The Oregon St. Beavers have had a tough season. It just got tougher. A whole lot tougher.
Fred Thompson was considered one of the biggest signings of the 2010 recruiting class. A 6'4", 290 pound defensive tackle from Oakland Tech, he chose the Beavers over numerous other Pac-12 programs, and he figured to be in the mix to be one of the anchors of the defensive line.
Unfortunately, there is some terrible news this night from Corvallis. Thompson has passed away from a heart attack. Thompson apparently suffered the heart attack while playing basketball at the Dixon Recreation Center on campus in Corvallis. The news has been confirmed by multiple Oregon State beat reporters, including Paul Buker of the Oregonian and Brandon Sprague of Comcast Sportsnet Northwest.
Thompson would have turned 20 years old on Sunday.
To discuss the tragedy and offer your condolences to Beavers fans, head to Building the Dam.