At least three University of Oregon football players were hospitalized after a series of grueling off-season workouts last week, the Oregonian reported.
Offensive linemen Doug Brenner and Sam Poutasi and tight end Cam McCormick are in fair condition and remained at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at Riverbend in Springfield on Monday, a hospital spokeswoman told the newspaper.
Poutasi’s mother told the Oregonian that her son had complained of sore arms and had been diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis, a syndrome in which soft muscle tissue is broken down with “leakage into the blood stream of muscle contents”, according to the NCAA’s medical handbook.
“The safety and welfare of all of our student-athletes is paramount in all that we do,” Oregon said in a news release.
“While we cannot comment on the health of our individual students, we have implemented modifications as we transition back into full training to prevent further occurrences. We thank our medical staff and trainers for their continued monitoring of the students and we will continue to support our young men as they recover. “
Multiple sources described the workouts to the Oregonian as “akin to military basic training, with one said to include up to an hour of continuous push-ups and up-downs”.
The workout was not even what the media is portraying it to be 🙄
— U.Amadi (@UAmadi14_) January 17, 2017
Several Oregon players, including junior cornerback Ugochukwu Amadi, took to social media on Monday to downplay the severity of the workouts.
The Ducks are coming off a 4-8 season that saw them fail to qualify for a bowl game for the first time in 12 years. They were left to exercise on their own during their holiday break.
Oregon head coach Willie Taggart hired Irele Oderinde to be the team’s new football strength and conditioning coach earlier this month.
