Tennessee sophomore has reportedly ‘turned the corner’ and he’s someone who fans will be talking about after the Furman game
The Tennessee Vols have an under-the-radar sophomore who could be poised for a huge game against Furman.
All eyes will be on true freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon when Tennessee opens the season against Furman on Saturday, but he’s far from the only young player on offense who will be looking to make some noise.
The Vols’ running game is expected to be a major strength in 2026. VolQuest publisher and Vol Network sideline reporter Brent Hubbs, in fact, thinks Tennessee could rush for more than 3,000 yards this fall.
Senior DeSean Bishop is the unquestioned top option at running back, and Tulane transfer Javin Gordon is expected to serve as the No. 2 running back.
Sophomore Daune Morris, however, shouldn’t be slept on.
Vols running back Daune Morris has “turned the corner”
Hubbs joined 104.5 The Zone’s Ramon and Will on Friday and he pointed out Morris as a player who’s “turned the corner” entering the 2026 season.
“Daune Morris is a guy who’s turned the corner,” said Hubbs. “Daune Morris is a much different player than he was at the end of last year. He’s heavier, he’s more physical, he’s stronger. He’s getting more patience in being able to run the ball between the tackles. I mean, you’re talking about a changeup. You’re talking about a third pitch. That’s a pretty good third pitch to have if that’s your third pitch guy.
“So I just think there’s tools to work with there. And I think Josh Heupel’s history says they’re going to be able to run the football because they’ve run the football consistently well ever since Josh Heupel became the head coach at the University of Tennessee.”
“I think this is a game where he gets a lot of carries,” added Hubbs of Morris. “I think he can pop some long runs against [Furman] on Saturday.”
Having three productive running backs would be a nice development for Tennessee’s offense in 2026. The Vols, as Hubbs noted, lean on the running game. Having three reliable options will allow that group to stay healthy late in the season, and avoid what we saw with Dylan Sampson in the College Football Playoff against Ohio State in 2024 (when Sampson broke down because of heavy usage).
