Ad Disclosure
Ronnie Caldwell, a junior defensive back for the Northwestern State Demons, passed away Thursday morning from injuries suffered when he was shot multiple times, according to multiple reports. Caldwell was 21 years old.
The Demons announced Thursday afternoon they have canceled Saturday’s football game at Nicholls. Nicholls said in a post on social media that the “Family Day” festivities surrounding the game have also been canceled out of respect to Northwestern State.
Northwestern State, which competes in the Southland Conference in the FCS ranks, said in a statement they will make decisions on their remaining football games at a later time.
“The Northwestern State family has suffered a tremendous loss,” head coach Brad Laird said in a statement. “Ronnie Caldwell was a young man who had a bright future ahead of him on or off the football field. He was our voice in the locker room. When Ronnie spoke, others listened. The respect our football team had for Ronnie was evident. He did not play a snap this year because of an injury, but his voice resonated with every member of our team from the first player to the 115th on our roster.
“Our hearts are broken and ache for Ronnie’s family and friends. His loss will be felt here at Northwestern State, in Natchitoches and in his home. We will treasure the time we spent with Ronnie and the memories we made, and we will hold him and his family in our hearts as we attempt to move forward in the days and weeks ahead.”
Caldwell appeared in all 11 games for the Demons in 2022, starting 10 of them. He finished seventh on the team in tackles.
He had not yet played this season after suffering an injury in preseason camp, but he traveled with the team to away games and, according to the team, served as a de facto defensive assistant coach, communicating with coaches in the press box via headset during games.
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.