Just 16 days after surgery to repair a fractured tibia and fibula, Evan Finegan walked back onto the field at UB Stadium — almost a month sooner than doctors’ initial prognosis.

"I was ecstatic yesterday. I couldn't believe it myself and I'm pretty sure my mom cried when I showed her video. My dad couldn't believe it and everyone was like, 'You're already walking, you just broke your leg.' I don't know. It is coming along, coming along quickly,” Finegan said.

Despite having a rod and five screws in his leg, he credits this amazing recovery to the rapid response of the medical staffs from both UB and Penn State.

"If it had to happen anywhere I'm happy it happened at Penn State, if we were on the road, because the care they had there. The medical center was a half mile from the stadium. I got off the field in four and a half minutes, they shoot for under 10. They managed the swelling, they could keep that down. Really fortunate for how it came out, it could have been much worse that it was,” said Finegan.

That and his belief in a higher power...

"It is a trusting period. You have to learn that God has a plan. Whatever he throws at you he is giving you something that you can handle,” said Finegan.

Evan's rapid recovery should be inspirational for anyone trying to overcome an injury, but it is his unbreakable spirit that is motivating to his teammates.

"Just having him around the facility gives us hope, he gives us confidence and inspiration every day so we're glad to have him back,” said quarterback Matt Myers.

"He is truly an inspiration to us, he makes us go harder. Having him on the sidelines, you know, after what he's been through shows great courage. So he's an inspiration to everybody,” said running back Jaret Patterson.

The journey is still young: Evan hopes to be running on an anti-gravity treadmill by next Friday, lifting and kicking in three months, and expects to be punting for the Bulls next season.