Will the Volunteers let history repeat itself, or learn from their mistakes?
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – For the past half-decade, the Tennessee Volunteers offense has consistently featured a formidable backfield presence.
In 2022 and 2023, now Miami Dolphins running back Jaylen Wright paced the backfield with 1,888 total rushing yards, averaging an astounding 6.7 yards per carry.
His successor, Dylan Sampson, rushed for 1,491 yards and 22 touchdowns a season later, en route to being named the SEC offensive player of the year.
In 2025, DeSean Bishop ran for 1,076 yards, also adding 16 touchdowns.
One could argue, however, that Bishop was not even the Volunteers’ top running back last season.
Though Star Thomas rushed for just 596 yards and seven touchdowns, his most valuable asset was his physicality.
At 6-foot, 210 pounds, Thomas was a bulldozer in short yardage situations, particularly at the goal line.
In fact, Thomas came into the 2025 season fourth among returning P4 running backs with 47 missed tackles.
However, the Volunteers failed to afford him a significant role within the offense, and it cost them.
Despite averaging 5.7 yards per carry, Thomas did not attempt more than 10 rushes in a single SEC game, totaling just 104 rushes in 13 games (eight attempts per game).
Consequently, Tennessee failed to win the time of possession battle in all but one of its SEC games.
In 2026, Tennessee will have a similar presence in the backfield in Tulane transfer Javin Gordon.
With an inexperienced quarterback room (and offense), the Volunteers can ill-afford to make the same mistake.
While Bishop is an elite outside rusher, his talents are better used situationally, particularly when he is complemented by a physical back.
That makes Gordon the perfect backfield partner.
Gordon stands 5-foot-10, weighs in at 212 pounds, and most importantly for Tennessee, can dominate the A-gap.
Despite rushing for a modest 516 yards, Gordon broke 32 tackles in just 128 carries, en route to five rushing touchdowns.
If Tennessee hopes to be competitive in the time of possession battle in an SEC with a surplus of explosive offenses, they must embrace a 50-50 carry split between Bishop and Gordon.
Considering Bishop’s All-SEC second team nod from 2025 might make such a proposal sound ridiculous, but incorporating Gordon into the game plan makes the offense significantly less predictable.
Furthermore, establishing a methodical presence on the ground allows the Volunteers to dive deep into their bag of tricks. With defenses forced to address the run, the Volunteers will be able to run play action passes, and take deep shots.
Though Gordon is significantly less skilled than Thomas and Sampson, he brings a similar playstyle that will pave the way for a competitive Tennessee offense.
The Volunteers have the opportunity to possess an incredibly dynamic backfield duo with Bishop and Gordon. The only question is: do they realize it?
