You just gotta love this kid. Tennessee Volunteers running back Dylan Sampson is in the middle of a brilliant campaign for Josh Heupel and Co. Matter of fact, it's a record-breaking one for him, as he continues to impress each week.
Yes, he has fumbled the ball in three straight games, but that doesn't take away from what he's getting done. In the Week 11 win over the Mississippi State Bulldogs, Sampson carried the ball 30 times for 149 yards and a touchdown.
In the second quarter, however, Sampson went down with an ankle injury and he hobbled his way back to the locker room. The worry was that he'd be out for the rest of the game, or even worse for an extended period of time. However, after he was deemed 'questionable' to return, Sampson was back on the field in the third quarter at less than 100 percent. Nothing was going to stop him from playing:
#Vols RB Dylan Sampson on playing hurt the second half against Mississippi State: This is what I signed my name on the line for. If you can go, you go. If you can help, you go.
— Wes Rucker (@wesrucker247) November 12, 2024
Dylan Sampson is always ready to give his all for the Tennessee Vols
"This is what I signed my name on the line for," Sampson said via 247's Wes Rucker. " If you can go, you go. If you can help, you go."
Anyone else ready to run through a wall? That mentality from Sampson is legendary. If he's a little banged up, he's going to fight through the pain if he knows he can help his teammates out. He's obviously not going to risk a serious injury, but a little pain is not going to prevent him from making plays for Heupel.
Come this weekend against Georgia, more of the same is going to be needed. Tennessee is going to focus on the ground game, especially with quarterback Nico Iamaleava a little banged up himself. There's pressure on the Vols to take down No. 11 UGA to keep proving they belong in the College Football Playoff. As has been the case all season, Sampson will be ready to deliver when his number is called.