Dylan Sampson was chairman of the Tennessee football running Bbacks committee last season. DeSean Bishop, Star Thomas and Peyton Lewis are merely members of the committee this season, trying to replicate the production produced by Sampson and Company.
Sampson was the SEC Offensive Player of the Year in 2024, setting Tennessee school records for rushing yards in a season (1,491) and touchdowns (22). Add in the production of Bishop and Lewis, and the three combined for 2,285 yards and 28 rushing touchdowns last year.
Tennessee’s current trio have done well, but matching last year’s total will be difficult.
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Through five games, Bishop leads the Vols with 335 yards (6.8 per carry) while Thomas has 305 (5.9) and Lewis 167 (4.8). That’s 807 yards through five games, or 161.4 rush yards per game, which is below the Sampson-Bishop-Lewis average last season (175.8) as UT’s rushing totals in SEC games are below expectations.
Against Georgia and Mississippi State, Tennessee football has averaged 128 rush yards per game. Overall, UT is averaging 199.2 rush yards per game compared to 225.8 in 2024.
Tennessee has relied more on the passing game this season, averaging 337.2 yards per game compared to 221.2 last year.
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Still, for the Vols to make a run at the College Football Playoff, the ground game must gain ground. Tennessee’s second-year running backs coach De’Rail Sims believes it will. He also believes in his trio of backs, which, he said, bring different elements to the table.
“DeSean is probably the most complete in terms of physicality running the football, physicality in pass protection (and) the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield,” Sims said. “His vision is really, really good.”
Bishop scored the winning touchdown in overtime at Mississippi State, darting 25 yards to paydirt.
“That was a phenomenal way for him to win that game for us, for a local guy to continue to write another chapter for his history here,” Sims said.
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The UT running backs coach added Thomas is a different back.
“Star Thomas has that little bit of electrocism to him,” he said. “He’s got that patented spin move that everybody loves so much. Does a really good job when he gets out in the open field. Still has to do a really good job of getting his pads down, running a little bit lower.
“You look at Peyton Lewis, who’s a bigger back, who’s able to once he gets his pads set and is able to run behind them, makes guys bounce off him.
“All three of those guys complement each other really well.”
In recent games, Tennessee football has started Bishop, then inserted Thomas for the second series and Lewis for the third. The Vols kept with a similar rotation on ensuing possessions.
According to Sims, using the trio of running backs is like a pitcher not throwing a fastball every time.
“Now you got different changeups and offset pitches coming at you,” he said.
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Sims said there’s a reason Bishop is having a breakout season.
“You look at his transformation, it’s been phenomenal,” he said. “When I got here last year, he was a worker. He was coming back off his injury that he had the year prior. He was a humble kid. Every morning I’m in the office early, and he’s always in the building in terms of the rehab process, in terms of getting his mind ready to go.
“Last year, he understood he was the No. 2 guy to Dylan Sampson. He did a really good job in that role.
“This year, he’s taken on a tremendous role in terms of being a leader in that room. To see where he was when I first got here to where he is now … that has been awesome.”
