Caden Prieskorn’s father passes away; Lane Kiffin comments on his tight end’s ‘unimaginable’ loss
OXFORD, Miss. — Losing a parent is one of the hardest things in the world to bear. Ole Miss tight end Caden Prieskorn lost his father Tuesday as 52-year-old Gerald “Jerry” Prieskorn passed away in his home in Michigan.
On Tuesday, Caden paid respects to his father on his social media.
In Mr. Prieskorn’s obituary, his children shared how they will remember their dad.
“Jerry has left a lasting impact on his children that could never be matched. Caden will miss the selflessness that Jerry taught him. Peyton will miss the comfort of his dad’s unconditional support. Brady will miss talking to him after his games and spending time together watching Star Wars and Marvel movies. Skylar will miss the encouragement she continuously received from him, but most of all, his ability to make her laugh. His light will continue to shine through his children and the things he has instilled in them,” it says.
Coach Kiffin comments on the loss
On Wednesday’s SEC Coaches Teleconference, Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin was asked about the passing of Jerry Prieskorn and how Caden is doing.
“He’s back there now (home in Michigan)….He’s a wonderful kid. Obviously a horrible thing to have to go through, to lose your dad and know you were going to lose him for a while now. Unimaginable. I just really appreciate how he still tries to help people and be a positive influence around here as he’s been going through this for a while.”
Lane Kiffin on Caden Prieskorn
Caden Prieskorn’s leadership
Caden transferred to Ole Miss from Memphis and has made an immediate impact on the team and his teammates, being named to the players’ leadership council not long after his arrival.
Prieskorn talked earlier this fall about leadership.
“After walking on at Memphis as a quarterback and working my way up, I just feel like I had to do everything right to get where I am today. I’m one of those people who like to lead by example, so I always do the right thing on and off the field,” Caden said.
Prieskorn missed the first three weeks of this season as a result of a foot injury, but made his debut against Alabama. Thus far he has caught four passes for 62 yards and has been a force to be reckoned with as a blocker. In 2022 for Memphis, Prieskorn notched 48 passes for 602 yards and seven touchdowns, as he started in all 13 games.
Donations
In lieu of flowers, the online obituary suggests donations be made to Caden’s mother, Jill Prieskorn.
“Should friends desire, in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions should be made by check to Jill Prieskorn, mailed or given at Modetz Funeral Home, 100 E. Silverbell Rd., Orion, MI 48359, or by Venmo (Jill-Prieskorn) to support the memorial of Jerry and his children.”
We do not know what Prieskorn’s timetable is to return to the team but our thoughts and prayers are with the young man upon this significant loss.
Evelyn Van Pelt
Evelyn has covered sports for over two decades, beginning her journalism career as a sports writer for a newspaper in Austin, Texas. She attended Texas A&M and majored in English. Evelyn's love for Ole Miss began when her daughter Katie attended the university on a volleyball scholarship. Evelyn created the Rebel Walk in 2013 and has served as publisher and managing editor since its inception.
