Tennessee's Running Game Looks to Continue National Statement
Despite the issues present in the offense to begin the year, the run game has been a strength for this Tennessee offense. After great games from Jaylen Wright, Jabari Small, and Dylan Sampson in week one against Virginia, week two should have some of the same great results in the run game.
Wright had another 100+ yard game (118) and showed no signs of slowing down after a great opening game to the season. Even Small had another great game that was better than week one, as he put up 95 yards against the Governors. Their success is huge as it has placed the Vols as having the fourth-most rushing yards out of every major-division one college football team.
Wright is top-20 in the country in rushing yards and is third in the country in yards per carry average at 9.3. This is a very good production mark for the Vols to get out of him. Small is not too far behind, either. He currently is at 6.2 yards per carry (top 30 in the country). If both Wright and Small are among the college football's best when it comes to the yards they get per carry. That can be good enough to create offense to win lots of games.
With the visible struggle in the passing game, the run game has been a nice switch-up for the Volunteers to start the season, as it sets them up to provide balance on the offensive side of the ball. It may be weird to say, but Tennessee may become a run-first team with the production they get per carry. As they enter SEC play, it will be a matter of time to tell whether this is the case.
Tennessee Volunteers RB Dylan Sampson scoring a touchdown against Virginia on September 2nd, 2023, in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Christopher Hanewinckel of USA Today Sports)
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