Liberty freshman Tajh Boyd's death was not football-related, coach says
The death of Tajh Boyd was not football-related, Liberty University football coach Jamey Chadwell confirmed on Friday. Boyd was 19.
Chadwell added that the team learned of Boyd's passing on Aug. 5. The 19-year-old was a Virginia native and was preparing to enter his freshman season with the football team. He enrolled in January.
Chadwell did not provide any other deaths on Boyd's death out of respect for the family's privacy. A spokesperson for the Lynchburg police said this week that police had looked into the death and determined a criminal investigation was not necessary.
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This July 20, 2023, photo provided by Liberty University shows Tajh Boyd. The death of a freshman NCAA college football player at Liberty University was not football-related, first-year Flames coach Jamey Chadwell said Friday, Aug. 11, 2023. Chadwell said the team learned of the passing of Tajh Boyd, 19, from Chesapeake, Virginia, on Saturday. (Cassidy Paxton/Liberty University via AP)
"It's been a challenging time not only for our staff, our players and just our whole community trying to comprehend all the different things have been going on," Chadwell said at a news conference.
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The first-year Liberty Flames coach also spoke about Boyd's willingness to always help his teammates.
"He made a huge impact on the team. He was very quiet as far as an outwardly quietness, but when he was one-on-one with his teammates, he lit up the room. He had a very giving heart and if there was something that anybody was going through on the team, he was always there."
This March 25, 2023, photo provided by Liberty University shows football player Tajh Boyd, left, during a scrimmage. The death of a freshman NCAA college football player at Liberty University was not football-related, first-year Flames coach Jamey Chadwell said Friday, Aug. 11, 2023. Chadwell said the team learned of the passing of Tajh Boyd, 19, from Chesapeake, Virginia, on Saturday. (Cassidy Paxton/Liberty University via AP)
Funeral arrangements have not been finalized as of Friday afternoon, but Chadwell noted that the coaching staff will make any necessary alterations to the team's schedule once plans are finalized, in order to give players the opportunity to attend.
"Obviously, we're trying to get a team ready, but also we're trying to make sure that we're understanding the different feelings that different groups might have and how to navigate that," Caldwell said.
Liberty NCAA college football head coach Jamey Chadwell speaking at Williams Stadium on the University of Liberty campus in Lynchburg, Va. The death of a freshman football player at Liberty University was not football-related, first-year Flames coach Jamey Chadwell said Friday, August 11, 2023. Chadwell said the team learned of the passing of Tajh Boyd, 19, from Chesapeake, Virginia, on Saturday. (Chase Gyles/Liberty University via AP)
Chadwell said some members of the team have availed themselves of counseling services made available by the university. The team also held a service the day after learning of Boyd's death.
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The Flames are scheduled to open the season at home against Bowling Green on September 2.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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