Vols Football: 5 Players Poised for a Breakout 2015 Season

Oct 25, 2014; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers running back Jalen Hurd (1) runs with the ball against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the first quarter at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

2. Jalen Hurd, Running Back

Much of the talk this offseason has been about the addition of JUCO running back Alvin Kamara from the 2015 recruiting class. Kamara should bring an element of dynamic play to the running game that the Vols have lacked for many years.

But don’t forget the guy who is already here.

Jalen Hurd had a solid freshman campaign for the Vols in a 2014 season loaded with freshman running back talent across the SEC. If Hurd hadn’t missed nearly all of the Chattanooga and Vanderbilt games, he likely would’ve surpassed 1,000 rushing yards as a freshman despite playing behind one of the worst statistical offensive lines in UT history.

As it stands, Hurd still had a good season, especially for a freshman. He carried the ball 190 times for 899 yards and 5 touchdowns, adding 35 catches for another 221 yards and 2 scores. Gaining over 1,100 yards of offense as a freshman is no small feat, especially in the SEC.

The addition of Kamara will take a ton of pressure off Hurd, cutting down on his carries and the amount of work he’ll have to do on offense. But don’t mistake that for a downturn in production, however.

Hurd will be fresher in 2015 and more likely to use his strength and powerful running style to complement Kamara’s speed and elusiveness. Couple that with a mobile quarterback in Josh Dobbs, and this offense should be able to run for a plethora of yards. And Hurd has the ability to lead the charge.