Liberty freshman Tajh Boyd's death was not football-related, coach says
Liberty coach Jamey Chadwell said Boyd passed away on Saturday
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The death of freshman football player Tajh Boyd was not football-related, Liberty University coach Jamey Chadwell confirmed Friday.
Chadwell added that the team learned of Boyd's passing on Saturday. The 19-year-old was a Virginia native and was preparing to enter his first season with the football team. He enrolled in January.
Chadwell did not provide any other details on Boyd's death out of respect for the family's privacy. A spokesperson for the Lynchburg, Virginia, police said this week that police had looked into the death and determined a criminal investigation was not necessary.
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Tajh Boyd was preparing to enter his freshman season with the Liberty University football team. (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.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}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," Chadwell said.
Liberty University football player Tajh Boyd looks on during a scrimmage. (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.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"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," he said.
Liberty University football head coach Jamey Chadwell speaks at Williams Stadium on the Liberty campus in Lynchburg, Virginia, on April 15, 2023. (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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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Flames are scheduled to open the season at home against Bowling Green on Sept. 2.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.