College Football Player Parker Sutherland Dead at 18

Parker Sutherland -- a college football standout at the University of Northern Iowa -- has died ... the school announced Saturday.

The college freshman passed away Saturday morning -- just 10 days before his birthday -- the school announced ... declining to provide a cause of death out of respect for the family.

UNI head coach Todd Stepsis said his heart goes out to the Sutherlands ... adding the young man "embodied everything we look for in a UNI Football Panther." He highlighted Parker's character, humility, toughness, and love of others.

Coach Stepsis finished his statement with, "While I'm saddened that our time together was short, we will celebrate the bright light that he brought to our football team for the rest of our lives."

Worth noting ... the Des Moines Register reports first responders were called to a UNI athletics facility regarding an "unconscious/fainting (non-trauma)" report. It's unclear if that's connected to Sutherland's passing.

Parker appeared in four games for UNI during his freshman season. He was a three-sport athlete at Iowa City High School.

Parker was 18.