Prayers go out to Oregon.

[JLEW1818]

Prayers go out to Oregon, and the family of Todd Doxey.

EUGENE, Ore. -- A redshirt freshman on the University of Oregon football team has died after trying to swim the McKenzie River during an inner-tube trip down the river.

The university said in a statement that 19-year-old Todd Doxey was with several teammates Sunday afternoon in the Cascade Range stream.

It said that most of the party started down the river, but Doxey decided to jump off a bridge.

He swam across the current toward a boat ramp. But, the Lane County sheriff's office says, he tired and couldn't hold his head above water.

A fisherman in a drift boat retrieved him and began administering CPR.

He was listed initially in critical condition but died about 8 p.m. Sunday at Sacred Heart Medical Center in Eugene.

Doxey was a graduate of Hoover High School in San Diego.


http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3488587

[pweitkem]

Out having a good time with your buddies at the river and unaware of how dangerous the river current can be... absolutely tragic. My thoughts and prayers to his family, friends and the Ducks.

[Boomer.....]

Not in the football forum, but there was a thread on this.

http://www.soonerfans.com/forums/showthread.php?t=115772&highlight=oregon

[Collier11]

This sucks, the river current can surprise those who arent used to it. I feel for the family and friends of the guy for another life lost too soon!

[Quack 10]

Thanks Sooners for the kind thoughts. Y'all are a class act.

The Cascade mountains were smacked by snowfall this past winter, as much as 70 feet fell in some places (seasonal total, it didn't stack up quite that high), and the Mckenzie River is one of the coldest in the state anyway. Between the water temperature and the much faster than usual current, it's a dangerous situation.

These summer tubing trips are a tradition among Duck players, but I'm sure there will be some changes going forward.

Thanks again for the condolences.

[Jason White's Third Knee]

That's one of the sadder things I have read about in recent memory. Condolences.

[fwsooner22]

Wow.........That Stinks.....Condolences to ALL............

[RedstickSooner]

Sorry to hear that. I didn't even know people tubed out Oregon way -- it's a very common passtime in this neck of the woods, but as Quack mentioned, those mountain rivers are cold as heck. Not to mention a lot less leisurely than most of the rivers we tube on down here.

I definitely wouldn't want to try tubing 'em. Poor kid.