Why ex-Alabama top recruit Trey Sanders is positioned to add positive next chapter to college career at TCU

It’s been 55 months since Trey Sanders made that bold prediction, the one he confidently shared in front of a national audience on ESPNU following his commitment to Nick Saban and Alabama.

“As a freshman, I do plan on winning the Heisman and nothing less,” Sanders said. “If I come short, I will be a finalist. I will be in New York. Looking forward to it.”

That was back in December 2018.

Back before a significant fall camp foot injury that caused Sanders to miss his whole freshman season.

And back before a serious car accident that then derailed a promising second year in Tuscaloosa.

Instead of a 2019 Heisman run or reaching other more realistic goals at Alabama, Sanders’ time as a college player has been defined by those two unfortunate situations.

For now.

After the challenging four-year run with the Tide that Sanders ended with just 528 career rushing yards, the Class of 2019 five-star recruit quietly appears set for a career resurgence with defending national runner-up TCU.

Sanders joined the Horned Frogs earlier this year after departing Alabama as a graduate transfer. His spring ended on such a positive note that Sanders has a shot to be TCU’s starting running back — and maybe more.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up being Big 12 newcomer of the year,” a TCU source told On3.

After losing its top two running backs from last year, including New Orleans Saints third-round draft pick Kendre Miller, TCU entered the offseason looking to add a bigger, older running back via the NCAA transfer portal. It ended up being Sanders, who has been competing with others such as junior Emani Bailey to replace Miller as the Horned Frogs’ starting running back.

Sanders may be the lead contender coming out of spring practice. 

In addition to being a physical, downhill runner, Sanders has also flashed to the TCU staff the ability to catch the ball out of backfield. Even more so, the Florida native has continued to impress people internally at TCU and garner rave reviews based on his approach and work ethic to go along with the way he’s quickly emerged as a respected leader inside the Horned Frogs’ locker room.

“He’s eager, his effort has been really good and there’s a mature approach about him,” TCU head coach Sonny Dykes told local reporters during the spring. “He has that professional mentality.”

Regardless of who starts, Sanders and Bailey seem to both be in line to be factors within the Horned Frogs’ running game.

Unlike last year when Miller and backup Emari Demercado were both considered to be more “thunder-like runners,” the Horned Frogs believe they may now have even more of a true “thunder and lightning” combination with players like the 6-foot, 215-pound Sanders and the explosive Bailey, who led the Big 12 with an average of 8.1 yards per carry last season.

Sanders could bring some of that explosiveness, too. He mentioned that during a spring media session in response to a question about an area of his game that people haven’t seen yet.

“My explosiveness,” he said. “I haven’t shown my explosiveness since my sophomore year (in 2020), but I’m very excited for (this season)… and really get to show people what I’m capable of this year.”

It all started to come together for Sanders after a somewhat slow beginning part of spring practice.

Word is that Sanders got more comfortable with TCU’s playbook, became noticeably more relaxed and comfortable and had a strong handful of practices leading up to the Horned Frogs’ spring game, which served as even more of a breakout performance for him to people around the TCU program.

That showing, which featured two Sanders touchdowns, added to the optimism at TCU that the former top recruit will soon be able to add a more positive next chapter to his college career.