You don’t expect to write a piece like this in April. Not about a player who was still showing up to lifts, still penciled into the depth chart, still talking about what needed to happen for this defense to take the next step. Todric McGee was supposed to be one of Missouri State’s veterans this fall. A fifth-year senior. The kind of presence every college locker room needs. Someone who had already seen the hard parts and stayed anyway.

He was quiet, but not distant. Around the program, he had built a reputation as steady and dependable. In 2023, when his mother, Stephanie Pope, underwent brain surgery, McGee launched a fundraiser to help with her recovery. “She means the world to me,” he wrote on the GoFundMe page. That was McGee’s way. No fanfare, just a clear sense of responsibility to his family and to the game. This fall was supposed to be his fifth year in the program. A senior leader with real weight in the locker room. Now, Missouri State is left with the space he filled and a lot of people trying to carry the part of him that never made it into stat lines.

McGee sustained injuries at his home on a Friday. He succumbed to them at a hospital earlier today. No further details have been released so far, but the college is asking for privacy and prayers for his family. The news spread quickly, and tributes continued to pour in for the grieving family. McGee was one of Missouri State’s best players on the roster for the past three seasons. This year, he was looking to play his fifth season as a senior for Missouri State.

McGee comes from Wichita, Kansas, and went to Wichita Northwest High School. He leaves behind his mother, Stephanie Pope, his father, Amiel McGee, and his siblings, Chaquil and Tahlia. Here’s what we know of the family.

Todric McGee’s family

Todric was born on June 13, 2003, in Wichita. He had been there until he graduated from high school and moved to neighboring Missouri for his high school career. Not much is known of his family, but McGee had once asked for support during a trying time for his mother. Stephanie had to undergo a traumatic brain surgery, for which Todric had set up a GoFundMe page for help. Stephanie was a proud supporter of her son.

Of his siblings, Tahlia has an athletic background. She is Todric’s half-sister and was born to Stephanie and Maurice Johnson in 1992. She played basketball at Texas-Arlington for her junior year, and previously attended Carden City Community College and the University of Houston. She was pursuing pre-pharmacy at Texas-Arlington. Tahlia currently works as a realtor in Dallas and has a very active social media presence.

Todric McGee stats

Todric had some great numbers from his high school career. In his junior year, he led the team to a 10-1 season finish. He accumulated 116 total tackles throughout his prep career. He had offers from the Army and the Air Force, and also had stints in basketball and track. His best in Missouri State was in 2023, pitching up 102 tackles, 59 solo stops, 2 interceptions, and 2 fumble recoveries. He was also named a second-team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference player.

The Missouri State community is sending messages of condolences to the family as they try to weather this storm. “This tragedy has shaken our football program to the core, and we want them to know we are here to support them in every way possible at this extremely difficult time,” wrote Athletic Director Patrick Ransdell. Todric McGee’s loss is sending waves across the CFB scene, as he was poised to be an emerging star at this point in his career.