Freshman remains in hospital following scrimmage

~ T.J. Walls sustained an undisclosed injury during Saturday's intrasquad scrimmage.

T.J. Walls, a freshman receiver on the Southeast Missouri State University football team, was injured during the team's scrimmage Saturday at Houck Stadium and remains hospitalized as of Tuesday night, Southeast athletic director Don Kaverman confirmed Tuesday.

Kaverman was unable to give details on the extent of the injury or Walls' condition, citing privacy of medical records.

"He is being attended to by a local neurosurgeon," Kaverman said.

Walls, from Camden, N.J., did not make any receptions and had no offensive statistics last season.

The Southeast football media guide for the 2006 season lists Walls as a 5-foot-9, 175-pound freshman who rushed for 1,270 yards in 2005 for Woodrow Wilson High School. He also had 16 catches for 237 yards that season,

Walls was a member of the National Honor Society in high school.

The team had a public intrasquad scrimmage on Saturday.

Kaverman said he consulted with the medical staff and the football staff, but he did not give details of how the injury occurred and what kind of care was given to Walls at the stadium.

"I'm sure he was evaluated both on and off the field," Kaverman said.

Kaverman said Walls was transported from the stadium to Saint Francis Medical Center.

Walls' parents were notified, and Kaverman said they are in Cape Girardeau.

Kaverman said it is possible the scrimmage was videotaped but he had not reviewed the tape yet.

"Maybe at some point," he said "I'm sure the football staff has looked at it and possibly the medical staff has, too."

Southeast football coach Tony Samuel did not return a call to his cell phone Tuesday night.