Tennessee head coach Butch Jones on Wednesday addressed a report that senior offensive lineman Brett Kendrick played Saturday against Kentucky after suffering a concussion.

Jones, during the SEC coaches' teleconference, was asked about a report from TheReadOptional.com which cited sources saying Kendrick stayed in the game after being concussed.

"I can tell you this," Jones said, "we would never, ever knowingly put a student-athlete in harm's way. Our medical staff has full authority in removing players from competition, but also in the 'return to play' decisions.

"I have no absolutely no say in these decisions. On top of that, the SEC has done a great job placing an independent medical observer in the press box at all games."

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The weekly Wednesday press conference Jones held after the teleconference was dominated by questions about the Kendrick situation.

Jones was asked if the SEC's independent medical observer noticed anything wrong with Kendrick during the game.

“I don’t know," Jones said. "That’s, again, up to our medical people.”

He was later asked if anyone on the medical staff or the coaching staff had contact with the SEC over the injury.

“Again, everything goes through our medical staff," Jones said. "I have no say in those decisions. Right now I believe nobody had contact (with the SEC).”

Jones, who announced in his opening statement that Kendrick would be out for Saturday's game against Southern Miss, was also asked about the symptoms that caused Kendrick to leave the Kentucky game during the final minute of play and if he could confirm it was a head injury.

"Again," Jones said, "I'm just going to refer back to statement of John Currie and what I've said previously."

The report cited a text received from a source that said Kendrick was "resting in a dark room" because of the injury and he "doesn't remember anything about the second half of the game."

The report also cited sources within the program that confirmed that Kendrick suffered a concussion and is currently in the concussion protocol.

Athletic director John Currie on Wednesday morning released a similar statement addressing the situation.

"The health and safety of our student-athletes is our number one responsibility," Currie said in the statement. "Our sports medicine staff and team medical personnel have full autonomy and unquestioned authority during all team activities, including the ability to remove a player from competition and ‘return to play’ decisions. At all football games, the Southeastern Conference has a trained independent medical observer present who also has full authority to stop play and remove a student-athlete from competition for assessment and/or treatment.

"We have a constant and consistently communicated expectation that all coaches, staff and student-athletes remain attentive to ensure that any potential injuries are appropriately addressed — with full intentions that student-athlete safety is never compromised."

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