University of California settles Ted Agu wrongful death suit at $4.75 million

A settlement was reached between the family of Ted Agu and the University of California for 4.75 million dollars. The university asserted that its negligence contributed to Agu's death, meaning a suit was on its way for awhile.The family asserted that Agu should not have been subjected to these specific workouts because he carried sickle cell trait, which doctors and coaches at Cal knew about back in 2010.

Agu collapsed right after a supervised offseason workout by the Cal football strength and conditioning staff in the winter of 2014, and passed away soon thereafter. Players who participated in the workout contradicted testimony that staffers came directly to Agu's aid once he started struggling.

Teammates said in depositions and interviews with The Chronicle that, on the morning Agu died, he struggled for an extended period of time and collapsed on multiple occasions without trainers or coaches coming to his assistance.

The accounts offered by former football players in the depositions stood in stark contrast with what UC Berkeley officials told the media and the coroner's office.

Teammates said they were told to run up and down a steep asphalt hill 10 times while holding a rope together and that they had never before done the workout. They testified that Agu was showing visible difficulty in completing the drill, falling to his knees several times before he collapsed into a fetal position halfway up the hill on his final lap.

Cal coaches will no longer be allowed to use "high risk physical activity" as a punishment, and superiors will now be subject to review of workout and conditioning plans. Workouts must also be supervised by staffers with a direct line of sight to their athletes. There will be more education for sickle cell trait as well.

Agu was 21 years old.  RIP Ted. Go Bears.