When news broke that linebacker E.J. Levenberry suffered a torn ACL on April 1, the feeling was that he would miss the entire 2017 season.

However, at Friday's UConn football media day, Levenberry said he expects to play this season.

"My knee has been progressing, I am running now so I feel great," Levenberry said.

"I am definitely playing this year in my mind. It's up to the trainers when I can come back."

Levenberry has been working diligently to return to the field.

"Pool work, field work, training at home when we have breaks so it is a combination of things," Levenberry said. "My knee, I feel no pain in it right now. I started running again, I was sprinting today so it is all good."

So when does he hope to return to game action?

"Whenever the trainers say I can come back but I want to come back, help the team and contribute this year," said Levenberry, who had 37 tackles, 5 tackles for loss and 3 1/2 sacks last season. "I understand you can't rush those types of things. Physically, I feel like I can go out and play but it is also about being smart."

Levenberry still looks stunned at how he suffered the first major injury of his football career.

"We were right here, we were doing punt drills and my knee just popped," Levenberry said. "I tried to wrap somebody up and it just popped, it was non contact."

Levenberry made his debut at UConn during the 2016 season after sitting out the 2015 campaign following his transfer from Florida State. With the way Matt Walsh, Junior Joseph and Vontae Diggs, he didn't start any games for the Huskies.

"I learned patience, I had to patiently wait my turn," Levenberry said. "When I was on the field I feel like I made a lot of plays and it was unfortunate what happened here. I have gone through a lot of adversity throughout my college career so it is nothing I can't bounce back from."