Hoke Statement On Morris Comment Count

Brian

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For what it's worth:

“The safety of our student-athletes is always our top priority. We generally never discuss the specifics of a student-athlete's medical care, but Shane Morris was removed from yesterday's game against Minnesota after further aggravating an injury to his leg that he sustained earlier in the contest. He was evaluated by our experienced athletic trainers and team physicians, and we're confident proper medical decisions were made.

The University of Michigan has a distinguished group of Certified Athletic Trainers and team physicians who are responsible for determining whether or not a player is physically able to play. Our coaches have no influence or authority to make determinations if or when an injured player returns to competition. The health and welfare of our student-athletes is and will continue to be a top priority.”

Comments

bluebyyou

September 28th, 2014 at 9:36 PM ^

They are not mentioning his blow to the head intentionally.  From a legal perspective, it makes sense. By saying nothing, there is nothing that will contradict what close to a hundred thousand saw at the Big House as well as probably a million fans who saw the hit on TV. You can bet that the statement that was issued was carefully reviewed by counsel.

The clusterfuck that was created yesterday isn't going away any time soon. 

bighouse22

September 28th, 2014 at 10:15 PM ^

Based on that statement, if I was the press the first question I would ask is:

Did the medical staff do a concussion evaluation on Shane Morris based on the symptoms that he was displaying on the field?

If so, who performed the evaluation and what was the result of that evaluation?

If they come back and say that they did and he was cleared? Then I would have to assume he is fine.  

If they respond that an evaluation did not happen immediately after the hit or shortly there after, then they have real problems explaining how this situation was handled.

If they say that he was evaluated and he has a concussion then it is over for this coach and staff.

The only answer they could have come out with that would make this go away, was he had an evaluation and was cleared.  Any other answer (like this one) just serves to fuel more speculation.  Especially, a statement as carefully worded as this one that feels like something that went through legal.  

We will see!

 

 

Blue in Yarmouth

September 29th, 2014 at 7:57 AM ^

Is how was he assessed for a concussion and subsequently cleared of having one, quickly enough for him to be reinserted when Devin's helmet came off. He clearly states in that release that it isn't the coaches decision to reinsert an injured player, but that of the medical staff. So how did they assess Morris for a consussion AND an issue with his leg, and get that information to Hoke in time to put him in the game when Gardner's helmet got knowed off. That would have to be the sequence of events because Hoke evidently doesn't have the authority to put a player back into the game after injury until cleared by the medical staff.

Until now I didn't think this issue was quite as big as many people, but now he (with the help of the university) is outright lying and that pisses me off even more. I would bet that the medical staff have more in the way of ethics than the rest of the athletic department so maybe someone should get them on the record to see if they really did assess Morris for a concussion. I don't think loyalty to UM will be enough to trump losing their medical license (or other disciplinary action) if they were found to be lying. I mean, they can get a job anywhere but Hoke has tons to lose. No one is going to hire this guy to coach football ever again, so if he loses this job, that's it for him. 

Gulogulo37

September 28th, 2014 at 9:50 PM ^

Yeah. This really made things worse. As bad as the situation was, if there was some kind of sincere apology I would have felt better. But you say the guy was taken out of the game because of his leg? And nothing about him receiving diagnosis for a possible concussion? Unbelievable.

Gulogulo37

September 28th, 2014 at 9:52 PM ^

If that's the case, then everyone on the staff is just as guilty as Hoke. Certainly there are people in the locker room aware of what happened and how bad it was. If Hoke is really this ignorant, someone needs to tell him what the real problem is ASAP.

Vasav

September 28th, 2014 at 9:12 PM ^

I liked Hoke. This is making a disappointing situation more troubling. Including the way that Gibbons was handled last year, I am finding it hard to believe and trust him.



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bighouse22

September 28th, 2014 at 9:56 PM ^

No it's there way of avoiding the concussion discussion altogether.  If he wasn't evaluated for a concussion, it would be inexcusable based on what we all saw on the field after the hit.  If they did evaluate him and he didn't have a concussion you would indicate that he was cleared and does not have a concussion.  

This statement makes me more suspect of them because if they actually come out and say he has a concussion they are DONE based on how they handled the situation!  If he doesn't have a concussion, you could say based on a review, he was given a concussion evaluation and cleared.  End of story!

My belief is there is more to this story.  Let's see what comes out in the days to come!

 

Gene

September 29th, 2014 at 2:13 AM ^

If he was evaluated and found not to have a concussion, the lawyers wouldn't have any problem saying that, and that would be a far more effective message. The only reason they wouldn't say it is if it wasn't true. Instead we get this carefully worded statement that tries to make it all about the leg with confirming or denying the real issue at hand.

njv5352

September 28th, 2014 at 9:14 PM ^

So his health was of their utmost priority, but they put him back into the game, after being pulled for his health, when Gardner lost his helmet......makes sense to me.  TERRIBLE!!!!

nappa18

September 28th, 2014 at 9:26 PM ^

Hoke wrote this like he wrote the State of the Union address. Absurd. Worse, insulting and just dumb. Is Brandon this dumb? Where is Schlissel? Somebody wake up. Please!

At tomorrow's presser, only questions should be about this whole fiasco. When Hoke starts mumbling, everybody there'd should just get up and leave. EVERYBODY!!! Spread the word please.

MichiganTeacher

September 28th, 2014 at 9:15 PM ^

On my Twitter feed, someone re-tweeted the @CoachDaveBrandonAD account, which said, "I assume this statement addresses all concerns and we can put this issue to rest," and then pasted in the statement from a smartphone screenshot.

So, I don't follow @CoachDaveBrandonAD. Assuming this is really Dave Brandon, a) what a tool to put Coach in his name, and b) holy stuffed crust that is one arrogant sentence to type in before your statement.

Also, this does indeed signify, to me at least, that there's no way Hoke is getting fired tomorrow. Sigh.

cp4three2

September 28th, 2014 at 9:17 PM ^

The Athletic Department, at least it's marketing/media relations wing, has basically burst into flames over the last 10 days. That statement is so wildely tone deaf that Michigan athletics is embarrassing the university. 

 

It's time for the president, with guidance from the regents, to step in. It's obvious that Hoke is in way over his head and Brandon doesn't know how to resolve the situation.