AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger is in a concussion protocol and will be evaluated over several days to see if he can play this week against winless Baylor.
Ehlinger was held out of practice Sunday after playing the entire game as Texas (3-4) lost Saturday to No. 11 Oklahoma State. The game ended when Ehlinger threw an interception on a pass he floated into the end zone. He had been tackled hard on the sideline a few plays earlier.
Coach Tom Herman said Monday that Ehlinger started showing symptoms of a problem after the game. The coach said he didn’t know on what play Ehlinger was hurt.
“The medical guys started noticing something was off and he was complaining a little bit,” Herman said. “They evaluated him at that point, sent him home, nothing concrete at that point Saturday night. Gave it 24 hours and came back yesterday and showed some symptoms.”
Herman said Ehlinger had been cleared to practice and play by team doctors the entire week after the previous game against Oklahoma. In that game, Ehlinger left for several plays in the fourth quarter to be evaluated on the sideline after a hard tackle, but was sent back in.
“At some point in the game against Oklahoma State something happened,” Herman said.
Herman said the protocol would be to allow Ehlinger to return after three or four days if symptom free. Any sign of a problem would restart the clock on the evaluation.
Former Texas quarterback David Ash missed most of the 2013 season and ended his career early in 2014 because of lingering concussion symptoms.
If Ehlinger can’t play this week, former starter Shane Buechele would lead the offense. Buechele started all of 2016 and set several freshman passing records. He started the first game this season but had nagging shoulder and ankle injuries as Ehlinger took over the starting job.
Ehlinger has started five games, three of which have gone to overtime. The freshman is a tough runner with a physical style that draws contact, and his running has become a heavy component in an offense that has struggled to score.
Herman said it didn’t bother him that Ehlinger has rushed the ball 38 times over the past two games.
“That’s football,” Herman said.
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