Arizona OL Zach Hemmila passes away in his sleep

Arizona senior offensive lineman Zach Hemmila passed away in his sleep Sunday night, the school announced Monday.

Coach Rich Rodriguez and athletic director Greg Byrne announced to the media that Hemmila was found dead by his cousin Monday morning. His teammates were informed about his death after practice.

“The only thought on my mind right now is with Zach Hemmila’s family,” Rodriguez said in the emotional announcement. “We lost a great young man. Everybody in our program is hurting.”

GET READY TO COMPETE

Pick your champion (you can change it later). We’ll email you when brackets open.

No purchase necessary. 50 U.S./D.C. 18+. Entry opens 3PM ET Dec 6, 2026 and closes 8PM ET Dec 18, 2026. Void where prohibited.See for complete details. The College Football Playoff (CFP) is not a sponsor or administrator of this contest.

Hemmila was a fifth-year senior and played high school football at Chandler High School in Chandler, Ariz.

The cause of death was not immediately disclosed.

Hemmila played in 27 games over the last two seasons, starting six games at guard in 2015.

Add us as a preferred source on Google