Jalen Hurd entered the 2014 season as a true freshman with lofty expectations on his shoulders.
Even though Hurd had big expectations (because of his status as a five-star recruit), he wasn’t expected to necessarily be “the guy” at running back for the Vols. That’s because senior Marlin Lane was finally getting his shot to be the starter at Tennessee.
This is no sleight to Lane, but that vision didn’t last long. Within a few games, Hurd took over as Tennessee’s starting running back and showed everyone that he was worthy of all the pre-season hype.
Hurd was a highlight reel as a freshman. His ability to break tackles and make something out of nothing was missing in the Vols’ running game prior to his arrival.
Take the play below for example. Tennessee was trailing by two touchdowns late on the road against South Carolina. On fourth down, Hurd caught a pass and was hit a couple of yards behind the first down marker. If Hurd fails to pick up the first down, Tennessee almost certainly loses that game.
Hurd not only broke the tackle to pick up the first down, he scored on the play too.
That’s what Hurd brings to the Tennessee offense and you should expect to see more of it this season.
I’m not sure, however, how much his stats in 2015 will reflect the progress he’s made this off-season. Hurd will be sharing the backfield with equally talented running back Alvin Kamara, giving the Vols one of the best one-two punches in the SEC.
Hurd should be in line for another great year, but don’t be surprised if his numbers are similar to last season’s.