Arkansas Business

This story is from the archives of ArkansasSports360.com.

Tyler Wilson sought opinions from multiple medical personnel last week before doctors ruled him out of Saturday’s game against Alabama.

Wilson, who hopes to return for this week’s game with Rutgers, met first with Arkansas’ medical providers, then had follow-up testing done at the University of Pittsburgh. Pitt is home to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center’s Concussion Program.

Arkansas’ quarterback confirmed to ArkansasSports360.com he visited Pitt last week after symptoms persisted with his condition.

“It's more than just a headache,” Wilson said. “You take tests and the test don't lie. You do a number of things. I didn't feel like my 100-percent self. It's not going to the doctor it's doing certain drills and exercises to get my mind rehabbed a little bit. They put me through a pretty good amount of stuff here and it has made me better.”

Wilson said baseline levels on his concussion testing are getting closer to normal. He'll have to reach a certain score in order for doctors to clear him to play against the Scarlet Knights.

UPMC pioneered the "ImPACT" baseline concussion test. It's described on the center's website as a "a computer-based test that evaluates and documents multiple aspects of an athlete’s neurocognitive state."

Baseline testing considers brain processing speed, memory, reaction time and visual motor skills aimed at establishing when a player is in a "normal" state.

Players are tested prior to a season to set the baseline. If they sustatin head trauma believed to be a concussion they are monitored and scores are compared to their pre-concussion levels.

Wilson took a baseline test on Monday, but was not cleared then. He ran with teammates and attended team meetings on Sunday.

“The results were much better than the previous time,” Wilson said. “Much, much better, real similar to baseline. That to me is very, very positive in my probability for this week. Like I told [teammates on Sunday] I'm going to do everything I can do to get back to playing quarterback for this team this week.”

Like any other injury, Wilson said he is doing rehabilitation work. Exercises are aimed at getting his brain functioning normally again.

Wilson was injured in the first half of the 34-31 loss to ULM on Sept. 8. He threw with teammates last Wednesday and dressed out for pregame warmups, but a decision on his playing status was made prior to the game.

Arkansas will continue to monitor his progress. He'll try to practice this week and Coach John L. Smith said the team will prepare all three of its quarterbacks — Wilson, Brandon Allen and Brandon Mitchell.

"Right now, things are very positive in that regard," Smith said. "So he’ll prep as if he’s going to play, as will the other guys prep as if they’re going to play. That’s just the way that we’ll approach it. And we’ll see, go from there."