Sam Pittman provides hopeful update on Raheim 'Rocket' Sanders' availability vs. Texas A&M

Arkansas has been vying to get star running back Raheim “Rocket” Sanders back in the lineup for the first time since a knee injury cropped up following the Razorbacks’ season opener. He’s as close as he’s ever been to getting back as Arkansas is set to face Texas A&M in a rivalry matchup.

Speaking on the SEC coaches teleconference on Wednesday, Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman shared that he’s optimistic about Sanders and that the running back is looking better than he has at any point since his injury. Whether Sanders plays this weekend, though, is still undecided.

“Well I’m as confident as I’ve been since the Western Carolina game. I would be lying to you if I told you that I’m sure he’s going to play. I feel better about his opportunity to play, but we still have to see how he recovered from yesterday’s limited reps that he participated in and go from there. But, he — this week I thought he was further ahead on Monday than what I thought he would be. Didn’t swell up too bad on him yesterday,” Pittman said.

Sanders has been dealing with pronounced swelling in his knee since the Sunday following a season-opening win for Arkansas. He has not played since.

Pittman added that the reps will decrease for Sanders late in the week as the coaches and trainers work to mitigate swelling in Sanders’ knee ahead of a potential return.

“We’ll give him a little less reps today and then see where he’s at on Thursday. But, we’re obviously hoping he can play,” Pittman said.

Throughout the whole process, the head coach has been impressed with how Sanders — Arkansas’ premiere offensive weapon — has handled being out.

“He’s a much better person than he is even a football player. Very mature. Wants to play. Wants to be back. Wants to help his team. But he’s handled it professionally and if he can play, if he feels like he can play, we certainly will. And he’s one of those guys, you just ask him, ‘Hey are you ready to go?’ And if he says yes, then we’re going to play him. If he says ‘No, I don’t feel quite that way’ hen obviously we won’t,” Pittman said. “But he’s handled it professionally and been, really, a big part of practice even when he wasn’t able to participate as much as we’d like for him to.”