William Davis Football: Sam Houston State Player Dies at 22

William Davis football became a tragedy Sunday when Sam Houston State said the Bearkats player died at 22. Head coach Phil Longo issued the statement and described Davis as a beloved member of the program, while the cause of death was not announced.

Longo’s Sunday Statement

“It is with heavy hearts that we mourn the loss of Will Davis,” Longo said. “Will was a beloved member of our Bearkat football family here at Sam Houston who touched the lives of everyone he knew.”

He added: “Will was an upbeat, positive, passionate young man who will be sincerely missed. Tanya, the kids and I are praying for Will's family during this difficult time.”

Davis’s Transfer Path

Davis arrived at Sam Houston State after playing one year with the West Virginia Mountaineers, and he was set to compete for a roster spot. That was the immediate football picture around him when the program announced his death.

His path to Huntsville had already taken him through Virginia Union, where he started his collegiate career and played 19 games, finishing with five interceptions and one touchdown. After the 2024 season, he transferred to West Virginia, played one game for the Mountaineers, and graduated in 2025 with a masters of science in sports management.

William Davis At Sam Houston

Davis had said Sam Houston “felt like home from the moment I first set foot on campus,” and he pointed to Coach Dovonte Edwards as a motivating factor because of his NFL experience and the blueprint he could offer. Those comments now sit beside a sudden loss for a program that had just brought him in and was preparing to see where he fit.

For Sam Houston, the next step is carrying on without a player who had only just entered that competition. For Davis’s family and teammates, Sunday’s statement leaves the football part of his story unfinished at 22.