As news of the passing of former Utah assistant football coach Aaron Alford spread, his brother in South Bend, Ind., was already mourning the loss.
Tony Alford, Notre Dame's running back coach and brother of Aaron Alford, was immediately excused from the team and his responsibilities, according to NBC Sports. The program is understanding of the time Tony Alford will need to mourn the death of his brother.
His return to the team is "uncertain" at this time. Tony Alford also serves as the program's recruiting coordinator and has been with the team since 2009.
Aaron Alford died Monday from an apparent heart attack.
Read more about Tony Alford's future with Notre Dame at NBC Sports.
Whitney O'Bannon is a new media sports writer for the Deseret News. Follow on Twitter at @whitney_oban.