AUSTIN, Texas — Texas offensive lineman Patrick Hudson is retiring from football, coach Tom Herman said on Monday.
Hudson, who signed with the Longhorns in 2016, was hospitalized in September after a heat illness suffered during a practice and did not play for the remainder of the 2018 season.
“He’s going to remain part of our program,” Herman said Monday, following the Longhorns’ first spring practice of 2019, noting that Hudson will move into a player development role within the program and will also assist team trainers during practices.
Hudson was an Under Armour All-American coming out of Silsbee (Texas) High and was the No. 56 overall recruit in the 2016 ESPN 300. He spent three years with the Longhorns, redshirting in 2016 and playing in two games in 2017 before an injury cut his season short. Hudson suffered season-ending foot and knee injuries during his Texas career, Herman said.
Herman also noted that freshman defensive tackle Keondre Coburn is currently out while dealing with “kidney issues.” Herman said the team “is still waiting on [test] results to get him cleared,” but the prognosis is good.
Coburn, the No. 47 overall prospect in the 2018 ESPN 300, played in three games in 2018, preserving his redshirt status headed into 2019. He had two tackles in his limited action, which included games against West Virginia and the Longhorns’ Allstate Sugar Bowl win over Georgia.
The Longhorns are coming off a 10-4 season, their first double digit-win year since 2009, and finished the year at No. 9 in the AP poll. Texas concludes spring football with its annual spring game on April 13.