Very sad case and part of a wider discussion about the true risks of the game and how to make it safer, particularly for athletes who may have a susceptibility to CTE.
Ploetz played for the Longhorns from 1968-1971 and was an All-Southwest Conference DL performer for those elite Longhorn teams despite being undersized; he was a favorite of that Longhorn coaching staff for his effort and fight.
This was the first CTE case brought against the NCAA that has reached this stage of the process and the settlement could have far reaching impacts on future precedent and the game itself.