Utes running back Ty Jordan has died, the University of Utah confirmed on Saturday. Jordan had just recently been named Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year after a breakout campaign that saw him average 119.4 rushing yards per game and 7.2 rushing yards per carry.

A preliminary report from police in Denton, Texas state that a call went out on Christmas evening at 9:38 p.m. local time. Officers from the Denton Police Department responded to the 1100 block of Avenue B. Once there, police found a single gunshot victim. The victim was then transported to a hospital where he was later pronounced deceased.

"Words cannot express the devastation and heartache that our team is feeling right now upon learning of the tragic death of our teammate and brother, Ty Jordan," said Utah Head Football Coach Kyle Whittingham. "Ty's personality and smile were infectious and he made a huge impact on our program in the short time he was with us. He leaves an indelible mark on each of us and our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends. From the bottom of our hearts, all of us in the Utah Football Family want to say we love you Ty and may you rest in peace."