At one point this preseason, Vanderbilt coach Robbie Caldwell wasn’t sure if he’d have any of his top three running backs available for Saturday’s opener against Northwestern.

However, Warren Norman’s return to the practice field this week has brightened his outlook considerably.

Norman, the SEC’s Freshman of the Year last season, underwent arthroscopic surgery less than two weeks ago to clean up his right knee. But he’s given teammates and coaches hope that he can possibly play this weekend with the way he’s moved and cut on the knee this week.

“You know how young people are,” Caldwell said. “He says he’s going to be ready. Of course, we’ll make a game-time decision. We don’t want him to get out there and cause any further harm to himself. He’s eight days removed from being scoped.”

Getting Norman back would be equally big in the kicking game. He returned three kickoffs for touchdowns last season.

And even if he can just give the Commodores a handful of carries, that would be helpful.

Fellow sophomore Zac Stacy is getting closer to full speed after spraining his MCL earlier this preseason.

“He’s starting to look like his old self,” Caldwell said.

The third member of the Commodores’ three-pronged rushing attack is redshirt freshman Wesley Tate, who aggravated a broken bone in his foot and missed just about the entire preseason.

But Caldwell said Tate took some reps this week in practice for the first time.

“He’s got a chance of making it, too, but they’re all there on ice so to speak,” Caldwell said.

The Commodores never really had Norman and Stacy together and healthy last season at the same time. Stacy went down with an ankle injury about the time Norman got going. They still combined for 1,261 yards rushing.

With all the injuries in the backfield, senior Kennard Reeves has gotten most of the carries this preseason and will be available Saturday.