Prugh's long road back took much hard work

On September 26, 2003, Prugh was admitted to the hospital with a life-threatening illness.

On September 26, 2004, Prugh was watching NASCAR and celebrating his dad's 50th birthday.

"We took a little moment to think where we were and where I am now," said Prugh, a former standout at Maryville High School. "It makes you wonder how far I've actually come since then."

Prugh said he and his father didn't dwell on the emotions of the past year. They left that up to his mother.

"My mom was fretting about it a little bit," Prugh said. "My mom is getting over the anxiousness (of Prugh playing) as the season goes along."

Prugh said he is five to 10 pounds from being 100-percent physically. The Vols center said his limited summer conditioning program kept him from being in top shape.

The NCAA granted Prugh an extra year in February, four months after he suffered a life-threatening virus that hospitalized him for weeks and caused him to miss the last 10 games of the 2003 season.

Prugh entered the 2004 season as one of the two backups to senior center Jason Respert.

Prugh's first playing opportunity since the illness came in the fourth quarter against UNLV in the season opener. He did not play against Florida, but did see action against Louisiana Tech last week. Prugh said luck and determination both played a part in his return.

"It takes a little bit of both," Prugh said. "I was given the opportunity to come back. But if I hadn't put the work in, there's no way I could have come back.

"Once I was given that opportunity, I worked every day to get back here. I'm grateful for the opportunity."

For Prugh, the off-season was made up of hard work and dedication.

"Coming from scratch, it was the hardest by far," Prugh said. "Every year before that, you have a base. This past year, I was on the basement floor.

"The main thing that I didn't realize was that this illness affected my balance. I've had to re-teach myself all the little steps that linemen take.

"That's something I've had to work on. As we practice each day, it gets better."

UT's success this season is often attributed to the offensive line. While skill-position players have had success, it is the five linemen that have efficiently and aggressively paved the way. Reluctantly, Prugh said he might have influenced that improvement.

"Most every player at this level is self-motivated," Prugh said. "A lot of the guys saw me trying to get back during the summer. I was here even if I wasn't able to do anything.

"They said, ‘Chuck's out here. We can't be shown up by him.' I think it's helped out.

"I don't expect them to say you've been an inspiration. But as tight knit as this offensive line group is, I may have played a small role."

Prugh's father, Dave, said looking back on the whole ordeal is still very emotional.

"We're so blessed that he's still around," Dave Prugh said. "Every time we go to the stadium, we thank God that he's able to do what he wants to do."