Looking back now, almost eight months after suffering the knee injury that sidelined him for all but two games last season, Aaron Crawford acknowledges that the injury could've been worse.
But at the time, that meant little to the North Carolina defensive tackle.
It was during an August practice when Crawford, trying to shed a block as he ran across the Kenan Stadium field, said his left foot got caught in some of the sand that was being used to level the surface. His momentum carried him forward. But his foot stayed planted. And before long, he was being carted off the field.