A William Jewell College football player who collapsed during a game and later died did not have any underlying health conditions, the school’s interim president revealed.

Running back MicahJo Barnett had just scored a touchdown and returned to the sideline when he collapsed during Division II William Jewell’s season opener against Fort Lewis College on Saturday. 

William Jewell interim president Drew Van Horn told ESPN that all athletes in the athletic program have to go through physicals and that he was unaware of Barnett having any underlying health conditions. 

A team doctor and emergency medical personnel who had been on-site for the game quickly attended to Barnett during the medical emergency and attempted to resuscitate him, Van Horn told the outlet. 

Barnett was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. 

The medical examiner will conduct an autopsy on Barnett to determine his cause of death, Liberty, Mo., police Capt. Nathan Mulch told ESPN.

Van Horn will wait until after that to decide whether the school needs to further investigate the circumstances of Barnett’s untimely death. 

Barnett’s family has asked for privacy following his death. 

The junior running back was just 20 years old and was headed into his third season as a member of the William Jewell football team. 

He had his 2025 season cut short by injury, but finished the year with 366 rushing yards and four touchdowns. 

During his two seasons there, he appeared in 13 games and had six total touchdowns. 

Barnett was a Liberty native and was a star back for Liberty North during his high school career, where he helped lead them to a state title his senior year with 1,450 all-purpose yards and 20 touchdowns.

A celebration of life for Barnett will take place on Saturday in Kansas City, Kan., on the day that would have been his 21st birthday.