Players From Indiana, Utah State Die After Collapsing at Football Practice

Two college football players, one from Indiana and the other from Utah State, died in separate incidents Friday, shortly after participating in workouts.

Parnell Sylvio, a walk-on tailback at Indiana University, died after collapsing during the first day of practice in Bloomington, Ind. Doctors believe he suffered a stroke.

Carleton Oats Jr., one of Utah State University’s heavily recruited football players and the son of former Oakland Raiders defensive lineman Carleton Oats, died Friday night, more than three hours after he passed out following a workout in Logan, Utah.

A hospital spokesman said Oats, 18, died as doctors at the University of Utah Health Sciences Center in Salt Lake City were preparing to perform exploratory surgery. The cause of death was unknown, and an autopsy was planned for today.

Aggie trainer Dale Mildenberger said Oats, a 5-foot 10-inch, 264-pound freshman, collapsed after running four laps on the stadium track.

Sylvio, a 6-foot, 200-pound junior who transferred to Indiana from Nassau Community College in Garden City, N.Y., had completed test runs of 880 and 440 yards, with a 10-minute break in between, when he complained that he was not feeling well, a university spokesman said.

After being taken from the track to the nearby football field, Sylvio collapsed at about 8:45 a.m. Sylvio was rushed to Bloomington Hospital, where he died at about 6 p.m.