Tennessee Vols have a position group that's a major strength that no one is talking about
When the Tennessee Vols are mentioned, the first thing that's usually brought up is UT's potent offense. The Vols led the nation in scoring last season thanks to Josh Heupel's exciting up-tempo offense that puts points on the board in a hurry. Tennessee finished with the No. 109 scoring offense in 2020 under previous head […]
When the Tennessee Vols are mentioned, the first thing that's usually brought up is UT's potent offense.
The Vols led the nation in scoring last season thanks to Josh Heupel's exciting up-tempo offense that puts points on the board in a hurry.
Tennessee finished with the No. 109 scoring offense in 2020 under previous head coach Jeremy Pruitt. In 2021, the Vols finished with the No. 7 scoring offense before leading the nation in scoring in 2022.
The passing game receives most of the attention when Tennessee's offense is being discussed.
And for good reason. The Vols' passing game provided plenty of unforgettable moments last season. From Cedric Tillman's game-winning touchdown reception against Pittsburgh to Jalin Hyatt's monster game against Alabama (five receiving touchdowns and over 200 receiving yards), it was the passing game that lit up highlight reels all year long.
The passing game, however, wouldn't be nearly as potent without the Vols' underrated running game.
Tennessee will enter the 2023 season with two of the highest-graded running backs in the SEC in Jaylen Wright and Jabari Small.
The passing game gets all of the credit for the Vols' offensive success, but it's really the running game that makes it all work.
And that's something that Georgia head coach Kirby Smart pointed out last fall to reporters in Athens who incorrectly referred to Tennessee as a "pass-happy offense".
"Yeah, Tennessee's not necessarily a pass-happy offense," said Smart last November. "I don't know if y'all have watched them — they run the ball really, really well. I think you can say statistically, they have explosive passes. They are a running team that chunks it deep and does a really good job with explosive pass plays. They commit to the run. There's a toughness there. Their backs run really tough."
Tennessee averaged 40 rushing attempts per game last season compared to 32 passing attempts per game.
Wright and Small combined for 1,609 rushing yards last season while essentially operating as "co-starters". True freshman Dylan Sampson added 397 rushing yards and quarterback Hendon Hooker rushed for 430 yards.
In total, the Vols rushed for 2,593 yards which was No. 5 in the SEC.
The running game is a big part of the Vols do offensively. And they have two of the best running backs in the SEC in Small and Wright. Throw in Sampson and true freshman Cam Seldon, who is expected to be an electric college football player, and it's easy to see how the running game is poised to once again be a major strength for the Vols in 2023 (maybe they even lean on it a little more this season than they did last season).
The vertical passing game is fun, but it wouldn't be possible without an effective run game. And the Vols are fortunate to have one of the best (and most underrated) run games in the conference.
