Arkansas uncertain on Rocket Sanders' status due to knee swelling
Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman isn’t certain about the status of star running back Raheim “Rocket” Sanders for the next few weeks, he said on Wednesday on the SEC coaches teleconference. Sanders has been dealing with swelling in his knee since Sunday, Pittman said.
The injury likely occurred in Arkansas’ season-opening win over Western Carolina, Pittman said, but Sanders didn’t say anything bothered him until Sunday when the swelling occurred. His workload in the opener, 15 carries and a pair of receptions for 38 total yards and a pair of touchdowns, wasn’t particularly out of the ordinary.
“I don’t think it played any impact on him. I do believe that yes, that it happened during the game. Was a little bit of swelling on Sunday. Obviously didn’t say anything about it until Sunday when the swelling came up. But, it could’ve impacted him. But with him not saying anything until Sunday, I would assume that it didn’t and again, I don’t know exactly what’s going to happen with him at this moment. I think I’ll know more this afternoon,” Pittman said.
As of Wednesday, Pittman isn’t certain Sanders will be available for Week 2 or Week 3. Arkansas hosts Kent State and then BYU in the next two contests.
He also said running back Rashod Dubinion is back in practice and should be ready to go.
“Rocket, we still — he’s got a little bit of swelling on his knee so we’re waiting to see exactly what that is. He’s getting looked at. He got looked at yesterday. Getting looked at today and we’re not positive where that will go at this point. I think I’ll know a little bit more maybe even by our two o’clock meeting this afternoon. But R-Dub is healthy, ready to go. Rocket, we’re still waiting to find out exactly where he’ll be for this week or even the next week,” Pittman said.
Another Arkansas player is back with the team, Pittman said
Arkansas cornerback Kee’yon Stewart missed the season opener on Saturday after being arrested for reckless driving. Pittman revealed Monday that he is now back with the team, but not exactly when he’ll return to the field.
According to Pittman, Stewart still has to complete some community service hours before being cleared to play. That puts his status in doubt as Arkansas awaits a matchup against Kent State in Week 2.
“He’s back,” Pittman said. “He’s got five events that he needs to go to community service-wise and things of that nature. Obviously, he wasn’t at the game. We suspended him for Saturday’s game. But he’s back on the team.”
Stewart was arrested on Friday at 9:36 a.m. after policed clocked him driving at 126 miles per hour in a zone where the speed limit was 70 miles per hour. He was booked into the Washington County Detention Center and released later that evening on a $385 bond.