Former Oregon football players file suit against UO, Willie Taggart, NCAA, seeking $125.5 million

The lawsuit against the NCAA, UO, and Willie Taggart filed by two former Oregon players is now seeing $125.5 million for pain and suffering, according to a new report.

[jwplayer SnGW9tpX]

You may remember a few years ago when there was a medical scandal inside the Oregon Ducks football program that left a pair of players hospitalized in 2017 after reported strenuous offseason workouts resulted in rhabdomyolysis and other injuries.

Those players, Doug Brenner and Sam Poutasi, are now reportedly seeking $100 million in damages from the NCAA as well as a subsequent $25.5 million in damages for pain and suffering from the NCAA, the University of Oregon, and former Oregon Ducks’ head coach Willie Taggart, who was at the head of the program at the time.

[lawrence-related id=22436]

The first report of this came from ESPN’s Heather Dinich on Sunday.

While the trial is not new but was filed back in 2019, it is back in the news after Brenner added $100 million damages claims to the lawsuit. Brenner alleges in the lawsuit he sustained lifelong injuries during a series of controversial workouts in 2017.

Along with Taggart, former Oregon strength coach Irele Oderinde is named in the lawsuit as well.

“The lawsuit alleges negligence against all defendants, accusing Taggart and Oderinde of imposing physical punishment on the players, failing to prohibit it, and failing to ensure that Oderinde had adequate training to do his job,” Denich wrote on ESPN. “According to the lawsuit, Oderinde did not carry industry-required certification to be a strength and conditioning coach at Oregon.”

The trial is scheduled to start on Tuesday in Eugene, and according to the ESPN report, both Taggart and Oderinde are expected to be there in person.

Contact/Follow us @Ducks_Wire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinion.

Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.

[mm-video type=video id=01g0cc6gqgs44nmnbax7 playlist_id=01f27mq9z7hjgk6vc6 player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g0cc6gqgs44nmnbax7/01g0cc6gqgs44nmnbax7-8642d79f498f67ffbbf0950e69692def.jpg]

[listicle id=22457]