Sports

LSU Chastised By Top Head Injury Expert For Violating Concussion Protocol After Garrett Nussmeier’s Big Hit

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LSU Garrett Nussmeier Concussion
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Garrett Nussmeier was briefly checked for a concussion after a big hit during the second half of Saturday’s college football game between LSU and Florida. The Tigers’ medical staff may have violated their required protocol before allowing the 22-year-old quarterback to return to play without proper testing.

Chris Nowinski has questions about the procedure.

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Nussmeier was sacked for a loss of about ten during the third quarter. He was sandwiched by a pair of Gators, who landed right on top of him and (unintentionally) drove his head into the turf.

Slow to get up, the medical staff walked a visibly dazed Nussmeier off the field. They administered the most commonly known test for a head injury, which asks the player to follow a finger with his eyes. Abnormally jerky and jumpy eye movements indicate a concussion.

Nussmeier was cleared to return. He smacked his head off the turf just a few plays later.

Nowinski is concerned with how LSU handled its athlete’s brain health. The 46-year-old is perhaps best known for his tenure with WWE under the ring name Chris Harvard and later his real name.

Nowinski’s brief career as a professional wrestler came to an abrupt end due to repeated head injuries. He also played college football and was forced to medically retire after suffering three years of post-concussion symptoms tied to a kick to the chin while in the ring.

Since his early retirement, Nowinski has become one of the most important voices in concussion research. Most of his work is specifically tied to American football. He graduated with a Ph.D. in Behavioral Neuroscience from Boston University in 2017 and founded the Concussion Legacy Foundation, where he is currently CEO, and co-founded Boston University’s CTE Center.

Did LSU follow concussion protocol?!

Nowinski expressed major concerns about what happened with Nussmeier.

LSU QB Nussmeier back in after this hit, missing one play after a BS “follow my finger” and “stand on one leg with your eyes closed” sideline #concussion exam is an embarrassment to sports medicine and college football.

— Chris Nowinski, Ph.D.

He does not believe in the “follow my finger” test.

If you are concerned he had a concussion because he got crushed, grabbed his head, and took forever to stand up, you’ve got to do more than this. He gets hit again and this could be ugly

— Chris Nowinski, Ph.D.

Having played college football, Nowinski is directly familiar with standard protocol and hopes Nussmeier will recognize his symptoms if they are to continue. Otherwise, it could be catastrophic later in life.

A few plays later he smacks his head off the turf. He’ll probably be hurting tonight, but I’m guessing he won’t admit it and we’ll never speak of this again. I guess colleges are officially treating them as pros now. You sign up, you are going back in.

— Chris Nowinski, Ph.D.

LSU’s ‘Concussion Management Policy‘ is a public document. Nowinski does not believe the Tigers followed their own required protocol. He pointed specifically to the ‘SCAT6,’ a sport concussion assessment tool for adolescents (13 years+) and adults.

Could they have performed a physical and neurological exam and run through the SCAT 6 while he was out for one play? No. Therefore, the protocol appears to have been breached.

— Chris Nowinski

Very few people in the world are more qualified to speak on head injuries in college football than Chris Nowinski. Assuming there is not more to the story that was not shown on camera, his questions about Garrett Nussmeier and LSU’s concussion protocol present major concerns.