Mario Pender Injury: Updates on FSU RB's Recovery After Suffering Collapsed Lung

Florida State running back Mario Pender was released from the hospital on Oct. 8 after being admitted on Sept. 22 with a collapsed lung, per Brendan Sonnone of the Orlando Sentinel, who noted Pender lost 18 pounds while hospitalized.

Continue for updates.

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Pender Begins Rehab 

Thursday, Oct. 22

For the first time since September, Ponder was on the Seminoles practice field today, and Safid Deen of tallahassee.com reported he took "several" laps on the field and engaged in individual workouts. 

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Fisher Comments on Pender

Thursday, Oct. 22

Coach Jimbo Fisher believes "there's a chance" Ponder will be able to play again in 2-to-3 weeks, per Deen. 

"I'm not a doctor, but his lung was fine, but it still had just a little bit it needed to inflate back to, and [doctors] were waiting for that to fill up,"Fisher said on Sept. 28, prior to Pender's release from the hospital, via Jared Shanker of ESPN.com.

According to Gene Williams of Warchant.com on Sept. 23, Pender suffered the injury after colliding with an offensive lineman during Tuesday's practice. He was taken to the hospital after having trouble breathing, and doctors restored the lung to "near full capacity."    

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How Pender's Absence Will Impact Seminoles

Pender, a junior, rushed for 140 yards and a touchdown on 30 carries in the first three weeks of the season. He had 92 yards and a score in Week 1's victory over Texas State but took a backseat his last two games to Dalvin Cook, who has taken over as the feature back for the team.

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