, who died unexpectedly in May 2020. As he grew up, he would hit socks across his home with a spatula. He was chosen by The Arizona Republic as the greatest football player in Centennial's rich history. The family has asked for time to grieve, he said. Zachs physical and mental health were failing him. Mostly he loved sharing his life and experiences with our players, who he was born to mentor. 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. Zach Hoffpauir Dies at 26: Cause of Death Still Unknown - Heavy.com The next play, the next at-bat, the next game, the next sport, the next season. 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. 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. That research will be valuable to future generations. So I went to sleep, then I woke up and I just had this weird feeling. 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. New UNC head football coach Ed McCaffrey hired Zach in February to coach safeties. Zach, 26, died in his sleep May 15 at his fathers home in Arizona. Soon after, the Hoffpauirs sent Zachs brain to Boston University for Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy research where it was determined he had already progressed to stage two CTE. We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. His loved ones wish they could remind him of that one more time. Itll be hard, but his life on Earth wasnt easy, either, and he did more good for others than many ever will. He was 26 years old. This beautiful, talented, incredibly intelligent young man dying at 26 with the ravages of this disease in his brain.. Football, baseball, basketball and track, it didnt matter. May 21, 2020. She was born October 30, 1944, in Houston to Virble and Hilda Nerren. Details are here, and thanks for your support. Doug Hoffpauir said Dubose called him and said Zach was an angel and he saved (his) life.. Northern Colorado assistant coach Zach Hoffpauir has died, the program has announced. Ill never be the same, his mother, Shannon Hoffpauir, said. Hoffpauir suffered after his years of playing football. Cronkite News, the news division of Arizona PBS, is produced by the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. but it can also be stressful. Former Stanford player Zach Hoffpauir dies at age 26 - Yahoo! The rookie coach made an early impact on his players. Hoffpauir hit .295 with 11 home runs and 58 RBIs at Stanford and was a Pac-12 honorable mention pick in 2015. I felt helpless because I wanted to fix things for Zach, but I did not know what was really wrong.. While Hoffpauir was a star athlete on the field, no o. Last Thursday morning, Zach Hoffpauir passed away at the age of 26. The Moving can be an exciting experience. 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. His athletic talent and intense loyalty were both on display in a chippy series against rival Cal in April 2015. 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. It allowed him to focus on good things in his life, even if those things were having a family or air conditioning. Joyec Ann Hoffpauir Obituary. When Todd Graham had his first Signing Day at Arizona State in February 2012, he felt maybe worse about missing out on Hoffpauir to Stanford than losing out on any other recruit. They passed by the No. 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. 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. I was able to see, even in his brokenness, he was such an influence on people, Shannon Hoffpauir said. msn back to msn home sports Skip To Navigation Doug Hoffpauir is sharing his sons story to shine a light on the effects of CTE and to encourage those struggling to seek help. Doug Hoffpauir did not provide a cause of death. Zach Ertz, a Stanford teammate who is now an NFL standout with the Philadelphia Eagles, was one of many to express his emotions on social media. Zach Hoffpauir could catch a ball at 9 months old and could dribble a basketball at 2. Zach would come back to Arizona, medically retired from football. Zach Hoffpauirs family leads friends on the field at halftime of the Centennial-Hamilton game. Originally published by The Associated Press on May 16, 2020. All rights reserved. Zach Hoffpauir | Concussion Legacy Foundation Hoffpauir was known as a hard hitter and suffered at least five documented concussions before medically retiring from football in 2016. Following tragedies, Central High School finds comfort in its football community. He was just a light, said Tyler Thorne, Zachs Stanford baseball teammate, at his memorial service. Back home, Zachs parents could see just how much their son was hurting underneath and after his 21st birthday, he had a failed attempt to take his own life. People sometimes assume they are violent, superficial and emotionally immature. District co-Most Valuable Players: Holden Butler, senior, Nederland and Angel Valencia, sophomore, Port Neches . Stanford aims to bounce back and chase Pac-12 title, Cardinal ranked No He always was looking out for the person he could tell was not accepted. He was this incredible athlete with this strong exterior, but he really was just a big softie, Zachs cousin, Morgan Williams, said. 17 UCLA We support patients and families through the CLF HelpLine, providing personalized help to those struggling with the outcomes of brain injury. Centennial remembers football standout Zach Hoffpauir And so, that was kinda hard, because these are the things that Zach loved, this is where he wanted to be.. No one does. In the documentary, Hoffpauirs mother described a world in which her son lived into middle age. