Nov. 18, 2003

Editor's Note: This feature ran in the Nov. 15 edition of the Mizzou football gameday program.

by Sara Hunninghake

Steven Sanchez is a big believer in second chances.

Peel back a few layers in his past, and you'll figure out why.

For the athlete who started his career at a premier college football program, then watched as the opportunity slipped out of his grasp, to be playing at Missouri represents one of the biggest second chances of his life.

Don't think Sanchez is going to let this one go as easily.

A native of Visalia, Calif., Sanchez started his college football career towards the top of the ladder - earning a scholarship at UCLA, a top-25 team at the time. The Bruins were coming off a stellar season, having played in the Rose Bowl the year before.

In a way, Sanchez was living out his dream. His uncle had played at UCLA back in the day before going on to the pros, and Sanchez's goal was to follow in his role model's footsteps. He redshirted his first year, then was on the traveling squad as a redshirt freshman, the same year the Bruins went to the Sun Bowl.

Then came the news that changed everything. Upon returning from Christmas break in January of 2001, Sanchez found out he had been dismissed from school because of his grades.

That car ride home from Los Angeles is one Sanchez won't soon forget.

"I remember the look on my dad's face as we were driving away from the UCLA campus. It broke my heart," he said. "To think that I was disappointing my friends and family was the worst feeling ever."

Sanchez contacted a few other schools about transferring, but at that point, his poor grades limited his opportunities. He toyed with the idea of giving up football. Finally, instead of quitting altogether, Sanchez returned to his hometown, enrolled in the local junior college and started playing football again.

The bottom of the ladder.

Enter into the picture Mizzou - one of the only big schools to pursue Sanchez, who at the time was rated one of the best junior college offensive line prospects in the country. It might not have been LA, but at that point, anything was better than the small farm town of Visalia.

"I didn't care where the school was located," he said. "I just wanted to get a second chance to play at a Division I school. I knew Missouri was up-and-coming, and I thought it was a great situation."

Adjusting to the Missouri system took time. One of the biggest differences from junior college was the discipline of Coach Pinkel's system. Even though Sanchez considers himself a disciplined person, he had become accustomed to the more relaxed atmosphere at College of the Sequoias.

"At junior college, you can do your own thing," he said. "I didn't really even lift very consistently. I was just there playing."

Sanchez spent most of last season learning the offensive calls, blocking schemes and zone blitzes. He became comfortable towards the later part of the season when he started playing - at first, one series each half. Gradually, the number of series increased as his performance improved. Sanchez ended the season having playing in seven games, including each of the last five games of the year.

Sanchez came into the 2003 season knowing he would be competing with Scott Paffrath for the starting position at strong tackle. The plan was for Sanchez and Paffrath to rotate every two series. Whoever graded out higher each week would start the following game.

Paffrath got the nod until after the loss at Kansas at the end of September when the coaches told Sanchez he would get his first career start against Nebraska. Since then, he also started in the games against Oklahoma and Texas Tech.

"To get my first start against a great team - there's nothing more I could have asked for," Sanchez said. "I just hated that it was a late game. With it being my first start, before the game was the most nerve-wracking part. I wanted to get in there and get it over with. It was just a great overall experience. That ranks up there at the top of the list."

Ask Sanchez if it's hard not being the starter every week, and he says it is at times. But in the next breath, he's quick to point out that it really doesn't matter. He and Paffrath play the same number of reps each game. And after all, he can't complain because the Missouri coaches have given him the opportunity to play once again.

Sanchez certainly has embraced his second chance, and it's easy to see how much more comfortable he is in the Missouri program.

For one thing, he has taken steps to make sure there is no repeat of the academic debacle that changed everything in the first place. He is clear in saying his first goal is to graduate from college, a feat no one in his family has accomplished.

Making the transition from his hometown to Columbia has also been much smoother than the transition to Los Angeles was back in 1999. The college-town atmosphere is one Sanchez could more easily adapt to because it mirrors his personality: laid back, relaxed and down to earth.

"I was a country boy in a big city, so I was kind of lost (in Los Angeles). I don't think I ever adjusted going to UCLA," he said. "Columbia is more of the city for me. The only thing different is this weather. I don't know about the weather. I've played in snow with the mountains, but I'd never lived in it."

Now, the sight of the thousands of cars lined up on Providence before home games gives Sanchez the chills. Hearing the roars of the crowd in Memorial Stadium and seeing his teammates pumped up gets Sanchez's blood flowing.

"I just love being in the game," he said. "I want to be in the spotlight and get out there and make plays. That's what motivates me a lot."

That, and the memory of being at the bottom of the ladder keeps him motivated.

Sanchez will be the first to tell you that the view at the top of that ladder is better than he could have ever expected. In that case, don't expect him to come down from there any time soon.