Tuscumbia, Ala., a closely-knit community two hours north of Tuscaloosa, mourned Thursday at the funeral of first-year Deshler High football coach Jake Linville who was found dead last weekend of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
In a letter to Deshler High athletic director Patrick Smith earlier this week, Alabama coach Nick Saban expressed his condolences following the devastating news:
★ Nick Saban is a class act.
Deshler's football coach dies and Saban sends the school this letter.
@TheAlabamaLogo… pic.twitter.com/5WgOBsiRin— Roll Tide #18™ ? (@jerrysandersRTR) October 24, 2014
One of Saban’s former players, Deion Belue, was an all-state cornerback at Deshler before taking the JUCO route to the NFL this season.
Linville’s death sent a shockwave through the community in the middle of an impressive season that includes a current seven-game winning streak.
“I know for a lot of guys, football is kind of a refuge for things like this,” Deshler senior Jake Norwood recently told AL.com. “I know Coach would want us to play. And if I was Rogers (Friday’s opponent), I’d be shaking in my cleats.”
Local law enforcement officials are still trying to determine whether Linville’s death was accidental or a suicide.
