Think back to the opening game of the 2014 football season.

It was the first chance for fans to see the new team and the array of new coaches hired in the previous offseason, including newly appointed offensive coordinator Mark Mangino.

And to add to the game day festivities, the Cyclones hosted North Dakota State — a team that would go on to win the Division II National Championship just a few months later.

For many fans, though, the first thing they remember is the loss that followed that late August afternoon. But for wide receiver Quenton Bundrage, that game has a completely different meaning.

Bundrage tore his anterior cruciate ligament, more commonly known as ACL, on just the fourth play of the game, sidelining him indefinitely. That is until Tuesday, when the ISU football team participated in its first official practice of the spring season and Bundrage was finally able to step out on the field again.

“Just being on the sideline all those weeks watching the team go out there and play and not being able to contribute kind of hurt me a little bit,” Bundrage said. “Just being out there today meant a lot.”

The redshirt senior’s return not only meant a lot to him, but also will have a big impact on the team. Bundrage was one of the team’s top receivers in 2013, finishing the season with 676 receiving yards and nine touchdowns.

Mangino said he could see how excited Bundrage has been lately and hopes that it will transition over to the practice field. While the team has only had one practice, Mangino said he likes what he has seen so far.

“[Bundrage] is so anxious. He’s walking around like a kid in a candy store,” Mangino said. “He’s so happy to be back out there and we’re glad we have him. We expect big things from him and I’m confident he will deliver too.”

However, Bundrage isn’t quite back to full strength and is going to be limited through the duration of the spring season.

But the impact of having Bundrage back on the field, even if he’s not going full speed, is something that ISU coach Paul Rhoads knows is important — both for Bundrage and the team as a whole.

“I made sure the staff knew and the players knew he’s a ‘hands-off’ guy,” Rhoads said. “He needs to get through spring clean and there’s no way he’ll have contact. But just being out here and gaining his leadership as well as him knocking the rust off and running plays all spring will be invaluable.”

ACL tears have been known to affect athletes for months after the initial injury, both physically and mentally, making it a difficult injury to return from.

But Bundrage said he isn’t worried about taking it slow. Instead, he’s just focusing on getting back to his normal self.

“I’m very confident, I don’t worry about my knee at all,” Bundrage said. “God forbid if I do end up getting hurt again, then it’s just meant to be. But I’m going out there and attacking the field like nothing ever happened.”