Keith Joseph Jr., Mississippi State DE, Dies in Car Accident at Age 18

Mississippi State Bulldogs freshman defensive end Keith Joseph Jr. and his father, former Mississippi State linebacker Keith Joseph Sr., died Nov. 6 in a single-car accident, the school announced.

According to the university, the two were driving to a Pascagoula High School football game to watch the younger Joseph's alma mater when the accident occurred.

Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen released a statement expressing his deepest sympathies:

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We are deeply saddened and heartbroken by the tragic loss of Keith Jr. and his father. Keith had such a promising future as a Bulldog following in the legacy started by Keith Sr., who played for our program 25 years ago. Keith was a great student, a hard worker and a great teammate to all of us. With heavy hearts, our thoughts and prayers go out to the Joseph family, our entire Mississippi State community and all of the lives these Bulldogs touched.

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Athletic director Scott Stricklin also offered his condolences:

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Words can't express the sorrow we feel by having lost not one, but two members of the Bulldog family, father and son. I was a classmate of Keith Sr., and took pride in having Keith Jr. follow in his dad's footsteps at MSU. They will both be missed greatly. It's such a tragic reminder that life is a precious [sic] and every day is a gift from God.

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Starting quarterback Dak Prescott tweeted a message of support to the Joseph family following the tragic announcement:

On Tuesday, it was revealed Mississippi State will wear a helmet decal honoring the men, per SportsCenter:

Joseph Jr., 18, served as a standout defensive lineman at Pascagoula before committing to the Bulldogs in 2014 and signing his letter of intent in February. He was redshirting this season.