AMHERST - University of Massachusetts football practice was stopped for 15 minutes Tuesday morning as an ambulance came onto the McGuirk Stadium field to attend to tight end Jerome Lewis.

The redshirt freshman suffered a concussion when an awkward fall caused the back of his head to hit the ground. He was conscious and able to move his extremities when he was taken to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield for evaluation.

According to coach Kevin Morris, Lewis was leaping for a ball during a drill. Practice was stopped and players knelt on the ground while Lewis was attended to by medical personnel.

It's unclear whether Lewis lost consciousness. The UMass medical staff kept the 6-foot-3, 240-pound Rochester native from moving until the ambulance arrived.

"He came down flat and hit his head," Morris said. "He was moving. He definitely had a concussion, but he seemed to have his faculties. (Baystate is) doing an X-ray to make sure everything is good."

Lewis, a transfer from Virginia Tech, is sitting out this season under NCAA transfer rules, but can practice with the team.

CAPTAIN GILSON - Saturday's 3:30 p.m. game against New Hampshire at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough will be a bit of a homecoming for UMass senior Tom Gilson, who went to high school in nearby Mansfield. Gilson, a former walk-on who played special teams in last year's game, will be a starting wide receiver Saturday.

"It'll be good to be back home. I live about 10 minutes away from the stadium," said Gilson, who expected a good-sized contingent of family and friends in attendance. "Last year I played special teams. This year I'll have more of an impact on the game. My high school coach is coming out. Old teammates, my friends, my family. It would be good to put on a show."

While seniors Tyler Holmes and Emil Igwenagu are the Minutemen's full-time captains, Morris has selected a game captain for each game. Gilson will serve in that role on Saturday.

CRUZ ATTENDING, IHEDIGBO POSSIBLE - The timing of the bye weeks for the New England Patriots and New York Giants means two of UMass' most prominent football alumni could be in attendance for Saturday's game at Foxborough. Victor Cruz, who is having a breakout season for the Giants, is expected to be in attendance.

James Ihedigbo, who is starting at safety in his first season for the Patriots, filmed a promotional video for the event while wearing a UMass T-shirt. Minuteman officials couldn't confirm whether or not he'd be at the game, but thought it was likely.

DELAIRE DECISION WEDNESDAY - UMass is still waiting for a ruling from the Colonial Athletic Association about redshirt freshman Ryan Delaire's availability for Saturday's game. Delaire was ejected from the first half of the Minutemen's win at Delaware for swinging at a Blue Hen player after a play. It's unclear whether he had a closed fist or not.

"The situation is still in the review process. Some form of resolution will be determined no later than tomorrow," said CAA spokesman Scott Meyer.

RECRUITING - UMass is looking at Everett High School product Vondell Langston. The senior running back/linebacker has some interest from Syracuse and Connecticut as well. But according to ESPN, UMass is the only school strongly pursuing him right now. Langston rushed for 203 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries last weekend for Everett, which is No. 1 in the state in ESPN Boston's high school rankings.

EVENTS AT GILLETTE - UMass released times for events at and surrounding Saturday's Colonial Clash.

Patriot Place stores and parking lots open at 8 a.m., but tailgating lots and the Gillette Stadium ticket office don't open until 12:30 p.m.

UMass will hold a pep rally at the CBS Scene restaurant beginning at 1:30 p.m., 30 minutes before the stadium gates open.

The UMass marching band will perform outside at Patriot Place at 1:15 p.m., before the Minutemen march into the stadium. Both teams' bands will perform at halftime.

Matt Vautour can be reached at mvautour@gazettenet.com. Follow UMass coverage on Twitter at twitter.com/GazetteUMass. Get UMass coverage delivered in your Facebook news feed at http://www.facebook.com/GazetteUMassCoverage.