CHICAGO – The deaths of Nebraska punter Sam Foltz and former Michigan State punter Mike Sadler hit especially hard for former Gopher Peter Mortell.
This was the first time in five summers he hadn't joined them at the Kohl's Kicking Camp in Whitewater, Wis.
Every year, those three would go through the camp, staying at the home of Wisconsin punter Drew Meyer in Hartland, Wis. This year, as he prepared for his first NFL training camp with the Packers, Mortell decided to stay home.
On Sunday, Mortell got a call from Meyer with the terrible news. Sadler and Foltz were killed in a car crash Saturday night on their way back to Meyer's house.
Sadler was driving a Mercedes sedan, and Foltz was a front-seat passenger. Authorities reportedly have cited speed and weather as factors in the crash. LSU kicker Colby Delahoussaye was in the back seat of the car and survived with minor injuries.
"It's just so, so sad," an emotional Mortell said in a phone interview. "Mike [Sadler] was on his way to Stanford Law School. Sam was the returning Big Ten Punter of the Year. I guess God had a different plan."
Mortell was the Big Ten Punter of the Year in 2014, but beyond the awards, he shared something else in common with Sadler and Foltz: fun-loving personalities and determination to inspire people. The tributes for Foltz and Sadler have been pouring in.
"They're in a better place now," Mortell said. "I just want them to be celebrated. God used them in so many ways. They impacted so many people. It was an honor and privilege to have them as friends. I'm very fortunate I got to spend the time with them that I did."
