ARIZONA STATE FOOTBALL

Herm Edwards, ASU surprise K Zendejas with scholarship

Sep 17, 2019, 7:58 PM | Updated: Sep 18, 2019, 12:38 pm

Place kicker Cristian Zendejas #45 of the Arizona State Sun Devils kicks a 35 yard field goal again...

Place kicker Cristian Zendejas #45 of the Arizona State Sun Devils kicks a 35 yard field goal against the Kent State Golden Flashes during the first half of the NCAAF game at Sun Devil Stadium on August 29, 2019 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Arizona State redshirt sophomore kicker Cristian Zendejas certainly deserves a scholarship after his start to the season.

The ASU kicker is 8-for-8 this season, including a 41-yarder in the team’s 10-7 upset win against Michigan State on Saturday.

To boot, Zendejas has been filling in for starter Brandon Ruiz, who was 18-for-22 last season and did not miss any of his 45 attempts on extra points.

Zendejas did indeed get what he deserved on Tuesday, as Arizona State head coach Herm Edwards surprised Zendejas during a team meeting with a scholarship.

“When you do things that are required, we’ll give you a scholarship, guys. I’m serious,” Edwards said to the walk-ons in the room.

“All that young man has done for a year and a half is just go out and practice every day, kick the ball, service, do whatever he had to do, he had to go play.”

Zendejas posted on Instagram regarding the scholarship.

I do not even know where to start! Thank you to everyone that has helped and supported me through it all! I am very blessed to even be part of Arizona state’s amazing football program! Thank you to Herm Edwards and my teammates for continuously pushing me to be better. For two years I kept my head down and focused on my passion, today I was awarded a scholarship. For everyone pursuing their passions do not lose courage, work hard and stay humble. Stay strong in your faith and true to yourself. Grateful with each kick and blessed for each day!

“Take it for what it is,” Edwards said .”When you go to practice, get better. Just get better because you don’t know when your number is going to be called, man. You don’t.”

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