Former Alabama DB Terrance Howard dies after tragic accident Thursday in North Carolina

Former Alabama football player Terrance Howard died on Thursday, per KHOU. Howard was a walk-on at Alabama before entering the transfer portal. He accepted a full-ride scholarship offer to play at North Carolina Central University this fall.

Howard was moving his belongings from Alabama to North Carolina when he got into an auto accident. When he exited his car to check on the other person involved in the accident, Howard was struck by a moving vehicle. He was rushed to a hospital in North Carolina, where he died.

“When he was picked up, he didn’t have ID on him so he was considered a John Doe. He was taken to one hospital and transferred to another,” Brooke Tigtig, the mother of Howard’s girlfriend, told KHOU earlier this week. “So I think it took some time for them to be able to contact his parents.”

Howard’s family had started a GoFundMe, with hopes of transferring him to a hospital in Houston, Texas for specialized treatment. The GoFundMe raised over $46,000 but the family was unable to transfer Howard to Houston before he succumbed to his injuries.

Kalen DeBoer sends his condolence to Terrance Howard’s family

Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer opened up his press conference on Sunday by sending condolences to Howard’s friends and family.

“Before I make comments on the team, I do want to send along thoughts and prayers,” DeBoer said. “Terrance Howard, who was with us and transferred on to North Carolina Central, he did pass away and he’s got some guys who are here on this team close to him and also think about him. Just want to send prayers and thoughts up to his family.”

Former Alabama head coach Nick Saban also reportedly reached out to Howard’s family. Alabama will proceed with its fall camp. After the Crimson Tide’s first official fall practice on Wednesday, DeBoer evaluated his team’s progress.

“Like most first practices, good energy,” DeBoer said. “Guys were excited to get out there. I can’t remember many, if any, times where you had to coach up the excitement and passion. That was all there. These guys have worked hard. We’re excited about Practice 1.

“Always gonna be far from perfect, but each side had its moments and made plays and that’s what you want. I love being the head coach in those times, right, because the assistants, they want every play to be perfect. And so they win half, they lose half the time, and I get to win all the time because I just choose the side that wins on that play. But no, it’s good having that give and take, and I felt that’s what we had.”