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Elbrinet Dupras remains in intensive care at Tampa General Hospital, where he was airlifted last Thursday after collapsing at a Palmetto Ridge spring football practice.

The 5-foot-6, 180-pound junior remains in fair condition as doctors ponder surgery. He has a subdural hematoma, a collection of blood on the surface of the brain.

Surgery would require the drilling of a hole into the skull, allowing the clot of blood to drain. Thus far, Dupras has been treated with medications.

"The problem they're having right now is there's still a lot of pressure on his head and brain," Palmetto Ridge football coach Tim Speakman said Wednesday. "He's still having the migraine headaches."

The other problem he's had, Speakman said, is with short-term memory loss. The coach said the 16-year-old doesn't understand why he's in the hospital.

Speakman said he spoke on the phone with Dupras for about 10 minutes Tuesday. He said their conversation was similar to others they've had.

Same questions.

"He's asked me on at least four occasions what happened," Speakman said. "He doesn't even remember me talking to him previously. He keeps apologizing because he can't remember. I tell him not to apologize."

Speakman, who has kept steady contact with the family, said doctors weren't sure if the condition was spontaneous -- meaning it occurred without cause -- of it if resulted from a head injury.

The good news, though, is that Dupras has continued to make progress.

Speakman said that Dupras was able to walk about his hospital room Tuesday for the first time since he regained consciousness Friday.

He is talking more and more.

"But," Speakman added, "he's not out of the woods yet."

Speakman said that the player's father, Elejean, returned to Naples on Tuesday. The coach went by the family's house to see him. He delivered a donation from Palmetto Ridge's booster club to help cover food and travel expenses.

"Our No. 1 piece of business," Speakman said of the Palmetto Ridge football program, "is Elbrinet."

Speakman said players have asked about their teammate every day at practice this week, wondering if Dupras is one step closer to a safe return home.

His spirit lingers.

Dupras, who fell to the ground between plays during a situational intra-squad scrimmage last week, is one of two returning starters on the Palmetto Ridge defense.

The name of the nose guard remains on the depth chart in the Bears football office, right where it was when spring practice began.

"As far as we're concerned," Speakman said, "he's our No. 1 nose guard. We're not going to take Elbrinet off that board -- ever. He's an important piece of our family."

Will he return to the field?

Speakman hasn't given much thought to the matter. He did say, however, that Dupras has brought it up.

"He wants to know how everybody's doing," Speakman said. "He wants to know when he can get back to playing football."

Dupras is, pound for pound, the strongest player on the squad. Despite his small stature, he recently notched a 315-pound power clean.

That lift matched the Palmetto Ridge school record set by 2007 graduate Kenley Choute, who stood 6-2 and weighed 240 pounds his senior season.

But Speakman said it is the kid's charm that his teammates miss the most. Dupras livened the mood when he put on the pads.

"Monday was tough," Speakman said of the Bears' first practice since Thursday. "Being out there on the football field without Elbrinet -- it's different when he's not there. He was the comedian of our team."