Tulane safety Devon Walker suffers spine fracture, leaves field in ambulance

There was a scary scene at Tulsa on Saturday afternoon as Tulane senior safety Devon Walker was taken off the field in an ambulance following a collision in which he suffered a broken spine.

With Tulsa leading Tulane 35-3, Walker was involved in the collision at the end of the first half and immediately fell to the ground. While there, he was tended to by a large group of medical personnel for a long time before finally being put into an ambulance and taken off the field.

According to the Fox Sports sideline reporter working the game, CPR had to be administered and an IV was put in to Walker on the field as he had stopped breathing. He was resuscitated and reported to be in stable condition as he left the field.

Dr. Buddy Savoie said during a postgame news conference that Walker is in stable condition and will need spinal surgery in the "the next day or two."

"He was stable when we transported him," Savoie said. "I do not think, based on the information we have, his life was ever in danger."

Savoie said after the game that Walker "actually never completely lost consciousness" and was breathing.

Walker's brother Raynard told the AP that his mother was watching the game on television when she saw her son hurt.

"We haven't heard much at all," said Raynard Walker. "We're still kind of in the dark right now."

John Moss of KTUL-TV in Tulsa talked to a team trainer, who said "Walker suffered a broken neck and collapsed lung. He had to be revived on-field, and a tracheotomy was performed."

Walker is a former walk-on from New Orleans who had played in 30 games for Tulane coming into this season.

Tulsa was leading 35-3 and facing a fourth-and-2 with the ball at the 33-yard line when the Golden Hurricane called timeout. Tulane then called timeout.

When play resumed, Tulsa quarterback Cody Green tossed a short pass to Willie Carter, who caught it at about the 28, and turned upfield. He was tackled around the 18-yard line, with defensive tackle Julius Warmsley and Walker sandwiching him and apparently smashing the crowns of their helmets into each other.

Medical personnel from both teams came out about 12:37 p.m. to attend to Walker as he lay on the field.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.