Player collapses, dies during football practice in Florida

DELAND, Fla. (AP) A sophomore from Georgia collapsed and died during football practice at a Florida university. Stetson University officials said in a

DELAND, Fla. (AP) A sophomore from Georgia collapsed and died during football practice at a Florida university.

Stetson University officials said in a statement that 19-year-old Nicholas Adam Blakely collapsed during a Monday evening practice. The accounting major from Lawrenceville, Georgia, was the sidelines when he complained of not feeling well. He collapsed and was taken to Florida Hospital Deland, where he died.

WIN $2KIN TICKETS

WIN $2KIN TICKETS

GET READY TO COMPETE

Pick your champion (you can change it later). We’ll email you when brackets open.

• Miami (FL)
• Georgia
• Utah
• Indiana
• Alabama
• Kentucky
• Texas
• UCLA
• BYU
• Ole Miss
• Notre Dame
• Ohio State

PREREGISTER TO PLAY

No purchase necessary. 50 U.S./D.C. 18+. Entry opens 3PM ET Dec 6, 2026 and closes 8PM ET Dec 18, 2026. Void where prohibited.See Official Rules for complete details. The College Football Playoff (CFP) is not a sponsor or administrator of this contest.

The statement said Coach Roger Hughes broke the news to his team and counselors are on hand to help them deal with their loss.

Blakely was a defensive back who was redshirted last season and never played in a college football game. The team was preparing for its season opener at Sacred Heart University on Saturday in Connecticut.

He attended Archer High School, which is northeast of Atlanta.