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. He enjoyed horseback riding, fly fishing and vacationing with his family in Mexico, listening to the same music and breathing the same air, his dad said. He will be remembered for his love of God, family, and friends. He then returned to Palo Alto for a fifth-year senior season in 2016. He made a difference in the life of every person he met.. Cavness, expressed the same feeling in his eulogy. Zachs cousin, J.D. He made his return to baseball in 2018, once more splitting time between Montana and Oregon. 1 of 2 Zach Hoffpauir (10) participates in a scrimmage with Stanford Cardinal teammates in Palo Alto, Calif. on Saturday, April 2, 2016. After his suicide attempt, Zach began practicing gratitude in a more intentional way. But even the most gifted focus on just one sport in high school. Months later, Brain Bank researchers informed the Hoffpauirs that Zach had Stage 2 (of 4) CTE. The mini explosions were always followed by apologies. He clicked with junior safety Jamond Dubose on day one, talking for two hours about life and their similar experiences. The loss of identity was hard enough, but Zach also endured his parents divorce, his grandmothers lung cancer diagnosis, and a breakup in short succession after he left Stanford. Zach Hoffpauir documentary shows his big impact on lives - MSN More than 800 guests attended Bal Masque XLI, which carried out the theme . 3 Cardinal past No. Peter Jelovic, Centennial Highs athletic director, said the school was not yet planning a memorial. Interment will . Hoffpauir was a safety for four seasons on the Cardinal football team, winning three Pac-12 titles and two Rose Bowls. Instead, Zach found his favorite part of football. Praying for the Hoffpauir family during this time.. In school, Zach was loved by many that knew him for his wit and his engaging personality. He quickly made a name for himself on the Centennial freshman football team. Zach Hoffpauir | Obituary | Beyond the Dash He challenged me, said Shaw. Though concussions derailed his dreams of playing pro football, Hoffpauir was a member of three Pac 12 champion football teams, played in two Rose Bowls and was an All-Pac 12 honorable mention. College Sports | I didnt have to tell him. 31, now painted in the team's red and white above the 31-yard line, that will forever represent everything they believed their son, Zach, valued. Zach Hoffpauir, left, and Hillary Hoffpauir pose for a siblings photo. Recently, it was reported that Hoffpauir had CTE, and was diagnosed with the same level of CTE that former USC Trojans and San . Doug said the university reached out the day after news broke about his son's death to . He hit .258 with 3 home runs in 62 at-bats in Class A ball that summer, then returned to Stanford to resume his football career in 2016. Zach Hoffpauir, the University of Northern Colorado safeties coach and former two-sport Stanford standout, was anything but a stereotype. He told people about his faith, allowed people to confide in him and provided happiness for others. 1) Cognitive impairment, such as memory loss and difficulty with problem solving. Talented young athletes often dominate several sports in elementary school and even high school. 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. To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.comor 602-316-8827. To the casual onlooker, it would have seemed Zach had life all figured out. He was a cowboy and a coach, a fisherman and a dancer. The medical examiners report cited fentanyl toxicity as Hoffpauirs cause of death, according to the KPNX report, noting that it was ruled an accident. He was the player who both took coaching and pushed his coaches to get better. They went above and beyond, even when he had concussions. Former Stanford athlete Zach Hoffpauir reportedly died of accidental zachhoff10. He battled Lyme disease, Valley fever, meningitis, depression, insomnia. Ex-Stanford DB Zach Hoffpauir died of accidental overdose: Report Zach could sit with the lowest of the low and knew how to show up for people. Former Centennial, Stanford multi-sport athlete Zach Hoffpauir dies at 26, Zach Hoffpauir remembered for compassion, friendship during powerful celebration of life, Family donates former Centennial, Stanford athlete Zach Hoffpauir's brain for CTE research, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy.