Sporting News: The 13 hospitalized Iowa football players tested for illegal drugs, and all 13 tests came back negative

The Sporting News has taken a great interest in the story about 13 University of Iowa football players being hospitalized for rhabdomyolysis, and TSN's Dave Curtis posted an interesting story on the matter tonight.

To read it in its entirety, click here.

I'll take the liberty of posting a few excerpts, but check the story out.

Tests for illegal drugs on the 13 hospitalized Iowa Hawkeye football players all have come back negative, a source with knowledge of the situation told Sporting News on Thursday.

The tests were issued at the behest of doctors at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics to help rule out causes of the muscle and kidney ailment that brought the players to the hospital. Cocaine and other amphetamines are known to exacerbate cases of rhabdomyolysis ...

The players were expected to receive another visit Thursday night from Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz. Ferentz returned from the recruiting trail Wednesday and visited the players that night. First, he met with a group of parents frustrated that he didn't return when the players were hospitalized Monday.

“Kirk took a lot of (stuff),” the source said. “But he stood there and took it all. He's been incredibly remorseful about the whole thing.” ...

Two sources with knowledge of the program's workouts said Wednesday that a workout of that intensity was last performed late in 2007, after Iowa's 6-6 season left them short of a bowl game. The workout was not scheduled after the 2008 and 2009 seasons, when Iowa went a combined 20-6 and captured Outback and Orange Bowl titles.

The story also features interesting quotes from Christian Ballard, a senior on the 2010 team who is in Alabama to prepare for Saturday's Senior Bowl. Give the story a read. I think it's an even-handed piece.