'He's about there': Marquel Blackwell speaks to Rocket Sanders' progression throughout summer
As each day passes, Rocket Sanders moves closer to donning the Garnet and Black for the first time.
It’s been a long process for Sanders since coming to South Carolina earlier this year. He missed all of the spring while recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. But by staying back in Columbia and continuing to work this summer, he looks to be on track to make a return for the season opener.
“I think he’s just focused on just getting there. He’s committed himself,” running backs coach Marquel Blackwell told GamecockCentral. “Obviously, we’ve had a great group of people that has committed themselves to him, but he’s committed himself to being ready to go. I think right now from then to now, he’s just ready to get going and see the work that he’s put in.”
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Even during the downtime of the summer, like when players had time off during May, Sanders stayed back and kept working out to get 100 percent healthy. And that has remained a constant this entire summer. Blackwell said the senior running back has been getting to the football facility anywhere between 5 to 6 a.m. every day.
“The guy was the first guy in the building, the last one to pretty much leave the building. He was there on weekends,” Blackwell said. “That’s attribute to him being a pro and being an example for everybody else in the world, and showing his commitment to what he’s really trying to do.”
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When healthy, Sanders has proven he can be one of the top running backs in the country. In 2022, he ran for 1,443 yards and 10 touchdowns at Arkansas. He couldn’t repeat that same type of success last season, mainly due to being hampered by injuries. He only played in six games and rushed for 209 yards and two touchdowns on 62 carries.
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A big part of returning to his old form has been slimming down some. Last year at Arkansas, he clocked in at 242 pounds. Now, he’s down to 228 pounds. Head coach Shane Beamer said Sanders has lost six percent of his body fat since February. Blackwell has noticed this as well in seeing him work.
“Obviously, he’s been getting himself in a weight where he dominated at when he was in his rare form,” Blackwell said. “So I’m really excited about him. I’ve been on the other sideline and saw him play on two different occasions. But just looking forward to getting him back to where he is. He’s about there and just want to make sure we get him there to the first game.”
