Sam Pittman has no update on Rocket Sanders' status for Texas A&M game
Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman did not have an update on Raheim “Rocket” Sanders during his Monday press conference. Sanders has not played since the first game of the season.
“I wish I had knew,” Pittman said. “We’re gonna find out a little bit more today at practice. Obviously ran and did some things last week but it wasn’t stop and starts and things of that nature. As of right now, we’s gonna do some things today as much as you possibly can do and hopefully it goes well. We need him but to say he’s gonna play or not play right now and this has nothing to do with A&M or who knows. I really don’t know right now.”
The Razorbacks play Texas A&M this week in Arlington, Texas, at AT&T Stadium in a neutral site game. Last year, Sanders had 70 yards on 17 games versus the Aggies in a game Texas A&M won 23-21.
Sanders suffered a knee injury in the season opener versus Western Carolina. He rushed for 42 yards and two scores on 15 carries in the 56-13 win over the Catamounts.
Pittman’s last update on Sanders had been prior to this past weekend’s game versus LSU on the SEC coaches teleconference call on Wednesday.
“I don’t have an update on his status. But I can tell that he’s ran really well. Ran well yesterday and is progressing faster than what I thought he might. But I don’t know whether he’ll be able to play or not,” Pittman said.
Rocket Sanders was looking to build upon great 2022 prior to injury
Rocket Sanders was one of the top running backs in the country in 2022. He ran the ball 222 times for 1,443 yards and 10 touchdowns during the season, for which he was named to the All-SEC first team. Sanders also caught 28 passes for 271 yards and two touchdowns.
Expectations were high for the junior running back coming into the season, along with the Razorbacks as a whole. But they’ve slumped to 2-2 over the first month of the year without Sanders.
The offense has been able to put up points, scoring 31 points the last two weeks, but Arkansas hasn’t been able to win either game. BYU won two weekends ago and LSU won this past weekend.
Rashod Dubinion has been earning a fair amount of the carries with Sanders on the sideline. He finished the game versus the Tigers with 15 carries for 78 yards.