ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. -- There are questions about exactly what was going on at the University of Central Florida's closed football practice field the day a freshman player died. Sources close to the football team told Eyewitness News that Coach George O'Leary and his players may have been engaging in certain practice activities earlier than NCAA rules allow.

UCF won't answer questions from Eyewitness News, but said they didn't break the tough NCAA rules that regulate when and what drills the coach can conduct so early in the preseason.

UCF's practice field is closed off from public view, so the only ones who know exactly what goes on are the players and coaches. Even UCF's own athletic director admitted, after UCF football player Ereck Plancher's death on Tuesday, he doesn't know exactly how the Knights were training.

During the preseason, the NCAA heavily regulates the types of practices and drills head coaches like O'Leary are allowed to direct. In this case, it may be a violation if O'Leary was conducting the drill.

"I can't tell you anyone who was directing, I wasn't there and didn't ask that question," Athletic Director Keith Tribble said. "I can't say for a fact whether O'Leary was there or not."

Three days later, UCF athletics confirmed to Eyewitness News O'Leary attended the training, but a UCF spokesman refused an on-camera interview to ask questions about O'Leary's role. During a press gathering Thursday, O'Leary cited his respect for the family as the reason he wouldn't go into detail about the drills.

"Everything that took place, as far as the workout, I don't want to comment on that, but it was not a very taxing workout," he said.

A statement the NCAA gave to Eyewitness News adds to the ambiguity: "The NCAA does not comment on potential, pending or current investigations."

The autopsy results won't be available for several weeks and there's no indication yet of just what killed Ereck Plancher.