De'Rail Sims Shares Statement on Peyton Lewis Stepping Up Against Arkansas

De'Rail Sims shares some comments on Tennessee Volunteers running back Peyton Lewis

Tennessee running back Peyton Lewis (2) celebrates a touchdown during a college football game between Tennessee and Arkansas at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee on Oct. 11, 2025. | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Tennessee Volunteers are one of the three teams that have shown their ability to use three running backs. The Vols have been looking to dominate the scene with multiple backs to stay fresh, which is something that has shown all season long.

The back that was standing out last week was DeSean Bishop, who went down with an injury, which would keep him out for the remainder of the game. The Vols had to call on someone else's number. That player is Peyton Lewis, who is another talented back. Lewis finished with the game-winning play, as well as two touchdowns in his short stand as teh running back.

The Tennessee Volunteers running back coach (De'Rail Sims) commented on Lewis following the Arkansas game. Here is what he had to say in his media appearance on Tuesday ahead of the Tennessee game against the Alabama Crimson Tide.

De'Rail Sims on Peyton Lewis Staying Prepared

Tennessee running back Peyton Lewis (2) runs the ball into the end zone for a touchdown during a NCAA football game between Tennessee and UAB at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., September 20, 2025. | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“Same deal he always does. He’s prepared. Like all those guys do a really good job from a preparation standpoint, but he stayed in tune, he stayed locked in. I think a lot of times what helps is sometimes you get to see the game, how it’s being played out until you get your series in the game. And then you kind of understand how they’re playing, how they’re trying to fit the run. He just did a really good job of staying locked in. His preparation has always been good throughout the week, and then once he got in the game, it was like, okay, this is just like it’s always been. And he got in his rhythm, he got in his groove and did a really good job of closing the game out.”

De'Rail Sims on Peyton Lewis Being a Go-To Guy on Short Yardage

Tennessee running back Peyton Lewis (2) acts like he is going to fight after a college football game between Tennessee and Arkansas at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Oct. 11, 2025. | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“I think you look at overall, like, he’s a hard guy to get wrapped up because of his frame and how low he runs. Now, we all got to continue to run lower to the ground. And then you saw it on the first touchdown, that lower body strength that he has. He goes in there, he’s flattening the run off, and he’s got guys hanging on him, and he’s got that second effort. He does a really good job from a second effort standpoint of being able to strain and find a way to get it across the goal-line.”

---