Former KU All-American defensive end John Zook dies at age 72

By Matt Tait     Jun 7, 2020

AP Photo
Penn State halfback Bob Campbell (23) plunges over the goal line with the winning 2-point conversion, Jan. 1, 1969 in the Orange Bowl game in Miami. Reaching for Campbell is Kansas defensive end John Zook (83).

John Zook, the anchor of the Kansas defense during the Jayhawks’ 1968 Orange Bowl season, died Sunday at age 72.

His brother, Dean Zook, confirmed Zook’s death to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

His death, which came after a long battle with cancer, comes 24 days after his college coach, Pepper Rodgers, died at age 88.

A native of Larned, Zook was a two-time all-Big Eight selection at Kansas and a first-team Associated Press All-American defensive end in 1968.

He finished his KU career with 202 tackles in three varsity seasons — the fourth best total by a defensive lineman in school history — and played a key role in KU finishing 9-2 and reaching the Orange Bowl during his senior season.

Nick Krug
Nick Krug/Journal-World Photo.Jayhawks from the 1969 Orange Bowl team Tommy Anderson, left, and John Zook reacquaint during a reunion Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2008 at Daisy Dukes Saloon in Pembroke Pines, Florida.

Kansas lost that game, 15-14 to Penn State, when the Nittany Lions were given a second chance at a two-point conversion in the final minute after KU’s defense was flagged for having 12 men on the field while stuffing Penn State’s first attempt at the game-winning score.

The Orange Bowl was KU’s first bowl appearance since 1961 and marked the program’s first trip to the Orange Bowl since 1948. KU returned to the Orange Bowl in 2008, when they knocked off Virginia Tech to finish the 2007 season with a 12-1 record.

In 2008, Zook and several of his former KU teammates had a reunion in Florida ahead of the Jayhawks’ victory.

Zook’s name appears in KU’s ring of honor at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium and he was inducted into the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame in 2007.

His bio on the KSHOF.org web site features high praise from Rodgers.

“He never played but full speed from snap one to snap 100,” Rodgers said of Zook. “He was the most full-speed player on every snap that you could imagine.”

One of six Jayhawks taken in the 1969 draft, Zook was a fourth-round pick (No. 99 overall) of the Rams. After a pair of trades, he wound up starting his NFL career in Atlanta, where he starred from 1969-75.

Zook never missed a game during his tenure with the Falcons, starting 97 of 98 contests. In 1973, Zook was selected to his only Pro Bowl.

Following the 1975 season, Zook was dealt to St. Louis in 1976 and he played his final four professional seasons with the Cardinals, starting 134 of the 144 games he played.

Zook had four career interceptions and notably recorded the first safety in Falcons history in 1971.

John Zook’s Speech at the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame Induction in 2007

— The Associated Press contributed to this report.

PREV POST

KU reaches $2.55 million settlement with former football coach David Beaty

NEXT POST

92295Former KU All-American defensive end John Zook dies at age 72

Author Photo

Written By Matt Tait

A native of Colorado, Matt moved to Lawrence in 1988 and has been in town ever since. He graduated from Lawrence High in 1996 and the University of Kansas in 2000 with a degree in Journalism. After covering KU sports for the University Daily Kansan and Rivals.com, Matt joined the World Company (and later Ogden Publications) in 2001 and has held several positions with the paper and KUsports.com in the past 20+ years. He became the Journal-World Sports Editor in 2018. Throughout his career, Matt has won several local and national awards from both the Associated Press Sports Editors and the Kansas Press Association. In 2021, he was named the Kansas Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. Matt lives in Lawrence with his wife, Allison, and two daughters, Kate and Molly. When he's not covering KU sports, he likes to spend his time playing basketball and golf, listening to and writing music and traveling the world with friends and family.