Things are about to get real for Tennessee’s tailbacks. Real fast.
The Vols will don shoulder pads on Wednesday in the next evolution of preseason camp. That means that toughness will be tested, especially for those hoping to tote the rock for the Volunteers this season.
The go-to is easy. Barring something unforeseen, junior Jabari Small will play a rather large role as Tennessee’s starting tailback. It’s a role he’s used to. The Memphis native started 11 games last season and finished the year as the Vols’ leading rusher with 796 rushing yards on 141 carries. Only seven tailbacks rushed for more yards than Small in 2021, who also scored nine touchdowns.
After Small, things get a little iffy. The Vols will be without Len’Neth Whitehead, who suffered a season-ending injury before camp opened. Tennessee’s offensive coaches will have a close eye on Justin Williams-Thomas and Dylan Sampson, who are considered the two most likely tailbacks to pick up some of the slack left by Whitehead and fill in for Small when he needs a break this fall.
At 6-feet and 210-pounds, Williams-Thomas would be considered the power back of the group. However, Small is now over 210 pounds following a strong offseason weight-room regimen. He may be 5-11, but based on various reports from UT’s football program, he should be much more powerful. Still, Williams-Thomas is expected to bring a bit more pop to the Vols given his four-star recruiting ranking and that he enrolled before spring camp to practice with Tennessee.
“The tempo of the game definitely has slowed down for me a lot,” Williams-Thomas said on Tuesday. “Just being able to come through spring, I felt like that was a big help for me. Just being able to see it and then do it, and then get the chance to do it again. Just slow down, just constantly doing it and then doing it over just really helped me.”
Sampson, who is 5-11 and 190 pounds, is definitely considered the speedster of the group. He was clocked at 10.48-seconds in the 100-meter dash and reportedly ran a 4.32 in the 40-yard dash. Sampson has already made an impression on at least one of his teammates.
“He broke a couple of runs today and really looked good,” Tennessee tight end Jacob Warren said on The Vol Report. “I was happy because I know he’s a great athlete. I know he’s a great player, but it’s kind of cool to see (him doing it in practice). I’ve seen his speed in pre-camp workouts and I’ve seen his footwork, but it’s just been cool to see that kind of stuff come together. Really hopeful for him and hope that he can make an impact on that group.”
Sampson might be understandably behind Williams-Thomas since he just enrolled this summer, but the learning curve of a pending season waits on no man. Sampson and Williams-Thomas are expected to be great runners, which may be the easiest part for the talented duo. However, if Tennessee’s coaches don’t trust either tailback to help protect All-SEC quarterback Hendon Hooker, those fancy running skills won’t matter. They’ll find the bench fast. Real fast.
