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Report: 3 Oregon football players hospitalized after team workouts

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Three Oregon players were hospitalized as a result of strength and conditioning workouts on campus last week following the team's holiday break, according to Andrew Greif of The Oregonian.

The three players, offensive linemen Doug Brenner and Sam Poutasi, and tight end Cam McCormick, remain in fair condition at the PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center following their hospitalization, according to a hospital spokeswoman.

The school released a statement on behalf of the athletic department Monday to address the incident.

"The safety and welfare of all of our student-athletes is paramount in all that we do," the statement reads. "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."

Ducks head coach Willie Taggart visited the players in hospital before leaving on a recruiting trip.

Oloka Poutasi, Sam Poutasi's mother, confirmed that her son had complained following the workouts, saying that he had sore arms. Poutasi was also diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis, which involves soft muscle tissue breaking down with "leakage into the blood stream of muscle contents."

According to Greif, players were put through a series of workouts described by multiple sources as resembling military basic training, with one particular workout including up to an hour of non-stop pushups and up-downs. Players were reported to have "passed out" during the sessions.

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