Canton Rep
4/15
[FONT=Verdana,Times New Roman,arial,helvetica,sans-serif]BUCKEYES REPORT[/FONT]
Saturday, April 15, 2006
GENTRY SUFFERS HEAD INJURY Friday’s controlled intrasquad scrimmage ended about an hour early when a player reportedly suffered a head injury and lost feeling in his limbs. The injured player, according to WCMH-TV in Columbus, was Tyson Gentry, a walk-on wide receiver and punter from Sandusky. Gentry, 6-foot-2, 165 pounds, was reportedly hit hard by two players and was taken off the field on a backboard.
He was undergoing emergency surgery at a Columbus hospital. Head Coach Jim Tressel was to meet with reporters at about 5 p.m., but that was canceled because Tressel was with Gentry at the hospital. Friday’s scrimmage was closed to reporters and the public.
TODD PORTER
Dispatch
4/15
OSU FOOTBALL
Hit in practice puts player in hospital
Gentry might have serious head or neck injury
Saturday, April 15, 2006
Tim May and Ken Gordon
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
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</td></tr> <tr><td class="cutline" width="200">Tyson Gentry, a walk-on who figured in the punting competition last spring, was working as a receiver with the scout team when he was injured. </td></tr> </tbody></table> </td></tr> </tbody> </table>
Tyson Gentry was in Ohio State University Medical Center last night after suffering what was believed to be a serious head or neck injury during a spring practice session yesterday afternoon in Ohio Stadium.
OSU officials would neither confirm the afflicted player’s name nor release any information concerning his injury or condition, per the request of his family, athletics department spokesman Steve Snapp said. A hospital representative said that Gentry was admitted just after 4 p.m. but could not give out information on his condition.
Attempts were unsuccessful last night in trying to reach the family of Gentry, a third-year walk-on from Sandusky (Perkins). Gentry is listed as a punter on the roster, but he has been working with the scout team as a receiver this spring.
According to several eyewitnesses, who asked not to be named, Gentry was running a pass route over the middle of the field about midway through practice when he was hit after catching a pass. He reportedly lay motionless on the field, and an emergency medical services team was summoned.
After about 15 to 20 minutes he was taken from the field on a stretcher, the eyewitnesses said, and transported to the emergency room.
Coach Jim Tressel canceled the rest of practice, releasing the team for the Easter weekend. Tressel then went to the hospital to be with the Gentry.
The 6-foot-2, 165-pound Gentry, 20, was an all-around athlete at Perkins. He was an all-conference receiver in 2003 as a senior. In the spring of 2004, he finished fifth in the 110-meter high hurdles in the Division II state track meet, ran the second leg on the 400 relay team that finished second and was on the 800 relay team that finished third.
"The kid is a heck of an athlete," said 2005 OSU kicker Josh Huston, who was not at yesterday’s practice. "During practices the past few years we kickers would go off to a side field sometimes and throw the ball around and he could catch anything."
The OSU coaches evidently had noticed
"This year they told him they didn’t need him to punt, but they asked him if he would work out some at scout team receiver," Huston said. "He jumped at that chance. He’s one of those kinds of guys who is willing to help the team wherever he is at."
Outgoing OSU fullback Brandon Schnittker also came from Perkins, knows Gentry well and last night said he didn’t really want to comment much.
"Tyson is a great kid who has always worked hard and has always done things right," Schnittker said. "Right now I’m just praying for the best for him."
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