The fallout from Michigan's handling of Shane Morris' concussion on Sept. 27 has spurred the Gophers to take a new step with their own medical protocol.
Beginning Saturday against Northwestern, the Gophers will have an athletic trainer serving as a medical spotter in the press box. According to a team spokesman, the athletic trainer will sit in an auxiliary radio booth with access to video replay, and will be able to relay any pertinent medical information to the sideline through a headset.
"It's all good," Gophers coach Jerry Kill said Thursday on his weekly radio show with 100.3-FM. "It's about the students and the players."
Michigan announced a similar step Sept. 30, three days after being harshly criticized for allowing Morris to play after he took a helmet to the chin from Gophers defensive end Theiren Cockran. Morris staggered for a moment, but coach Brady Hoke left him in the game before inserting Devin Gardner.
Then, when Gardner lost his helmet, Hoke inserted Morris for one more play. Two days later, Hoke said that based on what he knew, Morris hadn't suffered a concussion. But athletic director Dave Brandon soon acknowledged Morris had indeed been diagnosed with a "probable mild concussion."
Injury updates
Foster Bush, who has started the past nine games at right guard for the Gophers, will miss Saturday's game with an unspecified injury, Kill said. Cornerback Derrick Wells (hamstring) is listed as questionable for the game.
Starting left guard Zac Epping has been playing through a high-ankle sprain, but Kill said he's been moving around better. So it sounds like Epping will be ready to make his 40th consecutive start.
Reserve guard Joe Bjorklund also has been banged up, but he should be ready to play, and Isaac Hayes is another top reserve at guard.
