Former Auburn TE Philip Lutzenkirchen killed in car accident

Former Auburn tight end Philip Lutzenkirchen, 23, was killed in a one-car accident in Georgia on Sunday morning. A member of the 2010 national championship team and a Tigers fan favorite, Lutzenkirchen's 14 career touchdowns were the most in school history for a tight end. The Columbus Ledger-Enquirerreported that the car missed a stop sign and traveled out of control into a church yard before overturning. Lutzenkirchen was not wearing a seat belt. The driver of the vehicle, former Georgia baseball player Ian Davis, was also killed while the two other passengers -- Elizabeth Ann Seaton Craig and Christian Tanner -- were both admitted to West Georgia Medical Center.

Auburn coach Gus Malzahn, Lutzenkirchen's offensive coordinator in 2010, and athletic director Jay Jacobs issued statements on Sunday morning after the news broke.

"Philip’s death is a devastating tragedy for his family, the Auburn family and his countless friends. Today is also a profoundly sad day for the Auburn Athletics family, who loved and respected Philip not only as a great player but more importantly as a friend and the epitome of an Auburn man," Jacobs said in a statement. "I came to know Philip well and I admired everything about who he was and the way he lived his life. He had a strong faith, a big heart and a burning desire to help others. Philip was a bright light this world desperately needed, and his death leaves a void that can’t possibly be filled. My prayers, my thoughts and my heart go out to his wonderful parents, Mike and Mary, their entire family and his many grieving friends.”

Lutzenkirchen signed with the Rams as a free agent in 2013, but was waived before the season began. He was working at a wealth management company and as a volunteer assistant coach at Saint James School in Montgomery, Alabama.

-- Gabriel Baumgaertner