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Vols continue practice with teammate in hospital

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Posted 3:15PM on Wednesday 1st October 2003 ( 21 years ago )
KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE - Tennessee reserve center Chuck Prugh remained hospitalized in critical condition for a fifth day Wednesday as his teammates tried to move on without him. <br> <br> ``Our thoughts and prayers are with Chuck and his family. I think the thing he&#39;d want us to do is kind of carry on, go to the practice and continue to improve,&#39;&#39; quarterback Casey Clausen said. ``I think he&#39;s gotten better a little bit as each day has gone on.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Prugh has been in intensive care at University of Tennessee Medical Center since Saturday. Hospital officials said Wednesday his condition remained critical. <br> <br> Team officials have not said whether doctors have diagnosed Prugh&#39;s illness. They have suspected he has a virus but won&#39;t given any details except to say they do not believe he is contagious. <br> <br> ``He continues to be monitored closely and his evaluation is ongoing,&#39;&#39; team doctor Val Gene Iven said in a statement. <br> <br> Prugh, a senior from Maryville, transferred to Tennessee in 2000 from Carson-Newman as a walk-on. He was awarded a scholarship this fall as he moved up the depth chart to be starter Scott Wells&#39; backup. <br> <br> Prugh&#39;s roommate Jason Respert, an offensive lineman, talked with one of Prugh&#39;s sisters. She said her brother&#39;s temperature had reached 104 at one point. He reportedly came down with flu-like symptoms early last week and tried taking antibiotics. <br> <br> ``I knew last week there was something seriously wrong with Chuck because Chuck has never complained about anything in his life,&#39;&#39; Respert told The Tennessean. ``Nothing&#39;s ever wrong with him, and he&#39;s always in great spirits. I knew there was something.&#39;&#39;

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