UNI quarterback Kollmorgen working through concussion protocol

CEDAR FALLS - Northern Iowa quarterback Sawyer Kollmorgen got his first start on Saturday at the FargoDome against North Dakota State, but unfortunately for the senior, he wasn't able to finish off his quick and successful beginning.

Kollmorgen sustained a concussion near the end of the first half, and wasn't able to return.

Now, headed into an important return home to the UNI-Dome, this week's concussion protocol testing will be met with anxiousness from the UNI coaching staff and Kollmorgen himself.

'At halftime he had signs of a concussion, so they pulled him for safety reasons. He will now go through the protocol to get him back out on the field,” said Coach Mark Farley. 'You have to be very careful during the week that you do justice to the team and take care of the whole team. There's no guarantee; he may pass the first two and not the third, or he may pass them all. We have to say over it.

'It's a good system. It's the right thing to do - the safety of the player comes first. You've got to pass the test, and when you do, you move on. I know he wants to play, but he still has to pass the test.”

Kollmorgen was just 5 of 12 for 103 yards - 67 of those on a touchdown pass to Daurice Fountain in the first quarter - and did have an interception, but led two scoring drives and ran the ball well in that first half action. He carried seven times for 59 yards, including a 39-yard run on a read-option play.

If he does pass the concussion tests, Farley and offensive coordinator Joe Davis have a decision to make on who starts between Kollmorgen and Aaron Bailey. Bailey was 3 of 5 for 55 yards and an interception against North Dakota State, but ran all over the Bison to the tune of 13 carries for 157 yards and an 83-yard touchdown run.

Farley didn't want to call it a race, so much as waiting to figure out what the plan will be. Kollmorgen fit what UNI wanted to get started with at NDSU, but that doesn't mean that's the case against Western Illinois - or even if he'll be available.

'I don't know if it's a competition anymore as it is getting the best game plan together and the usage of the players,” Farley said. 'We'll let that one play out. It's hard to make a plan when you're not sure of getting a guy back or not getting a guy back. That'll be based on how quickly he passes the test. I've put plans together (before) and they don't pass the last test and you have to throw that part of it out.”

Kollmorgen and Bailey have handled sharing the duties with poise so far this season, taking in stride - outwardly, at least - any and all opportunities.

Bailey laughed about it Monday, saying it's almost become a game within a game between he and Kollmorgen - who is unavailable to media until he passes concussion protocol - for the starting job. It didn't seem to matter Saturday and he said it doesn't going forward.

'We always joke around, saying we should flip a coin for whoever starts,” Bailey said. 'At this point, it really doesn't matter. We just want to win. It doesn't matter who my dad or mom wants to go out there, we just have to go out there and compete and put our team in the best situation to win the game.

'He's still able to help me out on the sideline and was still one of the first ones to grab me on the sideline after the drives. He's still there despite the concussion.”

Kollmorgen passed the initial concussion test on Sunday and Monday's results were unavailable at press time. His availability for Saturday will hinge on Monday and, if he passed, Tuesday's results.

Players are checked after every questionable incident on the field and taken out if they don't pass on the sideline. From there, players wait 24 hours to begin three-phase testing to gauge reaction and thought-process, among other things. There's a computer-generated test to check baseline numbers, then a verbal test and a physical test.

And while Farley, Kollmorgen and Co. want to know as soon as possible, they like the process.

'There's three different tests you must take, so if you fail one test twice, there's no way possible you can get in the game by Saturday,” Farley said. 'You take the test verbally, then by computer, then you run them around before they take the test again to make sure that doesn't change it. To get through all the tests, you can really only have one failed test you can get, or you're not going to get the timeline to make the next game.

'It's a well-devised timeline. I really believe this is a great test for the player. No question. I've seen the result of it and I think it's right on the money.”

l Comments: (319) 368-8884; jeremiah.davis@thegazette.com