Vols Duo Makes Athlon’s Top 20 “Running Backs On The Rise” List
By Zach Ragan
The Tennessee Volunteers are poised to have one of the most explosive backfields in the SEC in 2015.
Vol fans saw a glimpse last season, with quarterback Josh Dobbs and running back Jalen Hurd, of what’s in store for Tennessee’s rushing attack in 2015.
Dobbs and Hurd, both with an added year of experience under their belt, will certainly improve on their solid 2014 seasons.
But that’s not the only ammunition the Vols will be taking to battle in 2015 — five star running back Alvin Kamara, originally an Alabama signee, will also be in the mix for UT in 2015.
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Kamara, who rushed for 1,253 yards and 18 touchdowns in his lone season at Hutchinson Community College, will join with Hurd to get the Vols an incredibly dangerous running game.
The duo was recently named by Athlon Sports as one of the top 20 running backs on the rise in 2015.
Here’s what Athlon Sports had to say about Hurd and Kamara:
"In addition to the emergence of quarterback Joshua Dobbs, one of the biggest reasons for optimism in Knoxville in 2015 is the tandem of Hurd and Kamara at running back. The Volunteers averaged only 3.6 yards per carry last season and finished near the bottom of the SEC in rushing yards per game. But with Hurd having another offseason under his belt, combined with Kamara’s arrival, Tennessee’s rushing attack is expected to take a significant step forward. Hurd rushed for 899 yards and five scores last season as a true freshman, while Kamara arrives in Knoxville after spending 2014 at Hutchinson Community College (1,469 yards of total offense in 2014). The former Alabama running back is an instant-impact recruit for the Volunteers."
It’s been a long time since Tennessee’s had a rushing duo that’s expected to be as potent as the Hurd/Kamara combination.
The Vols are finally seeing all the right pieces drop into place. Now it’s time to see if they use those collective pieces to make a run at the SEC East in 2015.