KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- Western Michigan junior running back Davon Tucker was taken off the field on a stretcher after suffering an upper-body injury blocking on a kickoff return Friday against Syracuse, but he was walking around the locker room after the game.
He was the second college football player taken off the field on a stretcher after a kickoff play on opening week.
Tucker appeared to injure his head or neck when he lowered his head for a collision in the first quarter while blocking for the return.
Kristin Keirns, a spokesperson for Western Michigan, said Tucker was responsive and spoke to coach Tim Lester and medical officials while being treated on the field for several minutes. He raised his arms as he was being taken off the field.
"When I went out to check on him I feared the worst, but when he talked to me, with his face mask still buried in the turf, I could sense the smile and that he was OK,'' Lester said. "I told the guys in the huddle that Tuck was being Tuck and they were super relieved."
Tucker was taken to Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo, Keirns said. He was later released.
On Thursday, Aaron Robinson of Central Florida was injured on the opening kickoff against UConn and was taken off the field on a stretcher.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.