Re’Shaun Sanford II’s 700-day race back to the end zone

As junior Re’Shaun Sanford II looked toward the corner of the field in the second quarter of Houston’s win over Oregon State, he saw a one-on-one matchup waiting.

“As a good running back, you can’t let the first person tackle you.”

Sanford refused to let the defender bring him down. He had waited more than 700 days for this moment.

“I saw a whole lot of green grass and just started running,” he said.

As he broke into the open field, Sanford glanced up at the video board to see if anyone was trailing behind him.

“I just kept running.”

Fifty-four yards, to be exact.

“It was a burst of excitement.”

For the first time since October 2024, Sanford reached the end zone.

It was more than just a touchdown. It was the culmination of a long road back after tearing both of his ACLs and spending two seasons away from the game he loved.

“It’s an amazing feeling,” Sanford said. “When you miss a year of anything that you love doing, you really do realize how much more you love doing it in the time off.”

Ahead of his freshman season, Sanford tore his right ACL. Then, a week before the 2025 season, he tore his left.

“It feels like it was nothing new this go-around,” he said. “Just put in the work and you know you will come back eventually. So how prepared will you be when you do come back?”

On the eve of the season opener against Oregon State, the players watched a Kobe Bryant video about how preparation builds confidence.

Sanford could relate. He had never dedicated himself so fully to preparation before.

“I prepared in my rehab, and it allowed me to have confidence in my cuts. My preparation in the weight room allowed me to have confidence in getting hit. I built my body up for the last 365 days to be able to withstand it.”

Still, when Sanford stepped onto the field for the first time, he admitted there was some uncertainty.

“When you are coming back from an injury that took you out, and you haven’t got to play in a long time, it’s just, what is the first hit going to feel like? Or can I make this cut like I used to?”

But as Sanford raced toward the end zone, those worries slipped away.

Coach Willie Fritz, who arrived in Houston as Sanford was recovering from his first surgery, sometimes can’t even comprehend the adversity he has faced.

“Sometimes I forget that he’s had two serious injuries because he’s got a really good attitude about everything,” Fritz said.

Sanford doesn’t plan to put that positivity on the back burner anytime soon.

“I definitely believe that infectious energy, like good energy, can be fed off of,” Sanford said. “I mean, negative energy can be fed off of too, but what good is that? Even when things may be bad, you have to pump your teammates’ tires. If I am being positive, that can feed off to the next man… I believe momentum is real.”

Now, Sanford’s focus has transitioned to what he can do with the opportunities in front of him.

“You can’t get too complacent; you just have to keep working.”