Utah RB Ty Jordan, 19, dies in alleged accidental shooting

DALLAS — Ty Jordan, a star freshman running back for the University of Utah who grew up in the Dallas area, has died, school officials announced Saturday.

Authorities in Texas and Utah have not released details about the circumstances of the Jordan’s death.

Jordan, 19, died Friday night in Texas, Utah TV station ABC 4 was first to report, saying he had died in an alleged accidental shooting.

A day earlier, Jordan was named Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year.

“Words cannot express the devastation and heartache that our team is feeling right now upon learning of the tragic death of our teammate and brother, Ty Jordan,” Utah Head Football Coach Kyle Whittingham said in a statement.

Jordan, a speedy 5-foot-7, 200-pound player, emerged from a crowded Utah backfield to become the focal point of the team’s offense. He finished the season with 597 yards rushing, 11 catches for 126 yards and six touchdowns and was All-Pac-12 second team.

His 119.4 rushing yards per game ranked him fourth in the Pac-12 and he was third in rushing touchdowns. He was a three-time Pac-12 Freshman of the Week.

In his first collegiate game, Jordan ran seven times for 32 yards and caught one pass for 21 yards in a 33-17 loss to USC on Nov. 21 in Salt Lake City.

Jordan came up as a tailback playing in Mesquite, a Dallas suburb, and was a highly touted recruit. He made a seamless transition to the college game, including three straight 100-yard rushing performances to close out the season.

Utah was one of nearly two dozen major college football teams to decline an opportunity to play a postseason bowl game, instead allowing players who had been in strict COVID-19 protocols for months begin their off-seasons.

Source: Orange County Register