Why now:Arkansas Razorbacks player Raheim Sanders left the team
The Rocket Sanders deal at Arkansas is beginning to resemble Rakeem Boyd 2.0.
Rocket Sanders, an Arkansas running back, had a realistic, if challenging, chance to rank among the top three in Razorbacks history at the position at the beginning of the 2023 season. Coming into the fall, the junior had already been named a preseason All-American after rushing for over 1,300 yards as a sophomore. If Arkansas could complete another 1,000-yard season, it would rank fifth all-time.
Instead, head coach Sam Pittman stated he was not sure if his star back would return this season, so Sanders will probably have a 100-yard season as a junior.After suffering a knee injury in the team’s season opener, Sanders was sidelined for two games before playing again.
“I’m not sure. Pittman responded, “I really don’t,” when questioned regarding Sanders’ schedule. He will not be playing on Saturday. Really, I have no idea. All that matters is how he feels and how his rehabilitation goes.
Sanders’ predicament reminds me of Rakeem Boyd’s. As a running back in 2020, Boyd was Arkansas’ only preseason All-SEC selection. He had just finished a season in which he had gained over 1,100 yards of rushing touchdowns, but he had missed several games due to a lower leg injury before essentially choosing not to play in the team’s final three regular season games and its postseason, which was never held due to COVID-19.
Boyd announced his intention to enter the NFL Draft in December 2020, and Sanders could
AJ Green, who has only 239 yards this season, is Arkansas’ top rusher. In the modern era, Broderick Green’s 443 yards in 2009 was the fewest yards ever had by an Arkansas leading rusher in a season.
Rocket Sanders of Arkansas football will not play against Missouri due to a torn labrum.
DAYTEVILLE, ArkansasWithout two of its best running backs, including a school legend who might have played his final game for the Razorbacks, Arkansas football will play Missouri on Friday in its last game of the 2023 campaign.
Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman revealed at his press conference on Monday that Rashid Dubinion tore his meniscus and Heim Sanders suffered a torn labrum during the team’s 44-20 victory over FIU on Saturday. In the first quarter of the match, both players left the field.
In the previous Arkansas game against Auburn, Sanders was also forced to leave the game; however, he did come back in the second half.
Sanders’ campaign has been surprisingly difficult; he has struggled with a knee injury and has only had one game with more than 100 rushing yards. Sanders has 209 rushing yards this season, despite averaging just 3.4 yards per carry.
With 1,443 rushing yards in 2022, Sanders ranked second in the SEC and 13th nationally. It is the fourth-most by a Razorback in history. Additionally, he was one of only 20 FBS players to average 100 yards of rushing per contest.
This season, Rashod Dubinion has accumulated 260 rushing yards on 82 carries.
With 101 yards of rushes on 14 carries against the Panthers, rookie Isaiah Augustave took up the majority of the slack. On Monday, Augustave was selected as the SEC Freshman of the Week.
Patrick Kutas and Jaylon Braxton did not play in the FIU game, but they practiced on Sunday and are doubtful for the Razorbacks’ matchup with Missouri.
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