Arizona lineman Zach Hemmila dies in sleep at age 22
— -- Arizona Wildcats football coach Rich Rodriguez made the tearful announcement Monday morning that offensive lineman Zach Hemmila died sometime Sunday night or early Monday. The cause of death is still not known.
Rodriguez was joined by Arizona athletic director Greg Byrne, who said Hemmila, 22, "passed away in his sleep last night. We were notified this morning."
Byrne said Rodriguez notified the team Monday morning.
"We lost a great, young man," Rodriguez said. "Everybody in our program is hurting ... I don't know any of the details."
Rodriguez said he saw Hemmila Sunday night and they spoke after a meeting.
Byrne said grief counselors will be available for the team.
Hemmila, a Chandler, Arizona, native, played in all 13 games last season with six starts. He was competing for the starting center job. The Wildcats open the season Sept. 3 against BYU in Glendale, Arizona.
Former Arizona All-America linebacker Scooby Wright III, now a rookie with the Cleveland Browns, sent a tweet that read "Rest in peace big dawg."
UCLA coach Jim Mora said Monday at training camp, "I'd like to start by offering the condolences to the University of Arizona who suffered a tremendous loss and the family of the young man who passed last night. We've been through that here and we know what it's like.
"Our thoughts and prayers and our hearts are with the University of Arizona and Rich Rod and the young man's family. It's just horrible and if there is anything we can do for them, we will certainly be here to support them."
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Related Stories
ABC News Live