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Abilene Christian University head coach Adam Dorrel and athletic trainers tend to downed Sam Denmark of Las Cruces, New Mexico during the Lobos vs. Wildcats game Saturday, Sept. 2, 2017.
Abilene Christian University head coach Adam Dorrel and athletic trainers tend to downed Sam Denmark of Las Cruces, New Mexico during the Lobos vs. Wildcats game Saturday, Sept. 2, 2017.

Fall Sports Issue: Football — Studies reveal link between football and brain damage

Over the summer, multiple reports announced the results of a recent brain study, which seemed to confirm a correlation between playing football and damage to the brain.

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy, better known as CTE, has become an all-too-familiar medical term in the sports vocabulary, and the risk of having it may increase along with the level of competition, as the hits accumulate.

The Boston University study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), found CTE, which can only be diagnosed post-mortem, in 110 of the 111 brains of ex-NFL players.

However, it should be noted that many of the brains were likely donated by families who were looking to confirm what they may have been already suspected.

A high-profile lawsuit ended with an estimated $1 billion settlement between the NFL and former players who alleged the league knew about the risks and failed to disclose them.

It is still unclear if the NFL knew more than it let on about the possible link, but now the information is out there for all to make an informed decision.

One former Lobo, offensive lineman Garrett Adcock, had to weigh his options last season and ultimately decided it was in his best interest to step away from the game due to concussion concerns.

Football players often express that the game can provide so many positives, that it would outweigh any potential negative aspects. And although he was hurt playing the game, Adcock said he realized it was a risk that comes with playing and would do it all over again if given the choice.

“I really wouldn’t change anything,” Adcock said. “My experience with football has given me the opportunity to meet some amazing people who have become very influential in my life. Football has given me so much and blessed me in so many ways.”

Adcock said he hasn’t talked to anyone on the team about concussions specifically but has told players to think about what is best for them in the future.

With increased knowledge of CTE comes closely monitored concussion protocol. Hearing words of wisdom from a former teammate is one thing, but UNM has taken other steps to mitigate the risks.

Offensive line coach and run game coordinator Saga Tuitele said there are three things that he felt are important to protecting players against concussions.

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Tuitele said the number-one goal is to teach safety. He said the defensive players are taught to keep their heads and eyes up and see what they are hitting. On offense, the coaching staff teaches the fundamentals of blocking with the hands and using posture and feet as opposed to throwing the head and face into it.

“When we tackle, it’s called a Lobo tackle,” he said. “Get your face and head out of the tackle and get your face and head out of the block.”

Secondly, Tuitele said the players have to be honest and willing to come forward if they get dinged up.

But most of the time, he said that doesn’t even come into play, because the training staff is so on top of things. Tuitele said the trainers and assistants are always watching practice and film, and if they don’t see the hit as it happens and take appropriate measures, it is addressed when viewed on film.

The proactive approach employed by the staff has helped build what Tuitele named as the third item, which is trust — something he said the players, trainers and coaches all have between each other.

Taking a player out of contact drills and allowing the brain to rest and recover is common practice and believed by many to be an important move to reduce the risk of successive concussions. In addition, players do not resume those drills until they have passed the concussion protocol.

Player safety is a focal point that has seemed to be consistent throughout the program and head coach Bob Davie has shown no hesitation in sitting a player that has suffered a possible concussion.

Before the shift in football culture toward player safety over the past several years, it may have been more commonplace for players to try to play through things like concussions.

But the change in how concussions are treated and implementing improved techniques to avoid them in the first place have increased awareness and could eventually result in fewer study results that report findings like the one mentioned above.

Robert Maler is the sports editor for the Daily Lobo. He primarily covers basketball, football and tennis. He can be contacted at sports@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @robert_maler.

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