The baby steps began last spring, when Denzel Conyers was able to get back onto the football field for light individual workouts six months after undergoing surgery to repair a torn ACL.
Buoyed by the news that the NCAA had granted the fifth-year Maryland senior a sixth year of eligibility, Conyers turned his focus toward getting cleared for full contact once the Terps started preseason practice earlier this month.
When that happened, the 6-foot-3, 215-pound safety wanted to show second-year head coach DJ Durkin he was ready to regain the starting role he had won before getting injured at Central Florida in the third game last season.