Nation's Rushing Leader Set to Visit Tennessee Football

After a phenomenal season, the nation's rushing leader will visit the Vols.

Jacksonville StateÕs Cam Cook scores a touchdown as LibertyÕs Deuce Spurlock defends during college school football action at AmFirst Stadium in Jacksonville, Alabama September 6, 2025. (Dave Hyatt / Hyatt Media LLC) | Dave Hyatt / Hyatt Media LLC / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Tennessee Volunteers are in need of many different positions, which has been a major point of emphasis, as the Vols will need to address many positions and will need to land one of the better players at a handful of different positions if fans want to feel comfortable entering the 2026 season.

The majority of the positions that they need will be on the defensive side of the football, as there have been multiple staff changes for the Vols. The Vols added their new defensive coordinator, Jim Knowles, to the equation following Tim Banks' being fired, which led to many staff changes that would follow. The Vols landed Anothy Poindexter, who is one of the better safety coaches in the nation, and he will be a co-defensive coordinator. They also landed a new cornerbacks coach, who is one of the more proven cornerbacks coaches, as he has coached up many stars. The other guy that they landed is Andrew Jackson, who is the new LEO coach, which means the Vols will be keeping Rodney Garner and William Inge for the 2026 season.

Tennessee Set to Host Coveted RB

Jax State's Cam Cook tries to evade the tackle of Kennesaw State's Alexander Ford during the C-USA Championship at AmFirst Stadium in Jacksonville, Alabama December 5, 2025. (Dave Hyatt / Hyatt Media LLC) | Dave Hyatt / Hyatt Media LLC / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Although much of the focus is on the defense, the Vols will need some offensive help as well. One of the positions they are targeting heavily is the running back position after losing two of the five players they have on the roster. They lost Star Thomas to the NFL Draft, and they lost Peyton Lewis to the portal, which leaves two current true freshmen and the Vols' leading rusher, DeSean Bishop. Bishop is great, but he will need some help, and the Vols could very well slow-play the freshmen and give them a smaller role for one more season. This is what has led the Vols to look for at least one more running back for the next season. One running back has already scheduled a visit to Knoxville, and he is one of the nation's better players.

In fact, he is the nation's rushing yards leader from the 2025 season, as he finished the season with nearly 1,700 rushing yards and a little over 280 receiving yards. That player is Cam Cook, a former TCU running back who transferred to the Jacksonville State program and made huge strides. He is one of the better players to ever come through that program, and will be looking for a major program to play at. He has scheduled two visits, which include the Tennessee Volunteers and the Houston Cougars. Both teams need a running back, and the Vols will hope that they can bring the star player to Knoxville.

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