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Arkansas running back Rocket Sanders exits Liberty Bowl to locker room with quad injury

by: Austin Brezina12/28/22AustinBrezina59
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Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images

The Arkansas Razorbacks suffered a potential major loss in the first quarter of the Liberty Bowl, after Raheim ‘Rocket’ Sanders left with injury. Sanders appeared to have his leg rolled awkwardly during a tackle early in the game, and after spending some time in the injury tent he was seen leaving for the locker room for further treatment.

Rocket Sanders injured during Liberty Bowl

Sanders was the second-leading rusher in the SEC this season with 1,426 rushing yards and ten rushing touchdowns on the year as a sophomore. He added another 271 yards in the receiving game along with another two receiving touchdowns — making him the yards from scrimmage leader for the conference with 1,697 total yards.

Despite losing him early, the Razorbacks began to dominate the game early in all phases after forcing several turnovers in the first quarter. Arkansas took a 23-7 lead into the second quarter, well on their way to finish the season with a bowl win.

In a stroke of good news for the Arkansas fans, Sanders appeared to come out of the locker room with a better outlook on his injury as the first quarter ended. The star running back was back on the sideline before the commercial break, working out on the exercise bike.

Unfortunately for the Razorbacks, Sanders wasn’t the only offensive player injured early in the game as offensive lineman Ty’Kieast Crawford was injured on the first drive of the game. The injury was severe enough to where he was immediately carted to the locker room by medical personnel to be further evaluated. E’Marion Harris came into the game for the Hogs once he left the field.

Crawford was shaken up after Arkansas drilled a field goal to go up 3-0 with 11:12 remaining. The ESPN broadcast then showed a brief clip of him being stretchered to the locker room by medical personnel. It appeared that he injured his left ankle. Crawford spent some time in the medical tent, before eventually being placed on the stretcher and taken to the locker room.