Oregon strength coach suspended after football players were hospitalized

Published Jan. 17, 2017 10:32 p.m. ET

Aaron Torres

Oregon football came under fire Monday night after reports surfaced that intense off-season workouts led to the hospitalization of three players. After the reports were confirmed Tuesday night, the school took action, suspending the team's head strength coach.

Irele Oderinde, the coach who conducted the strenuous workouts, has been suspended one month without pay. Once he returns to the program, Oderinde will report to Andrew Murray, Oregon's director of performance and sports science, instead of first-year head coach Willie Taggart.

"I have visited with the three young men involved in the incidents the last few days and I have been in constant contact with their families, offering my sincere apologies," Taggart said in a statement.

"As the head football coach, I hold myself responsible for all of our football-related activities and the safety of our students must come first. I have addressed the issue with our strength and conditioning staff, and I fully support the actions taken today by the university. I want to thank our medical staff and doctors for caring for all of our young men, and I want to apologize to the university, our students, alumni and fans."

"The university holds the health, safety and well-being of all of our students in high regard," Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens said in a statement.

"We are confident that these athletes will soon return to full health, and we will continue to support them and their families in their recoveries."