Gary Mihoces and Dave Owens

USA TODAY Sports

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- Naval Academy football player Will McKamey died Tuesday while in a coma at Baltimore Shock Trauma after collapsing at practice on Saturday.

The academy says the 19-year-old freshman running back and Fourth Class Midshipman from Knoxville, Tenn., died with his family by his side.

"We are all so very heartbroken by the death of Midshipman Will McKamey," Naval Academy Superintendent VADM Mike Miller said in a statement. "This is devastating news for his family, his classmates, his teammates and the entire Naval Academy family. We offer our deepest condolences to Will's family, friends and shipmates in the wake of this tragedy."

McKamey's father, Randy, who is the head coach at Grace Christian Academy where his son played high school football, posted several tweets Wednesday morning asking for people's prayers.

On Saturday, McKamey collapsed during spring football practice, although the family said in a statement he did not sustain "unusual or extreme contact." In 2012 while playing for Grace Christian, McKamey suffered a head injury during a game that caused him to be hospitalized. His family said he had been cleared to resume playing football after seeing four neurosurgeons and undergoing several CAT scans and MRI exams.

"Since his prior accident in 2012 Will has been seen by four different neurosurgeons," McKamey's mother, Kara, said in a statement last weekend. "He had 4-6 CAT scans and MRIs to rule out any issue and clear him for contact. After his prior incident he went without any contact for over nine months to just be safe. We feel obviously there is more going on in his brain than we could have ever detected. I want to be clear that the Navy football program nor us as his parents would have ever allowed him to be in a dangerous situation."

Commander John Schofield, public affairs officer at Navy, said all high school students who apply to admission to military academies or the ROTC program are screened by the Department of Defense Medical Examination Review Board.

"All candidates undergo a robust medical evaluation, and any medical issues raised during those physical examinations might require waivers for entrance into the commissioning program," said Schofield.

He said that whether McKamey received a waiver as a result of his history of a brain injury was "protected medical information" and that he could not by law comment on it.

Schofield said the Brigade of Midshipmen was informed about McKamey's death late Tuesday night after the academy received notification from the family.

Several Navy football walking to the Ricketts Hall athletic building Wednesday said they have been advised to direct all inquiries about McKamey to the sports information office.

"Obviously, everyone is really shaken by it. It's a very heartbreaking time,'' said Schofield. "We are working on the arrangements to memorialize Will's life and what a great young man he was, what a fantastic member of the Brigade that he was, so that people can remember him."

McKamey's father tweeted earlier on Saturday that his son underwent surgery to relieve pressure on the brain.

McKamey played for his father and ran for more than 2,000 yards as a senior at Grace Christian in 2012.

The 5-9, 170-pound McKamey did not play in a game last season. He was an oceanography major in 3rd Company at the Naval Academy.

"During this most difficult of times, first and foremost, our prayers and thoughts turn to Randy, Kara and their beautiful family," Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo said. "Our deepest and most sincere condolences go out to their entire family and friends. As our Navy football family mourns the loss of one of our brothers, we also celebrate and honor his life. He loved his family, his friends and his teammates. The Brotherhood loves you! Keep the ball 'high and tight' in Heaven."

Navy said funeral arrangements are pending. In addition, three spring football practices scheduled for this week have been cancelled.

Dave Owens also writes for WUSA-9

Contributing: The Associated Press