BIG RAPIDS, Mich. -- Ferris State canceled this weekend's football game against Grand Valley State because of the death of one of its players during practice.

Freshman linebacker Matt Sklom, 18, was participating in a tackling drill at the NCAA Division II school Wednesday when he collapsed and later died.

Sklom, a 6-foot-1, 224-pound player from Blue Island, Ill., had been with the team only a few weeks.

Ferris State athletic director Tom Kirinovic announced the cancelation of the home game after a meeting Friday morning between his staff and the team.

"In making the decision not to play, we considered the health and safety of the student-athletes involved, and felt there was enough doubt in their minds about whether they could be ready,'' he said.

The schedule doesn't allow for the game to be moved to a later date.