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"The only difference is I know the system more [than a typical fresh- man]. I'm like a freshman on the field, but I'm like an early enrollee because I know the system," he said. "I'm very excited because now that I got a chance to learn the defense, I think it's going to help me in the longer run." The injury came on a non-contact play, one Crawford says he has made "probably 100 times before in the past." "It was just a freak accident, but it allowed me to get stronger and bigger and smarter for this coming season," he said. He returned to the practice field this spring and earned the praise of his coaches and teammates, though he admitted he had to get over a mental hurdle of sorts at the beginning. "The first practice back I was really nervous and a little slow with my movements," he said. "Once one-on- ones came and team seven-on-sevens came, I was like, 'I'm not going to hold back.' "I'm a competitor, so I want to compete. When we got into team scrimmage, I actually got a knee to my knee and I went down. I thought, 'Oh my God, not this again.' But I was perfectly fine. "It helped me because I knew my knee was strong again and I can go full-go. My knee is perfect. The train- ing staff did a really good job, and I trust them and I trust all the work I've put in. I'm very confident now." He has settled back into the nickel back role seamlessly, and it's diffi- cult to observe even a few periods of spring practice without seeing Crawford making a play here or BY ANDREW OWENS A fter his 2015 season was wiped out by a torn ACL during fall camp, sophomore cornerback Shaun Crawford views 2016 as a sort of freshman season do-over. Named the starting nickel back in his first months on campus just weeks before the season was set to kick off against Texas, Crawford was kept off the field the entire season because of the injury, but he focused on using it as a learning experience.