:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65943104/peter_mpagi.0.jpeg)
AUSTIN, Texas — During Wednesday’s Early Signing Day press conference, head coach Tom Herman revealed surprising news about the health issues of Texas Longhorns freshman defensive end Peter Mpagi, who has been hospitalized multiple times as a result of undisclosed heart issues.
“Peter was released from the hospital either yesterday or the day before,” Herman said. “He’s going to go back to Houston and recover. He’s on some different medications than the first time he was hospitalized.”
It was the first public news about Mpagi’s battle with health issues. Understandably, Herman said that the program is focused at the moment on Mpagi’s long-term health rather than whether he’ll be able to continue playing football.
“Long term that’s so far removed from our thoughts right now being the severity of his heart issue,” Herman said. “We’ll see. The plan is for him to be back, at least in classes, in the spring semester.”
The 6’5, 260-pounder signed last December as a member of the 2019 recruiting class and spent this season redshirting. A consensus three-star prospect, Mpagi was ranked as the No. 628 prospect nationally and the No. No. weak-side defensive end, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.