He's on course to be': Texas A&M HC says star LB on track for season opener

Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko gave a major update on the status of linebacker Daymion Sanford during Tuesday's media availability.

Sanford suffered a gruesome leg injury during Texas A&M's annual Maroon & White Game, which appeared to end his season before it ever began. Elko confirmed during SEC Media Days in Tampa, Florida, that Sanford would return sooner rather than later, but no exact timeline had been provided until Tuesday's fall camp preview.

According to Elko, Sanford has progressed enough to participate in fall camp and is on track to be available for the Aggies ' season opener against Missouri State on Saturday, Sept. 5.

"There are natural football build-up limitations that happen to guys that are recovering from injuries, so he's not going to go out there and take 82 reps in practice one," Elko said. "We'll see how camp goes. There's still probably some markers and some steps that he's got to go through, but he's on course to be (ready for the season-opener)."

Sanford's return to the gridiron will be a major boost for Texas A&M's defense entering the 2026 season. He finished 2025 with 57 total tackles, 9.5 tackles for a loss, 3.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and one interception. The Katy, Texas, native took a significant step forward in Elko's defensive system, developing into one of the Aggies' top defensive playmakers. Had he not suffered the injury during the spring game, Sanford likely would have been a preseason All-SEC selection.

Elko reiterated that Sanford, like any athlete recovering from an injury, still has milestones to reach before returning to full strength, but his speedy recovery has kept him on track to be available for the start of the regular season.

This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: 'He's on course to be': Texas A&M HC says star LB on track for season opener

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