Buffalo's Kevin Everett hospitalized
BUFFALO , N.Y., Sept. 10 (UPI) -- Buffalo Bills tight end Kevin Everett underwent surgery after suffering a severe injury during the team's 15-14 loss to the Denver Broncos.
A source with knowledge of the situation said bone chips were removed from Everett’s third and fourth vertebrae and he was said to be on a respirator in the intensive care ward Sunday of Millard Fillmore Hospital in Buffalo, N.Y., the Buffalo News reported Monday.
Everett was injured during a collision with Denver’s Domenik Hixon at the start of the game's second half.
Everett’s agent, Brian Overstreet, said the next few days are expected to be critical to the player's recovery.
"We’re very concerned," Bills cornerback Terrence McGee said. "You always see guys get shaken up and you see some kind of movement. With him I was looking the whole time and I never saw him move. It’s real hard to take. Hopefully everything will be all right."
Henne likely out for Notre Dame game
ANN ARBOR, Mich., Sept. 10 (UPI) -- Michigan quarterback Chad Henne could miss this week's game against Notre Dame, giving freshman Ryan Mallett the start, Wolverines Coach Lloyd Carr said.
Carr didn't reveal the extent of Henne's injury, thought to have occurred during last week's loss to Oregon, but said the senior quarterback's status was "week-to-week."
"We'll see how he does this week," Carr said. "He's in good spirits. He's disappointed but I think he'll come back quicker than most."
Henne, a senior, was 19-of-37 for 233 yards with a touchdown and an interception in the season-opening loss to Appalachian State, then threw for 172 yards on 12-of-23 passing with a score in the first half against Oregon. That touchdown pass allowed him to tie the school record with 72 for his career.
He was replaced by Mallett, who completed 6-of-17 passes for 49 yards and an interception.
Both Michigan and Notre Dame are winless going into the game in Ann Arbor, Mich. It is the first time both teams opened the season 0-2.
Freshman given QB start for Virginia Tech
BLACKSBURG, Va., Sept. 10 (UPI) -- True freshman quarterback Tyrod Taylor will be given the start this week for Virginia Tech when the 17th-rated Hokies play Ohio University.
Taylor takes the place of Sean Glennon, a junior who struggled last week in Virginia Tech's 48-7 loss at No. 2 Louisiana State.
"This is not a reflection on Sean," Hokies Coach Frank Beamer said Monday. "He's put so much into his preparation, and he's such a competitor. We just feel like with this football team and our offense, Tyrod fits our personnel better right now. This is not easy for us because Sean has put a lot in the program."
Taylor made his collegiate debut late in the first half against LSU and led Tech to its only scoring drive in the game. Taylor completed 7-of-18 passes for 62 yards in the game and added another 44 rushing yards with a touchdown.
Gonzalez rallies for first-round win
BEIJING, Sept. 10 (UPI) -- Second-seeded Fernando Gonzalez rallied for a tight three-set victory Monday in the first round of the $500,000 China Open tennis tournament in Beijing.
Gonzalez, who was the runner-up at the Australian Open early this year, was pushed by Alexander Peya before heading into the second round with a 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 win to open the hard-court tournament.
Two other seeded players had somewhat easier times in their Monday matches as No. 6 Lee Hyung-taik beat Adrian Garcia 6-4, 6-3 and eighth-seeded Igor Kunitsyn topped Peng Sun 6-2, 7-6 (9-7).
Also in the first-round Monday, Kevin Kim stopped Xin Yuan Yu 6-3, 7-5; Bjorn Phau saved a match point before collecting a 5-7, 7-6 (11-9), 6-2 win over Davide Sanguinetti; and Paul Capdeville was a 6-2, 6-2 winner over Danai Udomchoke.
Marcos Baghdatis is the China Open defending champion. He opens his defense against Shao Xuan Zeng on Tuesday.
World No. 4 Nikolay Davydenko, who lost in the semifinals of the U.S. Open last week, if the top seed for the China Open.
