Oklahoma linebacker Austin Box has died, a spokeswoman for the medical examiner’s office in Oklahoma City said Thursday.

Austin Box was expected to be the Sooners’ starting middle linebacker this fall as a senior.Box’s body was being transported to the medical examiner’s office for an autopsy.

Oklahoma City television station KFOR reported that Box was found unresponsive in El Reno, an Oklahoma City suburb, and was transported to a hospital in Oklahoma City, where he died.

“The university family is deeply saddened by the tragic death of student-athlete Austin Box,” university president David Boren said in a statement. “Our hearts go out to his family and friends.”

Box, a senior from Enid, Okla., was expected to be the Sooners’ starting middle linebacker after spring practice.

Box started in six games for Oklahoma during the past two seasons. As a junior, he recorded his second career interception in a win over Oklahoma State and recorded eight tackles as Oklahoma beat Connecticut in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.

According to The Oklahoman, Sooners coach Bob Stoops is overseas.

“Austin Box will be greatly missed by his many friends and teammates in the Athletics Department and all across campus,” athletic director Joe Castiglione said in the statement. Grief counselors are being made available to members of the football team and Box’s close friends, Castiglione said.

via Austin Box, linebacker for Oklahoma Sooners, dies – ESPN.

CHICAGO — There’s a feeling that Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith has been distancing himself from embattled football coach Jim Tressel in recent weeks.

But at the Big Ten spring meetings Wednesday, Smith — while declining to discuss any details of the ongoing NCAA investigation of Tressel — affirmed his support for the coach, who is entering his 11th season with the Buckeyes.

“Oh, definitely, no question,” Smith said. “I haven’t changed, I haven’t changed. But I’m not talking about the case beyond that.”

Smith noted last month in an interview with The Associated Press that Tressel should have apologized at the infamous March 8 news conference, where Tressel acknowledged he failed to notify Ohio State officials of emails he received about some of his players receiving improper benefits.

Smith also has talked about the high legal costs Ohio State is dealing with, calling the ongoing NCAA situation “a nightmare.”

Tressel has received support at the spring meetings from fellow coaches such as Michigan State’s Mark Dantonio and Northwestern’s Pat Fitzgerald, as well as from Nebraska athletic director Tom Osborne, a longtime friend.

“Coaches are great,” Tressel said. “They understand all the challenges everyone has. It’s good to be with them.”

Tressel also talked about new Michigan coach Brady Hoke and the fuel Hoke has added to the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry.

“Brady’s awesome,” Tressel said. “Anything that’s good for the Ohio State-Michigan game, I’m for it. And Brady’s good for it.”

via At Big Ten meetings, Ohio State Buckeyes’ AD Gene Smith backs Jim Tressel – ESPN.