Appalachian State 'deeply saddened' by death of starting offensive lineman

Appalachian State offensive lineman John "Jack" Murphy has died, Mountaineers football coach Shawn Clark announced Tuesday.

"We are deeply saddened by the loss of Jack Murphy. He was a beloved Mountaineer," Clark said in a post on X. "Please keep his loved ones and our App State family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time."

Murphy started 14 games at offensive tackle this past season and was a third-team All-Sun Belt selection.

Murphy died on Friday, the university said in a statement to ESPN. It did not specify a cause of death, only that foul play was not suspected.

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A native of Fairfax, Virginia, Murphy played his first three seasons at Marshall before transferring to Appalachian State.