Black has concerns following ‘blackout’

Steve Guiremand

Thursday, Oct. 28, 1999 | 10:02 a.m.

The news Wednesday that San Francisco 49ers quarterback Steve Young is probably done for the year because of a series of concussions over his career hit pretty close to home for UNLV junior linebacker Randy Black.

Black had a game to remember in UNLV's 29-0 loss to BYU last Saturday night at Sam Boyd Stadium, registering a game-high 11 tackles, including three for 11 yards in losses, a sack and a pass breakup.

Problem is, the 6-0, 205-pounder from Clark High doesn't remember much about it.

Black suffered what was termed a mild concussion late in the first half of the game following a collision with BYU tight end Doug Jolley and teammate Quincy Sanders that knocked him unconscious for a short time on the field. He came back to play the entire second half, answered a reporter's questions afterward in the locker room, and even drove himself home afterward.

The not-so-funny thing is that Black doesn't recall anything that happened after the first half knockout.

"I've had concussions before and I was able remember what had happened," Black said. "This was kind of scary. I woke up in my bed, didn't remember how I drove home or even how I got into my house.

"I woke up with a huge headache and my neck was sore. I looked around like, 'Hey, where am I?' I remember hitting (Jolley) and I remember laying down. I remember my eyes closing and feeling like my whole body was relaxed. Then I woke up in the morning and I thought I was waking up from being hit. When I woke up and I was in my room it was like, 'What the hell happened after that?'

"It's part of football," Black continued. "Every time I walk on this field I risk a chance of losing my life. Anything can happen. But this really opens your eyes to a lot of things, especially hearing the Steve Young thing. You think it will never happen to me and you're not really concerned about it."

Black practiced both Tuesday and Wednesday without contact and is supposed to be re-evaluated after today's practice for his availability for Saturday night's Mountain West Conference game at New Mexico.

"I feel fine," he said. "I feel sluggish and a little slow sometimes, but I don't think it's because of the head blow or anything. I think it's because I'm kind of scared ... I don't want to get hit like that again or hit somebody. But that's football. It's something I'm going to have to get out of right now so I can go out and play my game. That's what I do. I hit and fly around. I've got to get over this."

The worst part of his ordeal?

"I didn't know how to describe it to my mom," Black said. "My mom called me four times that day. It's a weird feeling. It makes you put your life back in perspective because something could have happened out there on that field where I wouldn't have ever opened my eyes again."

* RUDOLPH TO PLAY? Tailback Jeremi Rudolph said Wednesday he still plans to play Saturday at New Mexico despite leaving last weekend's loss to BYU with a strained groin.

Rudolph did some sprints during Wednesday's practice and still appeared to limp slightly afterward. He is expected to test the injury in practice today when a final decision will be made on his status.

"We're not giving up on (Rudolph playing)," UNLV coach John Robinson said. "There might be something ... second half, late in the game, something like that. I don't think (he'll start). I don't think that would be wise."'

Robinson said senior Coury Hankins will start at tailback with senior Dahrin Footman and junior fullback James Wofford backing him up.