College football got hit with tragic news as the former Boise State Broncos' safety, Jeremy Ioane, passed away. The college football program confirmed the news on Saturday, April 5.

“Rest in peace to another Bronco great,"  the Boise State Football X account posted.

Ioane battled through a kidney disease during his playing days at Boise State. Things started to grow tough as the Honolulu, Hawaii, native started undergoing dialysis in his final season. 

He was on the Broncos roster from 2010 to 2014. It was in May 2015 that Ioane underwent a kidney transplant. It was his twin sister, Jasmine, who was the donor. While he was sidelined because of health issues, it was an honor for him to play with the Broncos till the end.

“The team that I play for is like a family to me,” Ioane told the Statesman in 2014 after being moved to a reserve role because of his deteriorating health. “So I felt like it was the right decision to finish it off with them. To me, it doesn’t matter how much I play, as long as I’m there with the team, there to support the team and do whatever I can to help them win.”

Throughout his career, the safety played in 41 games, which included 29 starts. Ioane finished with 146 tackles and five interceptions in his career. Moved by the loss, Boise State Head Football Coach, Spencer Danielson, too shared his thoughts on social media.

“Heartbroken for his family. He was a fighter and is in a better place. A phenomenal young man that has made a huge impact. #10aneStrong," he wrote, resharing Boise State Football's tweet.

#10aneStrong was a hashtag created to share the message of Jeremy Ioane as he wore the number 10 jersey. During his senior year in 2014, Boise State fans wore #10aneStrong shirts to show their support in his last season. 

Boise State Broncos fans' reactions to Jeremy Ioane's demise

One fan shared his feelings on the former Boise State player's demise, “Man, this hurts.” The fans still remember him for sitting out the 2010 season as a redshirt and growing into an important player in the Broncos' secondary.

Another fan highlighted Ioane's excellence. “Only ever a Bronco, and one of the toughest young men to do it," she wrote. The former Boise State defensive back earned All-Mountain West Honorable Mention honors in 2012 and was named to the All-Mountain West Second Team in 2013.

Even though more than a decade has passed since Ioane's Boise State journey came to an end, fans will remember him deeply. “A Bronco favorite! RIP, condolences to his family,” a fan wrote. In 2014, he was the candidate for the Jim Thorpe Award.  

One fan just wrote the jersey number worn by Ioane during his playing days with the Broncos. “#10,” read the comment. Ioane’s grit became a rallying cry, igniting the #10aneStrong movement—fans of the Boise State Broncos proudly wore shirts all season to honor his No. 10 and unbreakable spirit.

Share your favorite memory about Jeremy Ioane in the comments.

Find more news at the Michigan Football Community.

Written by

Samvruth Raj

Edited by

Soheli Tarafdar