Central Florida wide receiver Ereck Plancher was showing signs of distress during a team workout before he collapsed and later died, four UCF players told the Orlando Sentinel. Plancher, 19, of Naples, Fla., collapsed and was taken to a hospital on March 18. He was pronounced dead a half-hour after the workout, known as a "mat drill." The players, speaking on condition they remain anonymous, told the newspaper that the practice was more intense than the basic conditioning workout described by UCF officials in the immediate wake of Plancher's death. But Central Florida coach George O'Leary and members of his staff disputed aspects of the four players' stories. "I did not see him struggle on the field," O'Leary said of Plancher the morning he died, according to the report. "From my professional opinion, what should have been done for his care was being done." more of the story..... http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3341341
With all due respects and condolences to the kid and his family, these are uncalled for reports. Has anyone been through workouts of competitive programs in any sport? Everybody shows signs of distress at the end of those! No one did anything wrong here. It was an unfortunate situation that simply came about because of a weakness in this kids makeup. It's terrible and heartwrenching but it's not the fault of the team practices.
Didn't UCF have a freshmen RB also unfortunately die last year around the same time? I believe they have had a couple of deaths over the years haven't they?
