SALT LAKE CITY — Utah quarterback Travis Wilson may still play football, although a concussion after the Arizona State game led to the discovery of a preexisting head injury.
Team physician Dr. David Petron said Wilson underwent a CT scan to further evaluate the symptoms of a concussion.
“The findings on the CT scan led to an evaluation with an angiogram, which showed what appears to be a previous injury to an intracranial artery,” Petron said. “We do not believe it is life-threatening and there is a possibility he could play football in the future if it remains stable.”
Petron said the injury will be further evaluated with follow-up testing in approximately three months.
Wilson suffered the concussion on Nov. 9 against Arizona State, but he didn’t feel any symptoms of the concussion until the next day. His head condition was discovered through the concussion diagnosis process.
“Travis is a tough, competitive kid,” said head coach Kyle Whittingham. “He was very upset by this, obviously and disappointed to say the least. We are going to miss him, but the most important thing is his long-term health.”
Whittingham said the concussion is not related to the preexisting condition, and it’s not life threatening, “but it may put him at a higher risk because of it, if he were to continue to play, but that’s still to be determined.”
Sophomore Adam Schulz is now the starting quarterback. He completed 13-of-30 passes for 181 yards in his first career start last week against Oregon. He also had a rushing touchdown in the loss to the Ducks.
“We feel for him,” Schultz said. “He was a big part of the team, as a team captain and quarterback.”
Junior tight end Jake Murphy said he had a heart-to-heart conversation with Wilson after he heard the news.
“Knowing that it’s a head injury, you have to take that seriously,” Murphy said. “The team has just got to come together. We’ve got to do this for Travis, and go to a bowl game for Travis, so he can feel the love and support for the team.”
Wilson started 16 games for the Utes, with a 7-9 record.
