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2015 Tennessee Vols Football Season Preview by Position: Running Backs

By Caleb Calhoun

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It is time to start previewing the Tennessee Vols 2015 football team at every position. Here is a look at the running back situation.

Now while all of the hype is behind Joshua Dobbs, the true superstars for the Tennessee Volunteers going into the 2015 football season could be at the running back position.

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Sophomore Jalen Hurd is coming off of an impressive freshman campaign, Butch Jones brought in Junior College transfer Alvin Kamara for this season, and the depth and talent hint that the running game could be reminiscent of the Phil Fulmer years.

We all miss that.

Jones appears as if he will use a by-committee system at the position, and fortunately, the running back situation is much deeper than it was a few weeks ago.

With incoming freshmen John Kelly and Joseph Young and Cincinnati transfer Ralph David Abernathy IV, the Vols look to be loaded at this position.

Add to that the expectations of Kamara, the skill Hurd has already shown, an offensive line that is at full capacity for the first time since Jones arrived on campus, and the expected development of Dobbs, and you have a dominant ground attack out of the backfield.

Here is how the depth chart will stack up.

1A. Jalen Hurd, Sophomore (Hendersonville, Tenn.)

The prized bull of the 2014 class, Jalen Hurd immediately made a name for himself as a freshman. With the most inexperienced offensive line in maybe all of college football and as a freshman, he managed to come away with 899 yards and five touchdowns on 190 carries last year, and he added on 35 receptions for 221 yards and two touchdowns.

Hurd is clearly the stud of the group and a very unique size for running back at 6’3″ 220 pounds. He is a versatile back who will be the power, vertical runner. And with a more experienced offensive line this year along with a passing game, the only things that might hold him back are injuries or simply not carrying the ball enough because of the depth at position.

The depth comes with the guy who will start with him.

1B. Alvin Kamara, Sophomore (Norcross, Ga.)

While Jalen Hurd will be the physical bruiser, Alvin Kamara will be the other back to come in and make the big plays as an all-purpose back. Kamara was once an Alabama player who redshirted due to injury and then had some off-the-field issues.

That’s when he went to Hutchinson Community College in Kansas and now has enrolled at Tennessee. At 5’11” and between 195 and 200 pounds, Kamara will be more of the speed back, a perfect complement to Hurd. On top of that, he clocked in close to a 4.5-40 in high school, so there’s a good chance he is even faster now. The combination of Kamara and Hurd should make for a deadly one-two punch in the backfield this year.

Second String: Ralph Abernathy IV, Senior, (Atlanta, Ga.)

A two-year player under Butch Jones at Cincinnati, Ralph Abernathy got better each year from 2011 to 2013 until missing most of the season in 2014 due to injuries. Still, until that year, he was another versatile all-purpose back who could return kicks, catch passes, and run the ball.

At 5’7″ 161 pounds and having clocked in close to a 4.4-40 while at Cincinnati, the grandson of one of the major figures of the African American Civil Rights Movement, who had the same name and was a close friend of Martin Luther King, Jr., comes from a family familiar with Jones. Abernathy played for him at Cincinnati and is the brother of cornerback Micah Abernathy, who is also on the Vols. but the biggest thing is that speed. Abernathy could be a perfect scat back and returner and will definitely see some action with the Vols this year, so don’t count him out.

Third String: John Kelly, Freshman, (Oak Park, Mich.)

This is a player for the future as John Kelly is a speed guy, but this year he will be there for depth. Kelly is a similar player to Alvin Kamara at 5’10” 191 pounds but will more likely be used the way Ralph Abernathy is used once Abernathy graduates.

Kelly clocked in a 4.5-40 as a three-star on Rivals, so he will be valuable as a guy who provides depth in case there are any injuries. And he has a bright future with the Vols.

Fourth String: Joe Young, Freshman, (Winnsboro, S.C.)

Another smaller back, Joe Young is likely to not see the field this year. He was a late two-star pickup for Jones to provide lots of depth at the position, but he will probably redshirt this year unless he is desperately needed.

At 5’11” 188 pounds, he is also a smaller guy, but he has solid breakaway speed and good vision, which are useful skills down the road.

Final Take

Back in February, Tennessee was very thin at running back, but thanks to a few additions, they are now in good shape. Butch Jones and Co. did a good job adding Abernathy and Young later, so that makes for a solid class of running backs when it comes to depth, and they are also loaded with elite talent at the top.

While you hear all the talk about Joshua Dobbs and the passing game, it could be the running game that carries the Vols this year with elite skill players like Hurd and Kamara.

The running game should be electrifying in Knoxville this year for everybody to see. While there is a by-committee system, Hurd will likely be No. 1 with Kamara No. 2 if they have to be ranked. Following that will be Abernathy, Kelly, and Young.

Next: 2015 Vol Football Season Preview by Position: Quarterbacks

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