NJ Congressman Wants Big Ten Probe After Concussed Michigan QB Left In Game
TRENTON, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- A New Jersey congressman is calling on the commissioner of the Big Ten Conference to investigate after Michigan quarterback Shane Morris was allowed to remain in a game after taking a big hit to the head.
Rep. Bill Pascrell, co-founder of the congressional Brain Injury Task Force, told WCBS 880's Jim Smith he also wants the league's commissioner, Jim Delany, to establish penalties for violating concussion protocols.
Morris took a crunching hit from a Minnesota player on Saturday and briefly looked as if he was having trouble standing, but he remained in for the next play and threw an incompletion before coming out of the game. Devin Gardner replaced Morris, but later on that drive, Gardner's helmet came off at the end of a play. While Gardner sat out for a play, as required, Morris went back in and handed the ball off to a running back.
New Jersey Congressman Wants Big Ten Probe After Concussed Michigan QB Shane Morris Left In Game
Pascrell, D-Paterson, called the handling of the situation "preposterous" and said the decision to sit out should never be left up to the player.
"They won't admit they got their bell rung," the congressman said.
Pascrell's remarks come days before Rutgers hosts Michigan on Saturday.
"I would like to see both coaches on both sides of the football take this seriously," the congressman said.
Michigan announced changes to its injury protocol Tuesday, admitting it made a mistake.
Athletic director Dave Brandon said Michigan plans to have a medical professional in the press box or video booth at future football games.
Head coach Brady Hoke has been criticized for not immediately sitting Morris for the rest of the game after the sophomore took the hard hit in the fourth quarter. Hoke said Monday he didn't see the hit on Morris, and that all he knew at the time was that his quarterback was dealing with an ankle issue.
About 12 hours later, Brandon released a statement saying Morris had eventually been diagnosed with a probable concussion.
"In my judgment, there was a serious lack of communication that led to confusion on the sideline," Brandon said. "Unfortunately, this confusion created a circumstance that was not in the best interest of one of our student-athletes. I sincerely apologize for the mistakes that were made."
University President Mark S. Schlissel apologized to Morris, his family and teammates.
"As the leader of our university community, I want to express my extreme disappointment in the events surrounding the handling of an on-field injury to one of our football players,'' Schlissel said. He said he has asked the athletics department to give him and the Board of Regents "a thorough review of our in-game player safety procedures, particularly those involving head injuries."
"Despite having one of the finest levels of team medical expertise in the country, our system failed on Saturday. We did not get this right," he said.
You May Also Be Interested In These Stories
(TM and © Copyright 2014 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2014 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
