As part of the NFL Combine in Indianapolis this week, the league unveiled new sideline test guidelines to help trainers and doctors spot and assess the seriousness of concussions, 6News' Derrik Thomas reported.

Through week eight of last season, there were 154 concussions recorded in NFL games and practices, up 21 percent over 2009.

The league credits the increase to better reporting, but Dr. Margot Putukian with the NFL Neck, Head and Spine Committee said the new sideline test will do even more.

"It looks at specific symptoms. It looks at whether they are unsteady and asks a series of questions that look to see if they have cervical spine pain or tenderness, looking for cranial bleed and other injuries," she said. "If not (it goes) through an assessment of cognitive evaluation, their memory, giving them words to remember, giving them numbers backwards, asking them to give the months backwards."

Even though it seems concussions occur more frequently, it was tough to find any of the college players at the combine, auditioning for the NFL, to admit they have ever had a concussion.

"I think they are taking proper steps and they are taking more and more steps forward taking care of us on the field," said Nate Enderle, quarterback with the University of Idaho, who said he'd never suffered a concussion.

"I've never had a concussion before," said Ricardo Lockette, a wide receiver with Fort Valley State. "I'm blessed enough to go through the game with no injuries."

The new test should be finished and ready for teams to use by the fall. Putukian said many teams are already following some of the guidelines.