Mississippi State football player death: Sam Westmoreland found dead at church

Sam Westmoreland, a Mississippi State University freshman footballer, has died. He was just 18 years old. His 19th birthday was coming up on October 21. He died on the 19th.

He was an offensive lineman. Mississippi State football shared a statement from head coach Mike Leach:

"The Mississippi State athletics family is heartbroken by the sudden death of Sam Westmoreland. Sam was a beloved son, brother and teammate, and a tremendous young man with a limitless future. He will always be remembered and deeply missed by everyone who knew and loved him."

The statement continued:

"The entire MSU Family mourns as our thoughts and prayers go out to the Westmoreland family. Our highest priority is the support of the family and our student-athletes during this troubling time."

The school's president Mark E. Keenum paid tribute to Westmoreland:

“One of the most profound lessons I’ve learned while leading this great university is that the tragic loss of one of our students diminishes all of our students — and all of us at Mississippi State feel the impact of Sam Westmoreland’s death. My prayers are with Sam’s family and friends, with his MSU teammates and coaches, and with the Tupelo community during this most difficult time.”

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Sam Westmoreland cause of death unknown

Right now, the cause of death is unknown. Mississippi State said it is working with the sheriff's department and the coroner's office to uncover exactly what happened, but no one is releasing any details until that happens.

He was found dead at a church about four miles off of the MSU campus. Foul play is not currently suspected, but they are trying to figure out what happened and how the young athlete was found dead.