UCF Freshman Dies in Spring Practice

By Spencer Hall

Hoping that we could get through a session of spring practice without one of these wasn't enough to stop it from happening: University of Central Florida redshirt Ereck Plancher was pronounced dead today after taking a knee and collapsing following coach-directed football practice this morning.

Details are extremely sketchy at this point. Usually when a football player dies in spring practice, it is the result of one of two things. It could be heat stroke, as in the case of Minnesota Viking Korey Stringer or Eraste Autin of the University of Florida in 2001. Or two, it could be an undiagnosed genetic abnormality, as was the case with soccer player Miklos Feher, who died on the field during a match in 2004.

Either way, it is not what anyone wants to type this spring, but there it is. Condolences to the family, and a stark reminder of the strain sports at even the collegiate level places on the body.

This post originally appeared on the Sporting Blog. For more, see The Sporting Blog Archives.