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Jerry Kill Mourns Former Utah State Football Player
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Jerry Kill Mourns Former Utah State Football Player

The news of the sudden and tragic passing of Andre Seldon Jr. this past weekend had a huge resonance in Michigan, Utah, New Mexico and even Nashville, where one of his former coaches recently went to work for the Vanderbilt football program.

Seldon, who transferred from New Mexico State to Utah State this offseason, died Saturday after an apparent drowning while diving off a cliff into a Utah reservoir, local officials said. He was 22.

Seldon, a defenseman from Belleville, Michigan, began his college career at the University of Michigan before transferring to New Mexico State, where he played the past two seasons for coach Jerry Kill.

Kill stepped down as head coach at New Mexico State in December after leading the program to its first 10-win season since 1960. He was subsequently hired by Vanderbilt as the head coach’s principal adviser and senior offensive advisor.

Kill said in a statement from Vanderbilt Sunday that he considered Seldon a son to him.

“I am deeply saddened by Andre’s tragic passing. I will always love Andre like a son,” Kill’s statement began. “His smile lit up any room. His leadership was unmatched. Everyone who knew him was drawn to him and his bright and infectious spirit. His teammates and I will always cherish the memories we made during our unforgettable time together. My sincere condolences go out to everyone who was inspired and loved by Andre.”

The Cache County Sheriff’s Office in Utah initially announced a search and rescue mission around 2:20 p.m. Saturday after “a young adult male dove from cliffs into the water and did not resurface.” In the early hours of Sunday morning, the sheriff’s office confirmed that the Utah Department of Public Safety dive team had located the man, later identified as Seldon, underwater in the Porcupine Reservoir, according to the Detroit Free Press.

“Our investigation leads us to believe this was a tragic accident as multiple witnesses provided similar information,” the Cache County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement to CBS.

The Utah State football program confirmed on social media Sunday morning that it was mourning the loss of Seldon, who played in 28 games at New Mexico State over two seasons with Kill. He transferred to Utah State after former New Mexico State defensive coordinator Nate Dreiling was hired as Utah State’s defensive coordinator. Dreiling was recently promoted to interim head coach after Utah State abruptly fired former coach Blake Anderson earlier this month.