Oregon Ducks tight end Spencer Webb of Sacramento killed in diving accident

Spencer Webb used to say during his high school days in Sacramento that “my dreams are coming true.” And he kept saying it in college.

Webb was a tight end star at Christian Brothers High School, an award-winning performer who rose above a broken family, was raised by an older brother, and who was this summer preparing for his fourth season at the University of Oregon, where he towered as a 6-foot-6 target and personality.

Webb died on Wednesday afternoon, hitting his head during a cliff-diving accident just west of Triangle Lake in Lane County, less than 50 miles from Eugene, where the university is located.

The Lane County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday evening posted on its Facebook page that upon arriving to a report of an injured person, “deputies learned that a 22-year-old male recreating in the area fell and struck his head. Bystanders and responding paramedics were unable to revive him. ... He was approximately 100 yards down a steep trail.”

The post included: “There is no evidence of foul play and his death appears to be accidental.”

The post did not list Webb by name, but those who coached him in high school and his family confirmed his death to the Sacramento Bee. Oregon coaches Wednesday night reached out to Ducks players for an early morning meeting on campus for support. Webb was a projected starter for the Ducks this fall.

Oregon fans appreciated Webb’s big-play ability and charisma. Fans would hold “Webb for President” signs. After one Oregon home game, he was hoisted by Ducks fans and passed around like a beach ball at a concert.

Said Oregon coach Dan Lanning in a tweet, “So full of life in every moment of the day. Your smile and energy will be missed Spencer. I love you!”

Webb’s death also sent shock waves through his hometown.

“It’s a big loss for everybody, just truly unbelievable,” said Terrance Leonard, a longtime Sacramento-area coach and friend of Webb and his family. “Spence was like a son to me. He played with great energy. He was such a nice kid. He had a great personality.”

Christian Brothers football coach Larry Morla started coaching at his alma mater when Webb was a senior, in the fall of 2016. Morla saw firsthand how committed Webb was to football, to being a good student and a good leader, and to making his family proud.

“He had his whole life to live,” Morla said, adding that Webb stopped by Christian Brothers last month to talk to student-athletes and to offer encouragement on the rewards of football. “He always came back to CB when he was in town. He was a once-in-a-generation talent.”

Webb told the Sacramento Bee in a 2016 profile that he used football to build back up his shattered confidence. He bounced from home to home growing up and longed for mentorship and stability. Once he found it, Webb responded by competing with all-out gusto at Christian Brothers. He won wind sprints in practice, hit the weights and then hit the books well into the night. In games, he ran over defenders if he didn’t race past them as a national four-star recruit.

“I grew up faster than a lot of kids,” Webb told the Bee. “I never really had a mom or dad in my life. They chose to do other things, so it’s been me and my brother (Cody Webb). I had a dream, he had a dream, and we’re making that dream happen.”

Webb was raised by his aunt, uncle and grandparents in Solano County or West Sacramento but still found mischief. His grades plummeted when he was in middle school. Midway through high school, Webb’s older brother, Cody, became his legal guardian, and raised him along with Cody’s wife, Alicia. That adventure started with ground rules of accountability and curfew. He had to be a good student or no go. Webb was motivated.

“I’m definitely proud of him,” Cody Webb said in that Bee story. “Just to see how far he’s come from, the adversity he’s overcome, wow. He muscled through a lot. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make them drink. He’s drinking the water. He’s reaping the benefits. My wife makes it a happy, loving home. A lot of kids from broken homes as kids don’t have a place of peace. Spencer does. We took it on full steam. We had a game plan. We used football as a third-party discipline and rewards.”

Said Leonard on Wednesday, “Cody Webb did a great job raising him. He gave him his all. Spencer played ball, became a good student and just kept working. Everyone was so proud of him.”