If we’ve learned anything in the 21st century, it’s that Latinos continue to transcend the sports world. One sport where this is happening at a rapid pace is college football. With another year of college bowl season behind us it made us think. Hispanics have made their presence felt on the collegiate gridiron for many years. Jim Plunkett set passing records and won awards at Stanford, while Anthony Munoz powered Southern California’s offensive line in the 70’s (both men are Hall of Famers).
As a teenager, I saw Tony Gonzalez revolutionize the tight end position at California (1994-96); I read about Roberto Garza proving that offensive lineman can turn pro from any school (Texas A&M-Kingsville, while Moses Moreno put Colorado State on the map. Since then, countless other players from schools all over the country have made their mark on the game. They’ve shattered stereotypes, caught the attention of national media, and many have transitioned into the professional ranks (NFL, AFL, CFL, etc.)
Here are some current student-athletes who are doing the exact same thing in today’s game…
Zane Gonzalez
This Arizona Sun Devils senior placekicker just may be the greatest college player at his position. That’s because he now holds the all-time Football Bowl Subdivision (formally Division-1AA) scoring record for kickers with 477 points. He surpassed former Florida State kicker Dustin Hopkins to get the record against Colorado back in October and hasn’t skipped a beat since. In December, he captured another All-American honor, making him the third unanimous All-American in school history. He may also have a future in the NFL with his spot-on accuracy. During his time in Tempe, Gonzalez has only missed 19 of 112 career field goal attempts. He’s also converted 196-of-201 career extra points.