San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
Cougars’ win yields scary moment
Linebacker Mutin injured early in first
HOUSTON — They stood together, overcome with emotion, as University of Houston linebacker Donavan Mutin lay on the turf at TDECU Stadium.
Some prayed.
Others took a knee. An entire stadium went silent.
“I think everybody kind of shed a tear,” University of Houston senior safety Deontay Anderson said.
Mutin, the Cougars’ leading tackler, team captain and inspirational leader, was injured in a scary scene Friday night in the No. 24 Cougars’ 31-13 victory over Memphis. Just seven plays into the game, Mutin, appeared to take a knee to the side of his helmet, TV replays showed, while attempting to make a tackle of Memphis wide receiver Asa Martin. Mutin raised both arms. Then they slow fell to his side.
“Scary,” quarterback Clayton Tune said of seeing a motionless Mutin.
Medical personnel spent about 10 minutes stabilizing Mutin before putting him on a stretcher for transport to Memorial Hermann Hospital. Mutin was
“alert and talking,” a team spokesman said.
A statement released by the university Saturday said Mutin was “up and walking.”
Mutin “remains in good spirits and continues to be monitored and evaluated by Houston medical staff,” the school said. No other details were provided on Mutin’s injury.
“The situation was dire early,” Holgorsen said. “Donnie is our emotional leader, team captain. We were out there for a while. In my 11-12 years (as a head coach) I’ve never had a kid
taken off on a stretcher. He was moving and talking toward the end. It took him a while to wake up. He was breathing. I don’t have an update. Our thoughts and prayers are with him.”
A three-year starter, Mutin was having the best season of his career with a team-best 61 tackles, two sacks and five tackles for loss. It was a bounce back season after Mutin missed the final five games last season due to injury, an absence Holgorsen said significantly affected the defense.
“Donnie means so much
to our team,” Tune said. “He’s such a vocal leader. He comes in every day and works hard. He’s one of those guys he cares so much about this team and about this game. It’s heartbreaking to see him go down.”
Without Mutin, UH’s defense held the Tigers to one touchdown and a pair of field goals. In the fourth quarter, UH forced two punts, made a fourthdown stop, and ended the game with Marcus Jones’ second interception of the night.
“The rest of the game was for him,” defensive end Derek Parish said. “He’s one of the leaders of the defense. I shed a tear for him. I prayed for him. I played for him.”
Freshman RB McCaskill OK after stinger
Freshman running back Alton McCaskill left late in the first half with an injury and did not return.
“X rays are clean,” Holgorsen said. “Stinger.”
Before the injury, McCaskill scored on a 36yard run, his 15th rushing touchdown of the season to tie Jackie Battle for second on the school’s singleseason list. Greg Ward Jr. had 21 in 2015.
Holgorsen said McCaskill will “probably be ready to play next week” against Connecticut.
‘Sack Ave.’ rent due for D-lineman Parish
Derek Parish walked into the post-game news conference carrying the “Sack Ave.” street sign, the nickname given to UH’s defensive line.
Parish had 1.5 sacks against Memphis, increasing his team-best total to 5.5.
“Had to pay the rent or move off the block,” Parish joked.
2021 team joins 2011 counterparts
At 8-0 in the American Athletic Conference, the Cougars became just the second UH squad to go undefeated in conference play. The only other time in the school’s 75-year history (which included a brief stint as an independent) was the Case Keenum-led 2011 team that went 8-0 in Conference USA.
“I wanted this team to experience an undefeated conference slate, and we did it,” Holgorsen said.