The Nebraska football family lost one of its own on Saturday night in the form of punter Sam Foltz due to a tragic car accident.
Today was supposed to be the symbolic start of the college football season for the Nebraska football team and its fans. Big Ten Media Days will be kicking off later Monday with 13 of the conference’s teams in attendance.
The Huskers won’t be going today. They have more important things to worry about than who they think will be their toughest opponent of the season. Mike Riley and his squad have to worry about the funeral arrangements of one of their own.
It’s hard for me to know what to write in the wake of what happened on Sunday. I didn’t know Sam Foltz personally. I never met the man. What I do know is that he was universally beloved by his teammates. That much is was obvious when looking at the many, many personal tributes that went up on social media.
More from Nebraska Football
- Former Nebraska football star returns to the program in new role
- Travis Hunter injury uproar has some Nebraska football fans reminding Colorado about Adrian Martinez
- Nebraska Football: Freshman RB in line for big playing time
- Nebraska Football: Matt Rhule faces tough decision between Heinrich Haarberg and Jeff Sims
- Nebraska Football: Trio of big contributors banged up after NIU
There were tributes by Foltz’s teammates, as anyone would expect but it was the tributes coming from outside the Nebraska football team that showed just how special Sam Foltz really was. Members of the baseball team and the basketball team all wanted to send their thoughts and prayers and their heartfelt grief out after seeing the news.
There were also plenty of people in the Nebraska media who had known Foltz and had met him and who thought of him of a genuinely good person. Because social media is a place where a person can leave a mark even after they’re gone, we don’t have to lean on others’ remembrances of Sam Foltz to see what kind of person he was.
On Sam’s own Twitter account, there is a picture of him running in some sort of race, and as he’s looking straight ahead and smiling, a young boy is running alongside him looking up in awe. Along with that picture is the caption “You never know who’s watching … What impact do you wanna leave on the next generation to aspire too?!”
You never know who's watching.. What impact do you wanna leave on the next generation to aspire too?! #DreamBig pic.twitter.com/dgpbk15HBw
— Sam Foltz (@samfoltz27) July 19, 2016
That’s one of the last messages on his Twitter account. Obviously, he didn’t know it was going to be one of his last. That’s why it seems to be such a great final note on the life of a kid who is gone far too early.
In a few weeks, the Nebraska football team will start practices and the squad will attempt to go on with business as usual. For a lot of the players, that’s when this loss is really going to set in. Still they’ll have to go about their day and get to work.
Next: Two Nebraska Football Special Teams Players Named to Awards Watchlists
Before they get to work, they’ll spend the next couple of weeks in mourning. And the rest of the Nebraska football family, from the former players and coaches to the media to the fans will mourn right along with them.