Houston Cougars linebacker Donavan Mutin released from hospital after injury Friday night

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- University of Houston said a Cougars linebacker who was carted off the field on a stretcher during Friday night's win against Memphis has been released from the hospital.

The school's athletics department said Donavan Mutin is up and walking after a scary injury during the first quarter of the Coogs' game at TDECU Stadium.

"Mutin remains in good spirits and continues to be monitored and evaluated by Houston medical staff. The junior was taken to the hospital for precautionary reasons during the Cougars' 31-13 win over Memphis," the school's athletics department said in a statement, adding that he was released later in the night.

Mutin made a tackle on Memphis running back Asa Martin with 12 minutes left in the opening quarter when he fell to the ground.

Referees stopped the game while Mutin was tended to by paramedics.

ESPN reported Mutin was moving his fingers as he was taken off the field in a stretcher. Paramedics took him to Memorial Hermann Hospital.

"Donnie is our emotional leader and team captain," UH head coach Dana Holgorsen said. "We were out there for a while. In my 11, 12 years of being a head coach, I've never had that. I've never had a kid taken off on a stretcher. That was dire. He was moving and talking toward the end of it. It took him awhile to wake up. He was breathing."

The team did not immediately give Mutin's status for UH's season finale at Connecticut.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.