If anyone's wondering why so much of a fit has been raised about concussions in football, yesterday's game between Michigan and Minnesota may have provided one whopper of an answer. Michigan coach Brady Hoke demonstrated what can charitably be described as gross disregard for the safety of his players when he not only a player to stay in the game despite strong signs of a concussion--but allowed him to come back in. I'm posting this here because this goes way, way beyond sports--this is about occupational safety.
SB Nation's Drew Hallett got video of the incidents. Watch here:
With 11:30 to go in the game and Minnesota leading 30-7, Michigan's backup quarterback, Shane Morris, threw an incomplete pass. Well after Morris let the pass go, Minnesota defensive end Therien Cockran leveled him with a blow to the head. He was called for roughing the passer, but by all rights he should have been kicked out of the game for targeting. When Morris got up, he was clearly finding it hard to stay on his feet--indeed, one of his teammates had to prop him up. And yet, Morris waved off a substitution.
Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! When a player gets hit like that and shows signs of a concussion, he isn't supposed to have the option of staying in the game. You're supposed to get him out, and get him out immediately. However, Morris stayed in for one more play. If that wasn't bad enough, it was another drop-back pass, during which he probably could have been leveled again. After that play, Hoke pulled Morris in favor of starting quarterback Devin Gardner. Morris had gotten the start in hopes of breathing life into Michigan's offense.
Incredibly, though, soon after Gardner came into the game, ESPN cameras showed Morris on the sideline--with his helmet on. From what I understand, under standard concussion protocol Morris shouldn't have been anywhere near his helmet. Instead, he should have been getting a concussion test.
On Gardner's third play, with about 10:25 to go, Gardner ran out of bounds and his helmet came off. Under NCAA rules, Gardner had to come out for one play unless either team called a timeout. Incredibly, Morris came back onto the field. No one on the Michigan sideline even tried to stop him. Apparently even the umpire could see what was going on, because he asked Hoke if he wanted to call time out before starting the play clock. Morris stayed in for one play before being taken off the field on a cart. After the game, Hoke said that he didn't know whether Morris had a concussion, and didn't know why he was taken off the field.
Inexcusable. Oblivious. Dangerous. If this had been a private-sector business, the supervisor, manager and maybe even the general manager would have been fired and facing whopping fines from OSHA. The same should happen to Hoke. At best, he was disengaged in a way that a college football coach simply cannot be. At worst, he showed reckless disregard for the safety of his players. Either way, that's a firing offense.
Michigan president Mark Schlissel needs to step in and fire Hoke. This is beyond wins and losses, and beyond sports in general. This is about the safety of the entire student body. Drop him an email at presoff at umich dot edu.