It's deja vu all over again for RB

Joe Sandberg has been something of a football vagabond.

Sandberg originally decided to attend Penn. He transferred to Rutgers for his sophomore year and is now back with the Quakers for his junior year.

Sandberg left Penn after his sophomore year for personal and family issues. He decided to attend Rutgers because it would be closer to his Oradell, N.J., home and it made financial sense to his family.

Once those family issues cleared up, he decided to re-enroll at Penn. Given that he left the team once, he is especially thankful that he can return.

When commenting on coach Al Bagnoli's willingness to accept him back onto the team, Sandberg said he is "grateful for the opportunity."

Though Sandberg never carried the ball for the Scarlet Knights, he did learn from his experience at Rutgers.

In fact, Sandberg has yet to play an official collegiate down. Despite his inexperience, he is ranked second on the running back depth chart for the Quakers. Sandberg is one of four talented rushers for Penn.

Rutgers helped Sandberg develop the mental maturity to play Division I football. Despite the fact that they play at a higher level and in a larger conference, football is still the same.

"It's a bigger scene," Sandberg said. "But you got to compete."

Now that Sandberg is back he is willing to help the team out in any way he can.

"Whatever they throw at me, I'm ready for it," Sandberg said.

When deciding to re-enroll, Sandberg worried about his teammates accepting him. However, those fears were quickly alleviated.

"Coming back, Coach told me it might be tough," Sandberg said. Nevertheless, "the team accepted me. [I'm] grateful for the opportunities my teammates are giving me."

One player who has especially helped Sandberg transition back to Penn is senior running back Sam Mathews. Mathews himself entered Penn as a transfer after attending Navy.

Sandberg will join Mathews in a backfield that also features senior Kyle Ambrogi and junior Von Bryant competing for playing time.

Steven Downs, the Penn running backs coach, is thrilled to have Sandberg back. Downs is entering his seventh year with the program and quickly befriended Sandberg when he was a freshman.

Yet Downs is more excited for what Sandberg can add to the team.

"He is just a good addition for us in general," Downs said. "As far as what he can bring to the team, he is a great athlete, a great running back."

Downs emphasizes Sandberg's athletic ability. In high school, Sandberg was a two-sport athlete at Bergen Catholic High in Northern New Jersey. He lettered four times in basketball and three times in football, and he was recruited by Division I schools for both sports.

That athleticism was especially evident in Penn's preseason scrimmage against Widener. Sandberg began his collegiate highlight reel with a 30-yard run and a tremendous one-handed catch in the end zone.

"He brings a good amount of athletic ability to our backfield," Downs said. "He is able to catch the ball and run the ball."

Sandberg is excited to play. Now that he no longer has to prove that he has good character, he just wants to get on the field.

In the meantime, he will watch the other three running backs and learn.

"We have our specialties and feed off each other," he said.

If Downs' assessment is right, Penn has made a great addition in bringing Sandberg back to the squad.

"He is just a natural," Downs said.

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