Sep 30, 2014 11:07 AM EDT By Russell Westerholm, UniversityHerald Reporter

University of Michigan (UM) Athletic Director Dave Brandon admitted the football staff made a mistake allowing quarterback Shane Morris to stay in the game.

In a lengthy statement on the UM athletics page, Brandon said no medical or football personnel saw Morris take a helmet-to-helmet hit in the fourth quarter Saturday. Not even the team's neurologist saw the hit, according to Brandon, so the failure was a collective one and was an unfortunately miscommunicated.

"In the fourth quarter, Shane took a significant hit and stumbled after getting up. From the field level and without the benefit of replays, medical and coaching staffs did not see the hit. Because they did not see the hit, the athletic training staff believed Shane stumbled because of his ankle injury. The team neurologist, watching from further down the field, also did not see the hit," Brandon's statement read. "However, the neurologist, with expertise in detecting signs of concussion, saw Shane stumble and determined he needed to head down the sideline to evaluate Shane.

"Shane came off the field after the following play and was reassessed by the head athletic trainer for the ankle injury. Since the athletic trainer had not seen the hit to the chin and was not aware that a neurological evaluation was necessary, he cleared Shane for one additional play."

After the hit, Morris had trouble staying upright and had to clutch a teammate's shoulder to keep from falling. Since no one saw the hit, UM head football coach Brady Hoke thought Morris stumbled from a high ankle sprain he suffered earlier in the game.

Hoke has faced a heavy dose of criticism for keeping Morris in the game after the hit, as several media outlets are calling the decision into question and even calling for his firing. Per SB Nation, Hoke said in post-game conference that he did not have any indication that Morris suffered a concussion. He also said Morris waved off trainers, meaning he must have been fine.

"I don't make decisions on who plays, who doesn't play, as far as injuries, in particular head trauma," Hoke said.

George Schroeder wrote for USA Today that Hoke was already on the hot seat, losing two straight home games to fall to a 2-3 record.

"Give Hoke the benefit of the doubt. But given the concern over head trauma in football, the sight of a woozy quarterback continuing to play is scary," Schroeder wrote. "The idea that Hoke did not see Morris stumble, then grab a teammate to keep from crumpling to the ground, is inexplicable."

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