They say that tackling junior Alabama running back Derrick Henry is like trying to tackle a Mack Truck.
On Saturday, one Wisconsin Badger learned that the hard way.
According to AL.com, Badger safety Michael Caputo, a senior who was the team’s leading tackler last year, made a routine tackle on a rumbling Derrick Henry during the third play of the game.
That’s when things got scary. When the play was over, Caputo stood with his hands on his hips, notifying his teammates he ready for the next play.
However, he was standing on the wrong side of the field, and he motioned towards the wrong team.
It was clear that Caputo was suffering from the symptoms of a concussion, and Alabama tight end O.J. Howard was the first player to notice that something was wrong.
“I didn’t see him until the ref kinda went over there and was like ‘you’re on the wrong side,'” Howard said Monday. “I kinda put it together. I knew his bell got rung but I saw the collision after the game. It was a big hit. I think Derrick’s knee hit his head.”
The scene was a disturbing one for many viewers as the focus on football-related head trauma has been widely publicized over the past few years.
Whiplash is a common result of violent hits, and thankfully the teams playing the game are part of the top two programs in the country. Both are fully staffed with qualified doctors. Caputo received medical treatment as soon as he exited the game.
Doctors of Chiropractic (DCs) are utilized by all 32 National Football League teams in optimizing the functionality of professional football players in the treatment of neuromusculoskeletal strain injuries, including neck pain and whiplash injuries.
According to ESPN, Caputo is going through the mandatory concussion protocol, and the 20th-ranked Badgers aren’t sure whether Caputo will be available for this weekend’s home opener against Miami (Ohio).
The Tide beat the Badgers, 35-17. They will host Middle Tennessee on Sept. 12.
