DDN
4/18
Prognosis for OSU's Gentry still unknown
Tressel won't discuss severity of injury; says sophomore is getting best care possible.
By Doug Harris
Staff Writer
COLUMBUS | Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said stricken player Tyson Gentry had a successful second surgery Monday for a neck injury he suffered in practice.
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<!-- inset --> <!--begintext--> The sophomore walk-on from Sandusky was tackled on a pass pattern Friday. Linebacker Marcus Freeman told the
Dayton Daily News on Friday that Gentry had no feeling from his shoulders down as he was taken to
OSU Medical Center.
Tressel, meeting the media for the first time since the incident, wouldn't discuss the severity of Gentry's injuries.
"That would be totally inappropriate," he said. "Obviously, the severity of it is different than taking someone off in a cart with an ankle (injury). I think everyone knows that."
Tressel has made repeated visits to see Gentry, but players have been asked to stay away because he is at risk for infection.
"He and his family certainly appreciate everyone's thoughts and prayers," Tressel said. "It's a day-by-day process, and he's in the best hands he could possibly be in at Ohio State Medical Center."
Tressel wouldn't speculate on a prognosis, saying, "You want to keep optimism, but you want to keep it in check."
"It's tough just seeing what happened," backup quarterback Todd Boeckman said. "You don't want to see a player go down like that. We're definitely feeling for him — our whole team is."
Tressel said fans can send cards and letters to Gentry at
OSU Medical Center, 410 W. 10th Ave., Columbus, Ohio, 43210.
Cleveland PD
4/18
Injured Buckeyes player has more surgery
<table class="byln" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="428"> <tbody><tr valign="bottom"> <td class="byln" width="328">4/17/2006, 8:34 p.m. ETBy RUSTY MILLER
The Associated Press</td><td width="3"> </td><td width="97">
</td> </tr> </tbody></table> COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio State walk-on Tyson Gentry, who seriously injured his neck during practice last week, underwent a second surgery Monday.
Coach Jim Tressel declined to discuss the severity of the injury or prognosis, saying Gentry's situation was a "day-by-day process."
"He came through that well," Tressel said of the latest surgery. "He and the family certainly appreciate everyone's thoughts and prayers."
Gentry, a sophomore, is a 6-foot-2, 165-pounder who walked on as a punter the past two years and this spring was also seeing action as a wide receiver. During Friday's practice at Ohio Stadium, he was running across the middle when he was hit by freshman defensive back Kurt Coleman. The hit seemed routine, according to several players, but Gentry landed awkwardly.
His family rushed from their home in Sandusky to see him at the Ohio State University Medical Center, where he underwent surgery Friday. The family requested that no details of his condition be released.
"Ty is alert and in good spirits," his father, Bob Gentry, who played for Ohio State in the mid-1970s, said in a statement.
Tressel ended practice after the injury and gave the players the rest of the weekend off. They reported back to campus and were updated by the coaching staff on Gentry's situation early Monday morning.
"If he doesn't know by now, everybody out there — all 100-plus guys — are behind him," starting quarterback Troy Smith said. "We just want him to recover as well and as soon and as fast as possible."
Linebacker Marcus Freeman said he was told that at first Gentry did not feel anything from his head down but that some feeling returned by the time the ambulance arrived at the stadium.
"It's tough just seeing what happened," backup quarterback Todd Boeckman said. "You don't want to see a player go down like that. We're definitely feeling for him — our whole team is."
Gentry is a psychology major who attended Perkins High School.
"Tyson has been a player, ever since he's gotten here, who been pretty much friends with everybody," Smith said.
Smith said the coaches told the team that doctors were concerned about infections after surgery.
Tressel urged Ohio State fans to send letters and cards to the hospital to Gentry's attention.
"I'm sure he would appreciate that and his family certainly would," Tressel said.