Mar 4, 2009 - 5:20 PM
NORMAN, Oklahoma (Ticker) -- Oklahoma football player Corey Wilson's condition has been upgraded from critical to serious following a car crash this past weekend in which the wide receiver was thrown from his sports utility vehicle.
Wilson, 20, is awake and alert at Oklahoma University's Medical Center, according to a joint statement released Tuesday by Wilson's family and a hospital spokesperson.
"It's a disappointing and hurtful time," Sooners head coach Bob Stoops said following Tuesday's spring workout. "I know everyone's heard about the accident with Corey Wilson - it's a tragic accident. We're all just praying for Corey and his family. It's a really difficult time."
Wilson, 20, suffered serious head and internal injuries from the roll-over collision, which occurred at approximately 1 p.m. local time Friday afternoon. The sophomore was flown to Oklahoma University Medical Center, where he initially was reported in critical condition.
Although Wilson's family and the hospital have not released details regarding his status, an anonymous player told The Oklahoma Daily that the football team received an e-mail this past weekend stating that Wilson is paralyzed from the waist down.
The players have been instructed not to speak to the media about the topic, and Stoops would not elaborate on Wilson's condition Tuesday.
"Medically, I'm not going to elaborate on anything else than what was said yesterday," Stoops said. "We're all just continuing to pray for him and have him in our thoughts and his family."
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol stated that Wilson was driving southbound on Interstate 35 when his Chevrolet Trailblazer collided with a pickup truck that was traveling in the same direction.
Wilson's SUV swerved off the road and rolled over twice, throwing him approximately 45 feet from the vehicle, according to police. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol reported Wilson was not wearing a seat belt.