Re’Shaun Sanford II’s comeback story at Houston keeps adding chapters, and the latest one came in the Cougars’ 241-yard rushing explosion against Cincinnati.
That total set a program record for a Big 12 game, and Sanford was right in the middle of it. The redshirt junior ripped off a career-best 126 yards on 15 carries and scored once, with a 51-yard touchdown run serving as the signature play of the afternoon.
“The o-line and wide receivers did a really good job of getting me to the third level all day so I knew it was going to come eventually," Sanford said. "New play mentally, just keep churning away at the small runs and being able to break through; I just knew it was going to come.”
It was the second 100-yard game of Sanford’s career, and both have come this season. He averaged 8.4 yards per carry, the best mark by a Houston player with at least 15 carries since Patrick Carr averaged 8.7 against North Texas in 2019. It was also the first time a Cougar had done that in a conference game since Greg Ward Jr. against Tulsa in 2015.
For the week, Sanford was named Comeback Player of the Week. He had already landed on the Comeback Player of the Year Midseason Watch List earlier in November, where he is one of 38 players and one of only two from the Big 12.
The production is impressive on its own, but the backstory makes it stand out even more. Sanford, listed at 5-foot-9 and 190 pounds, has dealt with major knee injuries at every turn. He tore the ACL in his right knee in fall camp before his freshman year, then suffered a torn ACL in his left knee in fall camp before his redshirt sophomore season.
“We’re really proud of him. He’s worked extremely hard," coach Willie Fritz said in his weekly press conference. "He deserves any accolades he gets.”
Fritz also pointed to the people around Sanford, including the late Kurt Hester, Bennie Wylie and position coach Jordy Joseph, for helping him get back to this level.
His teammates have seen the work up close. Redshirt sophomore center Anthony Boswell put it plainly: “Re’Shaun’s a dog.
He puts the work in, that’s a story right there. The way he practices, that just motivates us on the line to block for him even harder.
Blessed to be blocking for that guy,”
Sanford’s role has grown all season, but it was especially clear against Cincinnati after a quiet outing at Utah, where he had just three carries for seven yards. Fritz said Sanford needed more touches, and against Cincinnati he looked like a back ready to break one loose all day.
“He almost had a couple in the first half. He did a good job of hitting it clean and sprinting between the two guys," Fritz said.
Houston’s ground game has been a major reason the Cougars are 7-2, and Sanford’s emergence has turned the backfield into a true one-two punch with senior Makhi Hughes. Hughes was expected to lead the way entering the season, but Sanford has become a major piece of the offense.
“He’s made me so much better than I was last year and especially coming off of injury, he’s pushed me to be the best I can be," Sanford said.
The Harker Heights, Texas native has put together the best season of his career, with 573 rushing yards on 102 carries and three touchdowns. He has also added 138 receiving yards on 11 catches.
Sanford said the people around him have kept him going through it all.
“They pour so much into me it gives me a lot of hope and confidence in myself," Sanford said. "“It’s a blessing. Anything can be taken away in a blink of an eye, so you really do cherish it whenever you’re away from it.”
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Colorado Faces Another Tough Home Test Against A Surging Houston Offense
Houston heads into another Big 12 road test with momentum and a quarterback playing cleaner football than he did a year ago. The No. 17 Cougars have built a 7-2 record and sit 4-2 in conference play, and Connor Weigman has been a big part of that rise with sharper passing numbers and fewer interceptions as the season has worn on.
Colorado, meanwhile, is trying to steady itself at 3-6 overall and 1-5 in league play, which makes this matchup feel like another measuring stick for a Houston team trying to stay in the conference race. The Cougars have already shown they can travel with confidence, but this one still carries the kind of challenge that can expose a team if the offense is a step off its usual pace. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado Recruiting Buzz Suddenly Centers On Deion Sanders Future
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Even with that buzz, the recruiting picture around Colorados next game has been quieter than the online chatter suggests. No recruits are expected to visit for the Houston matchup, and Jones has indicated that the staff around Sanders is expected to stay in place after the season, a detail that matters as much to future prospects as any social media post. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado Suddenly Has A Special Teams Problem Before Houston
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Daniel Gerlach has stepped in at placekicker, but Colorado is still sorting out who will handle kickoff duties, leaving one more layer of uncertainty for a unit that needs to be steady against the Cougars. For a team trying to keep its special teams from becoming a liability, the timing is less than ideal, especially with Houston waiting and every hidden-yardage play likely to loom large. [Read more 🡒]