Scott suffers concussion; Hobson in good spirits
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Fifth-year senior quarterback Matt Scott was diagnosed with a concussion after leaving Saturday's game against UCLA early, Arizona athletic director Greg Byrne said Monday at the football team's weekly press conference.
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Scott took a knee to the helmet with less than 6 1/2 minutes to play in the third quarter. Scott was hunched over on both knees before leaving the field at the Rose Bowl with assistance from the trainers.
It was the third hit to Scott's helmet in the past two weeks. The 6-3, 196-pounder was hit twice on one play nine days ago at home against USC, vomited on the field shortly after, and head coach Rich Rodriguez called two timeouts. But Scott remained in the game to deliver what proved to be the game-winning touchdown before being pulled for the remainder of the game and attended to on the sideline for further evaluation.
Scott said he was "winded" and routinely felt ill during afternoon summer workouts. It was just the team's second day game of the season.
Last week, Rodriguez opted to keep the details of the medical procedures within the program. But after criticism from a few national media outlets on the way the situation was handled, Byrne deviated from the school's policy on releasing a student-athlete's health status, with permission from Scott, but cited student privacy laws for delving deeper into the quarterback's condition.
"Our medical staff has conducted daily evaluations and continuously monitored Matt," Byrne said. "Last Friday, we did our final evaluation, which included an exertional IMPACT test. Through that evaluation, Matt was medically and clinically approved to play (against UCLA).
"There was a lot of attention on it, and one of the things we pride ourselves on is being open and transparent."
Unlike all the other hits he has taken this season, Scott did not prop back up this time, however.
Scott, who will be monitored daily, is up in the air for Saturday's game against Colorado. The team's medical staff will have the final say on whether Scott is available to play, Byrne added, and his status will be updated Thursday when the team releases its weekly injury report Thursday.
Rodriguez said backup B.J. Denker will get the nod if Scott is unable to play. If cleared, Rodriguez added that Scott could possibly play with minimal practice time because the quarterbacks wear red, no-contact jerseys throughout the week.
Richard Morrison, a junior slot receiver and punt returner, also will be an option and receive extra repetitions in practice this week, Rodriguez said. True freshman Javelle Allen is the team's fourth quarterback, but the plan is to redshirt him this season.
Both Denker and Morrison played the remainder of the snaps at quarterback against the Bruins.
Also injured later in the fourth quarter was sophomore linebacker Hank Hobson, who suffered a nerve injury in his neck. Hobson was knocked back, continued to chase down the play and suddenly collapsed on the field.
After several minutes, the Bakersfield, Calif., native was then put on a stretcher, carted off the field and taken to a Los Angeles-area hospital, where he remained overnight.
Byrne said he saw Hobson in the training room Sunday after he was released from the hospital and flew back to Tucson.
"I can tell you that he was walking around and in good spirits," Byrne said.
Hobson's status also is up in the air and will be revealed on the team's Thursday injury report.
Click Here to view this Link.Tracy McDannald
GOAZCATS.com Senior Editor