One of Indiana’s most productive receivers of all-time has passed away.
The Daily Hoosier has confirmed with the Allen County Coroner’s office a report by the Indianapolis Star that former IU football wide receiver Damarlo Belcher has died.
The coroner’s office indicated to The Daily Hoosier Belcher’s cause of death is still under investigation.
His body was found Tuesday in a car in the parking lot of Fairfield Manor apartment building at Fairfield and West Creighton avenues in Fort Wayne, according to a report by WANE.
Belcher was 33 years old.
He finished his career (2008 to 2011) in Bloomington with 189 receptions, two shy of the all-time record, held by James Hardy. Belcher’s 78 receptions in 2010 led the Big Ten and are the second most in a single-season by an IU player.
For his career Belcher had 2,225 receiving yards (7th all-time) and 12 touchdowns.
The 6-foot-5 Belcher was dismissed from the team in 2011 by new head coach Kevin Wilson nine games into his senior season for violating team rules. He had passed up the 2011 NFL Draft in part to play for Wilson, and later revealed he was dismissed for drug use. IU allowed Belcher to participate in team’s 2012 Pro Day to workout in front of NFL teams. He was not selected in the 2012 NFL Draft.
Belcher originally signed with IU in 2008 to play for then head coach Bill Lynch.
The Fort Wayne, Ind. product (North Side High School) set the North Side single-season record with 688 receiving yards in 2006. In addition, he earned two letters in basketball and collected first team SAC and all-area honors in 2007. Belcher also claimed the team’s rebounding award in the same season.
Belcher joins Hardy as a second IU football receiving great from Fort Wayne to die in his early-30s. Hardy passed away in 2017.
Photo – IU Athletics
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