It was a simple handoff on an inside run that gained only a few yards during Tuesday’s practice.

But for Samson Anguay, it was a play that took two years to achieve.

"It’s nice to have him back," UH coach Norm Chow said of Anguay, who has successfully recovered from two knee surgeries.

It was in April 2011 when Anguay seized the attention of Greg McMackin’s coaching staff, earning the job as the Warriors’ No. 1 punt returner.

But that summer, Anguay suffered a torn ACL in his right knee while participating in unsupervised workouts. He missed the entire 2011 season.

In the spring of 2012, he felt discomfort in his left knee during a punt-return drill. He was diagnosed with a partially torn ACL. He chose to do intensive physical therapy rather than have surgery.

That summer, Anguay said he felt "another tweak" in his left knee.

"The rehab helped," Anguay said. "It made me a little stronger. But after a while, my knee got fatigued and I decided to have surgery."

That operation meant the end of his 2012 season before it even started.

This spring, Anguay was allowed to participate in non-contact drills. On Tuesday, he received full clearance.

Anguay said: "It’s good. I’ve got two brand-new knees now."

Anguay, who initially was projected to play slotback, was at running back on Tuesday. He wore a brace on his left knee.

"I’m happy to be back," Anguay said. "For the first day, I was a little hesitant. It felt good. I didn’t feel any pain. The brace helped a lot. We’ll see what happens next."