New Mexico safety Markel Byrd killed in car accident

New Mexico safety Markel Byrd was tragically killed in a car accident on Tuesday.

The New Mexico football family and community lost a dear member on Tuesday, when safety Markel Byrd was tragically killed in a single-car accident, the team’s official site announced.

His girlfriend is also in critical condition after the accident.

"It is with heavy hearts and great sadness that we have to announce that yesterday afternoon we lost a member of our Lobo family.  Markel Byrd, a sophomore safety from San Diego, California, was tragically killed in a single car accident near Gallup, New Mexico on Tuesday, December 22.  Byrd was driving home for the holidays with his girlfriend when their car suffered a blowout on I-40."

Byrd had been developing into one of the better young safeties in the nation, and certainly one of the best in the Mountain West Conference, where he helped make several big plays on the year for the Lobos.

He had a knack for picking the ball off and reading the quarterback’s eyes, which was an impressive trait for the sophomore safety.

His head coach Bob Davie and the program have been overcome with great sadness, and Davie gave a message to the team’s site about the state of the program.

"“This is an absolute tragedy. Markel Byrd was an outstanding person and student-athlete and we will miss him,” Davie said. “I was with the family late Tuesday night and obviously they are devastated. Our thoughts and prayers go to them. Markel will forever be a member of our family.”"

There is nothing worse than seeing a young individual taken away so early. He meant a great deal to the program and was becoming one of the team’s leaders on defense. He had a tremendously bright future ahead of him and he was on his way to becoming a great football player.

Thoughts and prayers certainly go out to Byrd’s family and the Lobos.