Losses in college football, at times, can be brutal blows to everyone associated with the sport. Young lives that had heaps of opportunities in front of them ending untimely is a tough reality for us to bear. This year alone, we saw some young, budding athletes leave for their final abode. Now, the sport mourns another devastating loss, who was primed to see collegiate football action for the first time in his life.
South Dakota State announced on Wednesday that RB Nate White had passed away, leaving the Jackrabbits fans in shock. This budding 20-year-old left with his dreams unfinished and the whole world grieving. He transferred to SDSU from Wisconsin this year, after not getting any time on the field. Both programs have released statements about the tragic loss, and White’s friends did their bit by creating a memorial in front of his locker. “News of Nate White’s tragic passing has been sad and difficult to comprehend for all of the Wisconsin Badgers football family,” said Luke Fickell, his former coach.
Though White was yet to debut on the CFB turf, he was a high-school star in his own right. During his recruitment, White was the No. 1 prospect out of Wisconsin, playing for Rufus King High School. In his senior season, the RB ran for 1,345 yards and also rushed for 26 TDs. At SDSU, he was hoping to continue these records in what would have been his first formal CFB season. But destiny had other plans. “While Nate had not been on campus long, he was not only beloved by his teammates and coaches, but also by faculty and those who had the opportunity to get to know him,” SDSU President Barry Dunn said in a statement.
White’s former teammates from Wisconsin are heartbroken at the RB’s passing. “Not just a teammate or a best friend, but truly a brother to me. I don’t even know what to say right now man, I can’t stop thinking back to all the times when we were just hanging out goofing off and just talking about random stuff and I’d do anything right now just to hang out and talk to u one more time,” said Badgers TE Jackson McGohan, in an emotional post on Instagram. “Keep shining your light on us, brudda,” wrote former teammate and Connecticut quarterback Nick Evers.
When news broke of White’s death, an official cause of death was not available from the authorities. However, as the investigations proceed, some details are now known that surround the tragic turn of events.
South Dakota Police continue investigations into Nate White’s death
White was found dead in his apartment on Wednesday morning by his roommate. He informed the authorities that the RB “was not breathing and unresponsive in bed,” says a press release. The police further added that officials had tried to resuscitate White, but their efforts were in vain. The coroner pronounced him deceased, after which he was taken to Sanford Hospital in Sioux Falls for an autopsy. “The investigation into White’s death is ongoing,” the statement read.
A clearer understanding of the situation is expected to emerge following an autopsy, which, according to Brookings Register reports, will take up to three to four weeks. Until then, tributes continue pouring in for the young RB, whose time ended before it should have.
“Jackrabbit football is a brotherhood, and today we are all hurting with the shocking news of the loss of Nate White,” SDSU coach Dan Jackson said in a press release. “Nate impacted our program with his hard work, determination, and overall positive spirit. We grieve with his family and will honor his memory throughout the upcoming season.” Following Kyren Lacy and Todric McGee, Nate White’s untimely demise marks yet another heartbreaking moment for the college football community, a promising young life gone far too soon.
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