TAMPA, Fla. -- A gruesome leg injury in Texas A&M's spring game looked like it could be the end of Daymion Sanford's season, but head coach Mike Elko confirmed Wednesday that his senior linebacker would be ready -- likely sooner than later.
"We're very hopeful it'll be early," Elko said. "It's just too early to put a complete timetable on it yet."
Sanford was an attendee at SEC media days Wednesday, a rarity for a player recovering from an injury, but Elko said the choice was a no-brainer for a player who had proved to be a critical leader and who was voted captain.
Near the end of the second quarter of the Aggies' spring game, Sanford went down with what was described as a lower leg injury. He was carted off the field, and his immediate thought was that his season was done, he said.
"It was crazy," Sanford said. "It was the worst pain of my life, and seeing everyone running away from me when my leg was sideways. ... But I got to the doctor's office, and they told me it wasn't season-ending."
Sanford said he's well into his rehab work, rebuilding flexibility and strength in his ankle, and while he's unsure if he'll be ready for Week 1, he said he hasn't ruled that out.
Sanford's early return would be a massive boost for Texas A&M's defense. He finished last season with 57 tackles -- 9.5 for a loss -- along with 3.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and an interception on one of the most stifling defenses in the country. Sanford is a critical holdover on the linebacking corps, however, with Taurean York and Scooby Williams, last year's other key contributors, now gone.
"He's played a lot of football," Elko said. "It'd be great to have him back. And we will have him back."
