Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson isn’t a true Heisman Trophy candidate – just yet. He may become one with a big game against Georgia on Saturday and strong outings in the Vols’ final three games. However, Sampson has something that many Heisman Trophy winners of the past didn’t have. His attitude sets him apart from the rest, along with his attack on Tennessee’s record book.
Sampson had every reason to tap out last week against Mississippi State when he suffered a lower-leg injury that would have warranted sitting out of the rest of the contest against the Bulldogs. However, Sampson didn’t do that. Why? Well, the junior was probably all too aware that the Vols don’t have much proven depth behind him, especially considering that his back-up, redshirt freshman DeSean Bishop, was also battling a leg injury that had sidelined him the previous week.
Sampson also knew that quarterback Nico Iamaleava wasn’t going to play in the second half against Mississippi State due to a concussion suffered in the final minutes of the first half. That didn’t matter. Sampson had a game to go win. He did so with career highs in rushing attempts, 30, and rushing yards, 149, against the Bulldogs.
“This is what I signed my name on the line for when I came out of high school,” the junior from Dutchtown High School in Baton Rouge, La. said. “So I think you just have to be real with yourself. If you can go, be honest with your coaches and be honest with yourself. I felt like I was able to go. I communicated it and I played through it.”
Sampson hasn’t been perfect recently. Inexplicably, he’s lost three fumbles in the Vols’ last three games after not losing one during his entire college football career. However, no one is complaining about those plays after what Sampson has done this season.
You probably know by now that Sampson has scored more rushing touchdowns in a single season at Tennessee since Gene McEver found the end zone 18 times in 1929. Now, Sampson has 20 scores on the ground, which leads the SEC and is tied for third nationally.
His school-record 20 rushing touchdowns are the most by an SEC player since Alabama’s Najee Harris had an FBS-best 26 in 2020. He is tied with Arkansas’ Alex Collins (2015) and Auburn’s Cam Newton (2010) for eighth-most rushing scores in SEC single-season history. Keep in mind that Sampson still has three games left to play. He also leads the SEC in rushing yards per game with 125.4 yards per contest. Still, those fumbles bother Sampson, as they should.
“Just taking the ball away, not letting it be exposed,” Sampson said when asked how to avoid future fumbles. “But, yeah, we’ll get that right.”
Based on his history, that will probably be the case. Sampson’s best attribute is maximizing what he can get out of a particular running play. That can sometimes put the ball at risk.
“I think that’s just a natural instinct to fight for extra yards,” Sampson said. “Obviously, the longer you’re up, the more people can be exposed to the ball.”
Sampson has been “up” a lot this season. The longer he’s up against Georgia, the better chance the Vols have to upset the Bulldogs in Athens and beat their bitter rival for the first time since 2016.
