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Evaluating Tennessee football’s 2023 class at dead period: RBs

By Caleb Calhoun

Smokey and the Volunteer celebrate a touchdown during a NCAA football game against Tennessee Tech at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021.Kns Tennessee Tenn Tech Football
Smokey and the Volunteer celebrate a touchdown during a NCAA football game against Tennessee Tech at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021.Kns Tennessee Tenn Tech Football /
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For all the talk of Josh Heupel as a quarterback guru, it’s the running game that really makes his offense go. Tennessee football fans saw that last year with Tiyon Evans early and Jabari Small down the stretch. Heupel will spread the field but rely on the run to make sure his passing attack is as efficient as it was with Hendon Hooker last year.

Because of this, getting the right talent in at running back is crucial. The Vols lost Evans to the transfer portal, but Heupel struck gold on the recruiting trail for 2022 with key additions Justin Williams-Thomas and Dylan Sampson. That adds a ton of depth to the position for this year.

What about beyond 2022, though? There are less than seven months until National Signing Day for 2023, and Heupel obviously wants to keep this running back train going. Let’s take a look at that position for Tennessee football’s 2023 recruiting class here, analyzing who is on the roster, who is committed and who they are targeting.

Nov 13, 2021; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Power T on the field before a game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Georgia Bulldogs at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bryan Lynn-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 13, 2021; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Power T on the field before a game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Georgia Bulldogs at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bryan Lynn-USA TODAY Sports /

RBs on roster who will be out of eligibility 2023: 0

Just like with the quarterbacks, this post starts with the number of running backs who will be gone by next year based on eligibility, and great news for the Vols, nobody fits that bill. In fact, this has nothing to do with the COVID eligibility ruling either. Rocky Top has nobody at the position who will even be a senior in 2022.

This is huge for the future health of the position. Now, UT may lose a back or two in other ways, whether it be through the transfer portal or a shocking early departure into the NFL. However, they won’t lose anybody solely due to them running out of eligibility.

In fact, given the COVID eligibility rulings, Tennessee football could have every running back on the roster through 2024. This would be different if Eric Gray were still on the team, but his transfer to the Oklahoma Sooners force Heupel, Alex Golesh and Jerry Mack to go younger, and that has them set up for a long time.

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