Tennessee Vols head coach Josh Heupel has a potentially difficult roster decision to make in the coming days/weeks and that decision could have a major ripple effect for the team.

Earlier this month, South Carolina running back Marshawn Lloyd entered the NCAA transfer portal. Tennessee is one of the programs interested in him.

Lloyd is reportedly going to visit Tennessee sometime after the bowl games. That would indicate that Lloyd to Knoxville is a real possibility.

The former four-star recruit is a dynamic running back who has NFL potential. And he'd be an upgrade over the Vols' current No. 1 running back, Jabari Small.

The problem with taking Lloyd is that someone in Tennessee's running back room would almost certainly enter the NCAA transfer portal.

So the question for Heupel is what's more important: upgrading the running back room or possibly losing a talented running back and upsetting team chemistry?

I think coaches should always look to improve the roster, but there are some situations where I'm not sure it's wise.

And this is one of those situations.

Tennessee has running back talent — it's not like the cupboard is bare. True freshman Dylan Sampson looked absolutely electric at times this season. Jaylen Wright showed he can be a physical runner while also breaking long runs. And Small, despite dealing with injuries for most of the season, led the team in rushing touchdowns with 12 (he was second on the team in total touchdowns with 14).

The Vols have three running backs on the roster that produced at a high level in 2022. One of those running backs, Sampson, has the talent to be a superstar in the SEC.

Additionally, Tennessee added two running backs in the 2023 recruiting class — Khalifa Keith and DeSean Bishop (committed, but hasn't signed yet). The Vols also signed Cam Seldon, a player that can be used in various ways — including out of the backfield.

Lloyd, who missed three games due to injury in 2022, is a great player. But Tennessee has more than enough talent in the running back room to win in the SEC. I think Heupel would be smart to focus his attention on other transfer needs (offensive tackle and secondary help).

The risk of losing Sampson, specifically, isn't worth it (Sampson is from Louisiana and would be a transfer candidate if Lloyd came to Tennessee). It's not often that I'd advise passing on a great player, but this is one of those rare times where taking a pass would be the right call.

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