Junior punter Mike Sadler adjusts his helmet on Sept. 14, 2013, at Spartan Stadium. The Spartans defeated Youngstown State, 55-17.
As has now been confirmed by the MSU football program, former Spartan Mike Sadler died at the age of 24.
Sadler was in Waukesha, Wisconsin helping to instruct a football kicking camp before his death. He was driving around late Saturday night when he lost control of his vehicle upon hitting slippery pavement. His vehicle skidded off of the road and into a tree, and Sadler was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Wisconsin police.
Also pronounced dead upon his finding was the front-seat passenger, Nebraska player Sam Foltz, a 22-year-old punter with the Cornhuskers.
"We are deeply shocked and saddened to hear the extremely tragic news about Mike Sadler's death. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Sadler family, his teammates, friends, coaches and Spartan nation. We also express our deepest sympathies to the family of Sam Foltz and the Nebraska program for their loss," MSU head coach Mark Dantonio said in a press release.
The final car passenger and lone survivor of the crash was Colby Delahoussaye, a 21-year-old kicker from LSU. He was sitting in the backseat and despite sustaining second-degree burns, will be "OK", according to The Advocate.
To the Michigan State family, Sadler was one of the best known Spartan players during his time at MSU, both for his contributions on and off the field.
Mike Sadler tribute video: https://t.co/L2kOyebHOk
— Spartan Football (@MSU_Football) July 24, 2016
The All-American punter captivated the Michigan State public with his combination of guile and skill on the football field, honing the backspin of the ball to regularly pin opponents deep within their own half. He ranked first in 2013 for balls downed within the 10-yard line.
Sadler was even more famous in the Twitter-sphere, coining catchy and comical turns of phrases that revealed his intellect beyond the game.
The worst part about not being the 1 seed is having to watch Charles Barkley learn how to use technology while we wait for the draw.
— Mike Sadler (@Sadler_3) March 13, 2016
The Grand Rapids native was the first ever MSU football player to earn Academic All-American recognition four times and was set to enroll in Stanford University for his first term of law school come the fall. Sadler graduated Michigan State first with a 3.97 GPA in applied engineering sciences before completing his master's degree in public policy in May of 2015.
"Mike impacted so many people not only as a football player, but also from an academic standpoint and in the community as well," Dantonio said. "The world has lost a rising star who dreamed big and was accomplishing those dreams, one after another. He was one of those people that brightened your day. I always say to try and be a light, and he truly was a light in this world. We will all miss him dearly. Once again, we find out that life is so fragile. The world will be a sadder and lonelier place without Mike Sadler in it. May he rest in peace."
Memorial service plans and funeral arrangements have yet to be determined.
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