For a sixth year in a row, Elvis Fisher is back.

The redshirt senior left tackle is back on the grind of Missouri football practice. He’s back to wearing a white practice jersey, to running drills, stretching ligaments and serving his duties as a senior on the offensive line.

For perhaps the first time this school year, Elvis Fisher is back to being Elvis Fisher.

“I’m excited to be out here with the (starters) again,” he said. “I see the progress with my knee that I’m making. Every day is another step and it feels good.”

Fisher has been trying to get back to his old ways since Aug. 15, 2011, when [he ruptured a patellar tendon](https://www.themaneater.com/stories/2011/11/11/learning-fall-elvis-fishers-walk-disaster-recovery/) during a routine practice play. Days before the start of his senior season, the All-Big 12 Conference blindside protector’s final go at college ball was finished.

“It’s one of those things where you can’t take any play for granted,” Fisher said during his recovery process last season. “You just have to go out there and play football.”

It was then that Fisher adopted a role previously unbeknownst to him, assuming coaching responsibilities with his fellow offensive linemen. The change made an impact on sophomore tackle Justin Britt, who replaced Fisher at left tackle and used his coaching assistance throughout the season to grow as a player.

“Not everybody has the ability to have a mentor who has played the same position at the same university and recently had something like that happen,” Britt said last season. “Him being willing to help me, I mean, I’m grateful for it and I’m blessed.”

Now the two will share spots on the offensive line, as Fisher looks to return to the role at which he started each of the team’s 40 games from 2008-2010. He looks to shuffle back into the rotation now that senior right tackle Dan Hoch is graduating.

Hoch was one of three senior offensive linemen who will be moving on. Fisher, Hoch and guards Jayson Palmgren and Austin Wuebbels started 12 games together in 2010. Fisher’s medical redshirt makes him the only one coming back for the 2012 campaign, the Tigers’ first as a member of the Southeastern Conference.

“This year will be my last year,” Fisher said. “I mean, I can say that now because I can’t get any more eligibility.”

Fisher received word of his sixth year of eligibility Feb. 6, when he announced it on his Twitter account, [@ElvisFisher72](https://twitter.com/#!/ElvisFisher72).

Twitter quickly became a humorous avenue for Fisher’s return. He started the hashtag “#6thYearProblems,” which he and his teammates and fans have used to coin jokes about his age.

Back on the field, Fisher has put in work in spring camp to continue to build his knee back up to normal. Fisher didn’t participate in the April 14 Black and Gold Game and said he will continue work on his knee well into the summer.

Fisher is one of 12 Tigers who dealt with injuries this spring, more than any of coach Gary Pinkel’s 11 teams, the coach said.

“Most of the injuries were really coming off of last year,” Pinkel said. “You’re going to have some and you just go through it. I don’t know what else you do.”

Although physical and mental reminders of all he lost might never go away, Fisher said his mentality is only on the present.

“It’s always in the back of my mind but when I’m out there lining up ready to run a play, I’m not thinking about it,” Fisher said of the injury. “It won’t be a problem.”