One day after burying linebacker Austin Box, and a week after the unexpected passing of the brother of defensive coordinator Brent Venables, it appears that the Oklahoma football family has yet another tragedy with which to deal.
According to Barry Trotter of the Daily Oklahoman, former Sooner safety Brandon Everage may have drowned in his hometown of Granger, Texas, Friday. Everage reportedly fell from a boat and did not resurface. No further details are available at this time.
Several individuals purporting to be family members posted condolences on social media websites, although there’s been no official confirmation that the 30-year-old Everage passed away.
Everage was an All-American in 2001 and a member of the Sooners’ 2000 national title team. He played for the Sooners from 1999-2003.
If the initial reports are accurate -- and we hope they’re not -- our thoughts, prayers and condolences go out to those affected by Everage’s passing.
UPDATED 6:28 p.m. ET: Heartbreakingly, the passing of Brandon Everage has been confirmed by the Daily Oklahoman.According to Sheriff David Greene of the Milam County Sheriff’s Office, Everage, 30, drowned in the Little River about 80 miles northeast of Austin.
Authorities received a call late Friday about a possible drowning and commenced a widespread [search] into the night. Everage’s friends told police he had been swimming, went under water, but never resurfaced.
Everage’s body was finally found by a dive team about 10:50 a.m. Saturday, and he was immediately pronounced dead. His body has been sent to the Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy.