Tulane player fractures spine

Tulane safety Devon Walker fractured his spine in a head-to-head collision with a teammate during a game in Tulsa.

Dr. Buddy Savoie said in a postgame news conference that Walker was in stable condition and will need spinal surgery in the “next day or two.”

“He was stable when we transported him,” Savoie said. “I do not think, based on the information we have, his life was ever in danger.”

Walker was injured attempting to make a tackle. Tulsa quarterback Cody Green threw a short pass to Willie Carter, who caught it at about the 28, and turned upfield. He was tackled around the 18-yard line, with defensive tackle Julius Warmsley and Walker sandwiching him.

Medical personnel from both teams came out about 12:37 p.m. to attend to Walker as he lay on the field.

Savoie said after the game that Walker “actually never completely lost consciousness” and was breathing.

About 12:52 p.m., he was lifted onto a stretcher and loaded into a waiting ambulance about two minutes later.

Fox Sports reported a hush went over the crowd at H.A. Stadium as Walker was attended to on the field, and that several coaches were in tears.

The game resumed at 1:20 p.m.

Walker is a senior majoring in cell and molecular biology.

Hills leads Terps

Maryland dropped punts, fumbled carries, and almost turned a romp into a disastrous defeat.

Only a freshman, Perry Hills, who played at Central Catholic, bailed them out with a veteran’s poise down the stretch.

Hills threw two touchdowns and ran for one in his second start to help Maryland hold on and beat Temple, 36-27, in Philadelphia.

Embarrassed by the Owls in a 31-point loss last season, the Terrapins (2-0) nearly blew a 23-point lead at halftime. Hills had all three of his scores in the half to help Maryland race to a 26-3 lead.

Maryland played nothing like the team that squeaked out a 7-6 victory last week against Division I-AA William & Mary.

No name change

Big East commissioner Mike Aresco said there are no plans for the conference to change its name and negotiations are expected to start soon with ESPN on a new TV deal.

Aresco shot down speculation the Big East was considering tweaking its name because of its growth to a four time-zone league. Aresco said, “There’s tremendous brand equity built up in the Big East name.”

Joe Bailey, the conference’s former interim commissioner, had said this week the Big East was leaning toward a name change.

Aresco said there is interest from other networks in the Big East TV package, but the intention is to stay with ESPN.

The conference and ESPN are in the midst of a 60-day exclusive negotiating window.

Richt sends message

No. 7 Georgia was without three of its top defensive players plus a defensive reserve, due to suspensions, for the SEC opener against Missouri.

All-America safety Bacarri Rambo, linebacker Alec Ogletree and cornerback Sanders Commings were not on the travel roster and did not make the trip. Backup linebacker Chase Vasser also was left behind.

Rambo’s high school coach said in the spring that Rambo expected to receive a four-game suspension after a second positive test for marijuana, per school policy. Ogletree is reportedly being punished for violating team rules.

Commings received a twogame suspension following a January arrest on a domestic violence charge.

Vasser was suspended for the first two games following a DUI arrest.