Jerry Kill mourns former Utah State football player

The news of Andre Seldon Jr.’s sudden and tragic death this weekend reverberated from Michigan to Utah to New Mexico and even to Nashville, where one of his former coaches just began working for the Vanderbilt football program.

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

A defensive back from Belleville, Michigan, Seldon began his college career at the University of Michigan. He then transferred to New Mexico State, where he played for coach Jerry Kill the past two seasons.

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 to be chief consultant to the head coach and senior offensive advisor.

Kill, in a statement issued by Vanderbilt Sunday, said he considered Seldon to be like a son to him.

“I am deeply saddened by the tragic passing of Andre. I will always love Andre like a son,” Kill’s statement began. “His smile lit up every room. His leadership was second to none. Every person that knew him gravitated towards him and his bright and contagious spirit. His teammates and I will always cherish the memories we made during our unforgettable time together. My heartfelt condolences go out to every person that was inspired and loved by Andre.”

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

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

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