AUSTIN, Texas — Texas' football trainer said his staff could not clear quarterback Colt McCoy to return to the BCS championship game after he injured his right throwing shoulder in the Longhorns' 37-21 loss to Alabama.

Trainer Kenny Boyd said in a statement released by the school today that McCoy "wanted to go back in the game ... (but) we couldn't clear him to do that."

McCoy was hurt on Texas' fifth play on offense and the NCAA career leader in victories (45) as a starting quarterback didn't take another snap in his final game. Freshman Garrett Gilbert played the rest of the game.

"Colt sustained a nerve injury involving his right shoulder that prevented him from returning to the game. The injury caused numbness and weakness in his arm that prevented him from throwing with the strength or accuracy he needed," Boyd said. "He wanted to go back into the game but with the weakness he was having in the shoulder, we couldn't clear him to do that.

"The weakness in his shoulder also put him at risk of greater injury. From the time of the injury, we were continually treating and re-evaluating him, but he wasn't able to regain the strength he needed to get back on the field."

The statement did not address McCoy's prognosis for recovery before April's NFL draft.