Utah Freshman RB Ty Jordan Died Due To A Presumed Accidental Gunshot Wound

The college football world is in a state of morning, as the University of Utah has announced that freshman running back Ty Jordan passed away on Saturday. He was 19 years old.

Jordan, a three-star recruit from Texas who went to Salt Lake City and became the Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year, is believed to be the victim of an accidental, self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to a statement given to ESPN by the Denton Police Department out of Texas.

The Denton (Texas) Police Department told ESPN that its officers responded to a shooting call at 10:38 p.m. ET Friday. Officers discovered a gunshot victim who had been shot one time. After life-saving measures were applied, the victim was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

“Following a preliminary investigation, we do believe that this was an accidental shooting, where the victim accidentally shot himself,” Denton Police Department public information officer Allison Beckwith told ESPN.

While the Utes entered this season with questions in the backfield due to standout back Zack Moss graduating and leaving for the NFL, Jordan stepped in and did not miss a beat. On the year, Jordan ran for 597 yards with six touchdowns on 83 carries in five games. In a statement following the news of Jordan’s passing, Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said, “Ty’s personality and smile were infectious and he made a huge impact on our program in the short time he was with us. He leaves an indelible mark on each of us and our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends. From the bottom of our hearts, all of us in the Utah Football Family want to say we love you Ty and may you rest in peace.”