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SPECIAL ZENDEJAS EDITION

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MEET ALEX ZENDEJAS JR.

He's won PAC-10 Player of the Week honors, earned the praise and game ball award from Mike Stoops and singlehandedly propelled Arizona passed ASU. On Thursday, Alex Zendejas went from kicker to goat after missing two crucial PATs against the Sun Devils in the Territorial Cup. Chris Morrison-US PRESSWIRE

With a handle such as theirs, you’d almost expect the Zendejas family to be well-versed in the high-flying trapeze arts.

The Zendejas clan is, in fact, a proud brood of kickers — even if Thursday’s Territorial Cup ended with a circus-like atmosphere, thanks to Arizona kicker Alex Zendejas Jr.

Alex Jr. is the latest in a long lineage of placekickers; the most notable being his uncles Luis Zendejas and Tony Zendejas.

Against ASU on Thursday, the Zendejas family found themselves back in the national spotlight when Alex Jr. had two crucial PAT attempts blocked by Arizona State defensive end James Brooks in the final minutes of regulation and overtime.

Luis only played in 31 NFL games as a place kicker with the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys, but he certainly left his mark in football lore.

The Mexico City native was infamously the target of a $200 bounty issued by his former Eagles’ coach Buddy Ryan in a Thanksgiving game unfortunately dubbed the “Bounty Bowl.”

Tony Zendejas played for 10 seasons with the Houston Oilers, Los Angeles Rams, Atlanta Falcons and San Francisco 49ers. He even had a stint with the Los Angeles Express of the USFL.

Perhaps Alex’s struggles against ASU were a way to placate his uncle. Luis — the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer after his playing days — was a proud Sun Devil.

Even closer to home is Alex Jr.’s uncle, Max Zendejas - a UA hall of famer. Max left Tucson for stints in the NFL with Washington and Green Bay, but not before wracking up the third-most points NCAA history at the time. As Tucson Citizen’s Javier Morales pointed out: Max had to be coaxed out of the locker room after missing a big, late kick against Georgia in the 1985 Sun Bowl. Instead, that game ended in a 13-all tie.

With the genetic disposition of the Zendejas family, recovery isn’t out of the question for Alex Jr.

Chances are, however, the economics major didn’t step foot into the Eller Business school anytime today.

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TWITTER

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< WILDCAT NATION WEIGHS IN ON THE TERRITORIAL CUP >

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“Just spoke w/ @alamobowl and we are still a very strong possibility for their game. Will be talking w/other bowls as well today.”

“This was not on one individual, there were a # of plays that easily could have gone in our favor that would have changed outcome.”

- Arizona Athletic Director Greg Byrne.

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“How is arizona going to lose that game last night! Unreal”

- Dallas Cowboy fullback and former Wildcat Chris Gronkowski. 

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 “Up late on this halo clearing thoughts”

“kickers suck”

“yo why this (expletive deleted) zendajas a trendin topic on twitter he trash #zendajas”

- Arizona wide receiver Dan Buckner, who’s sitting out the season after transferring from the University of Texas, speaking big words for a guy who didn’t play a single down in the Territorial Cup.

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