{"id":2604764,"date":"2026-05-19T22:00:02","date_gmt":"2026-05-20T02:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/tragic-college-football-player-dead-at-22-coach-says-he-will-be-sincerely-missed\/"},"modified":"2026-05-19T22:00:25","modified_gmt":"2026-05-20T02:00:25","slug":"tragic-college-football-player-dead-at-22-coach-says-he-will-be-sincerely-missed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/tragic-college-football-player-dead-at-22-coach-says-he-will-be-sincerely-missed\/","title":{"rendered":"Tragic: College Football Player Dead at 22, Coach Says &#8216;He Will Be Sincerely Missed&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftragic-college-football-player-dead-at-22-coach-says-he-will-be-sincerely-missed%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2604764&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Tragedy has struck the college football community after Sam Houston State University announced that William Davis, a 22-year-old defensive back, has died.The Bearkats football program confirmed the news and said davis was a valued member of the team, praising his upbeat, passionate character and offering condolences to his family.<\/p>\n<p>Davis began his college career at Virginia Union, later transferring to West Virginia. He graduated from West Virginia in 2025 with a master\u2019s degree in sports management, and planned to continue his football career at Sam Houston. While the school and his family have not publicly discussed details, some social media reports have alleged that his death may have been a suicide-an unconfirmed claim that contradicts the excitement Davis had expressed about joining his post-graduate season with the bearkats.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><br \/>\n<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\"><br \/>\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><html><body><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>Tragedy has rocked the college football world.<\/p>\n<p>Sam Houston State University, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/university-vice-chancellor-claims-rittenhouse-verdict-a-chilling-message-black-lives-dont-matter\/\" title=\"University Vice Chancellor Claims Rittenhouse Verdict A \u2018Chilling Message\u2019: Black Lives Don\u2019t Matter\">public research university<\/a> in Texas, announced on Sunday that one of its standout young men had passed away.<\/p>\n<p>The Bearkats football program confirmed the tragic news in an X post.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">We are deeply saddened by the passing of William Davis. All of our thoughts and prayers are with the Davis family today. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/yam9idMERc\">pic.twitter.com\/yam9idMERc<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Sam Houston Football (@BearkatsFB) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BearkatsFB\/status\/2056164398910099749?\">May 18, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>William Davis, a talented defensive back, was just 22 years old.<\/p>\n<p>Davis\u2019 collegiate career began at Virginia Union, before he transferred to West Virginia. He would graduate from West Virginia in 2025 with a master of science in sports management.<\/p>\n<p>Despite graduating, Davis sought to continue his football career, eventually leading him to Sam Houston, where he was set to compete for a roster spot, per <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/sports\/college-football-player-william-davis-dead-22\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Fox News<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Both Sam Houston\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-atlantics-jemele-hill-makes-incoherent-argument-attempting-to-attack-university-of-michigans-jim-harbaugh-for-his-pro-life-position\/\" title=\"The Atlantic\u2019s Jemele Hill Makes Incoherent Argument Attempting to Attack University of Michigan\u2019s Jim Harbaugh for His Pro-life Position\">football head coach<\/a> and athletic director offered their condolences in a <a href=\"https:\/\/gobearkats.com\/news\/2026\/5\/17\/football-statement-from-phil-longo-on-the-passing-of-will-davis\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">statement<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is with heavy hearts that we mourn the loss of Will Davis,\u201d Bearkats head coach Phil Longo said. \u201cWill was a beloved member of our Bearkat football family here at Sam Houston who touched the lives of everyone he knew.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWill was an upbeat, positive, passionate young man who will be sincerely missed. Tanya, the kids and I are praying for Will\u2019s family during this difficult time.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe lost a member of our Bearkat family this weekend and everyone is in pain today,\u201d Bobby Williams, the school\u2019s director of athletics, added. \u201cMy heart hurts right now for the family, friends, coaches and teammates of William Davis.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are never prepared when we lose someone suddenly in our lives and it\u2019s especially tough when it is someone so young and still has a full life in front of them. I want to express my sincerest condolences to Will\u2019s family and everyone whose lives he touched.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/GtO92ianJ8w?si=L7Au9a7mXXcLSbEU\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>While both the school and Davis\u2019 family have been understandably mum on the topic, other reports are suggesting that Davis may have taken his own life.<\/p>\n<p>NFL news aggregator Dov Kleiman made the unconfirmed claim on X in a post that\u2019s been viewed over 100,000 times, according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/facebook-board-upholds-trump-ban-demands-platform-clarify-standards\/\" title=\"Facebook Board Upholds Trump Ban, Demands Platform Clarify Standards\">social media platform\u2019<\/a>s publicly available metrics:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Heartbreaking: Sam Houston standout DB Will Davis passed away last night in an apparent suicide.<\/p>\n<p>He recently transferred from West Virginia in January and was a 1st-Team All-Conference DB at Virginia Union.<\/p>\n<p>Rest in Peace \ud83d\ude4f\ud83d\udd4a\ufe0f <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/s6c4NsgnoC\">pic.twitter.com\/s6c4NsgnoC<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NFL_DovKleiman\/status\/2056149846273196475?\">May 17, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>A suicide would, however, belie the genuine excitement that Davis appeared to have about playing football for the Bearkats.<\/p>\n<p>According to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DU_RwyAkdbm\/\">Nilson Sports<\/a>, this is what Davis had to say about his <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >forthcoming post-graduate season<\/a>: \u201cSam Houston felt like home from the moment I first set foot on campus.\u201d<\/p>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #171717; display: flex;font-size: 16px;font-weight: 600;line-height: 1.5;margin: 24px 0;padding: 18px 20px 18px 30px;text-align: left;\">\n<div style=\"align-self: stretch;border-left: 3px solid #171717;flex-shrink: 0;padding-left: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<p><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/\">Choose The Western Journal as your preferred source on Google and never miss reporting that defends truth, protects freedom, and advances Western civilization<\/a><\/div>\n<p style=\"border: 1px solid #f5f5f5; padding: 16px;\">Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/advertise-us\/?wj_source=article\">Advertise Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* Name<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* <\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<label>* Message<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t<textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\"> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> \t\t<script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey == typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts = { \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs = [ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i = 0; i < inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! 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