Georgia Tech coach Key: Mbakwe talking and responsive after collision vs Tennessee

ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia Tech coach Brent Key said Jaylen Mbakwe was talking and responsive after a scary collision that had him stretchered off the field in the third quarter of the Yellow Jackets’ 45-24 loss to No. 18 Tennessee on Saturday night.

Mbakwe collided head-first with Jordan Walker’s knee. Walker was carried off the field, unable to put any weight on his leg. Mbakwe lay on the field and appeared motionless for several minutes before giving the crowd a thumbs-up while being stretchered off.

“Everything was moving when they moved him off the field. He was talking, responsive,” Key said after the game. ‘Obviously, I’m not going to speak anything medically about it, because I don’t know.”

The defensive back was taken by ambulance to Grady Hospital, located three miles from Georgia Tech’s Bobby Dodd Stadium.

“As soon as I walk out of here, that’s where I’m going — to check on my guy,” Key said. “But he was talking, he was moving and whatnot when they carried him off. That’s all I know at this point.”

It’s Mbakwe’s first season with Georgia Tech after transferring from Alabama, where he played in 22 games over two seasons in various roles as a cornerback, wide receiver and punt returner.

Sign up for Top 25 poll alerts here, visit the Top 25 here and see AP’s full college football coverage here