It was halfway through the second quarter at Qualcomm Stadium during last Friday’s game. Donnel Pumphrey lined up wide. He ran a quick route and reached for the pass. Then, a San Jose State defensive back targeted him at near-top speed. The helmet-to-helmet strike was a full-bore stunner that brought Donnel to the ground, and sent his mouthpiece soaring through the air for what seemed to be an eternity.
The crowd gasped, and there was a moment of waiting to see what might happen next. It had the making of a major concussion hit, likely to be followed by a team of assistants helping a player hobble off the field with a game ending injury.