Founded in 1978, NCAA has been a stepping stone for many NFL aspiring stars. With 10 conferences and 133 schools in the football bowl subdivision, NCAA has given a platform for college students to showcase their footballing skills to the world. But unlike NFL, the quality of refereeing and medical attention has always been under scrutiny in NCAA.
While we don’t completely rule out mishaps in NFL, there have been more tragic incidents at the college level. And today, with a heavy heart, we bring you another such tragic news from the world of the NCAA.
A heartbreaking announcement for the Liberty University community
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Yesterday, Liberty Flames Football Program, the Liberty University football team in the NCAA, announced that their freshman offensive lineman, Tajh Boyd, has passed away at the tender age of 19. The young talent hailed from Oscar Smith High School in Chesapeake, Virginia, and had joined the Flames with the promise of a bright future ahead.
“We thank God for bringing Tajh into our Liberty Athletics community and we will always remember him as a Flame,” the statement read. The university hasn’t revealed the cause of Boyd’s death, though.
It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of the loss of one of our student-athletes, Tajh Boyd.
We thank God for bringing Tajh into our Liberty Athletics community and we will always remember him as a Flame. Tajh will be missed dearly.
🔗: https://t.co/2LSS6Uhe7d pic.twitter.com/ehQV0EZHtS
— Liberty Flames (@LibertyFlames) August 6, 2023
With a heavy heart, Liberty coach Jamey Chadwell and athletic director Ian McCaw conveyed the news of Boyd’s passing. The Liberty Flames had only recently embraced Tajh into their football family in January. But even in such a short time, Boyd made an undeniable compact on the football program. His sudden absence will definitely leave a void within the team and throughout the university community.
The Liberty Athletics community and the greater university family have joined hands to grieve the loss of a talented young athlete. In a joint statement, they said, “Our thoughts and prayers are with Tajh’s family and friends as they grieve the loss of a beloved member of their community. We will do everything in our power to support his family during this tough time.”
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Tajh Boyd: A player of promise
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Tajh Boyd was just starting out, but everyone could see he had great potential. Boyd had earlier led his school Oscar Smith’s football team to back-to-back championships. His teammates say he was the protector of the defense and worked hard for the team.
Sadly, we don’t really know how Tajh Boyd passed away. But we’ll always remember how he went from a three-star player in the 2023 recruiting class to a promising Flame.
As we say goodbye to Tajh Boyd, let’s think about how one young person can make a big impact. We’ll keep his memory alive as we keep growing the Liberty University family.
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But before wrapping up, we want to ask you. Do you think NCAA needs to take extra measures to protect players’ lives? What can be these measures? Share your comments below!