Kansas University senior cornerback Kendrick Harper, who left Saturday’s victory over Louisiana Tech late in the first quarter on a stretcher, was released from the hospital Sunday evening and was doing “fine”, according to coach Mark Mangino.
“As we speak, he’s being released,” the coach said Sunday evening. “He had a battery of tests taken, and everything seems to be fine. He feels a lot better. In fact, I just talked to him a few minutes ago, and he’s being released and he says he feels a lot better. That’s good news.”
Harper appearred to be injured during a head-first collision with Louisiana Tech receiver Phillip Livas. He came off the field on his own power, but was later put into a stretcher and taken away in an ambulance.
Despite his release, however, it was unclear whether the Hartwell, Ga., native and Butler County Community College transfer would be available for the Jayhawks’ game against 19th-ranked South Florida on Friday in Tampa.
“I’ve never even discussed that with him or our medical staff,” Mangino said. “I was more concerned with his health. When he comes in tomorrow I’ll talk about that. I don’t have any clue, and it’s not even been discussed, to be quite honest with you.”
University doesn’t anticipate a problem with South Florida weather: Severe weather stemming from Hurricane Ike is not expected to affect Kansas’ Friday night matchup with South Florida in Tampa, school officials said Sunday.
“The people at South Florida called us last week and they don’t expect any problems,” Kansas associate athletics director Jim Marchiony said Sunday. “At that point, they thought that it might come through on Tuesday, but they don’t expect any problems (with the game).”
Last week, rumors on various Web sites suggested that if the severe weather prevented the teams from playing in Tampa, it was possible the game could be moved to Memorial Stadium.
But Marchiony, who said he’ll keep in touch with South Florida officials throughout the week, was quick to shoot down those rumors Sunday night.
“There’s been a lot of talk on the internet, apparently, of the game being moved to Lawrence,” he said. “That will not happen. Any of that, that will not happen.”
