Tennessee will begin the 2026 campaign without two of its key rushing contributors from last season. After losing both Peyton Lewis (transfer) and Star Thomas (eligibility) this offseason, the Volunteers made a key transfer portal signing and retained several positional depth pieces to remain competitive in the run game.  Here's a look at the current state of Tennessee's upcoming running back room. 

After entering the portal in early January, and with two years of eligibility remaining, former Vols RB Peyton Lewis has signed a deal to transfer to Virginia.

A solid piece of Tennessee's offensive equation in the past two seasons, Lewis' 6-foot-1, 212-pound frame will be missed. With several breakaway runs and goal line touchdown punch-ins in 2025, Lewis helped upkeep a solid Vols 2025 rushing attack. 

Also on the way out is senior Star Thomas. 

Thomas' collegiate career has come to an end after one season with the Vols and previous stays at New Mexico and Duke. 

A 2025 portal acquisition from the Blue Devils, Thomas had 104 carries for 596 yards and 7 touchdowns for the Vols last season. 

One of the highlights of Tennessee's 2026 offseason was re-signing redshirt sophomore DeSean Bishop.

After a breakout season in 2025 that earned him an All-SEC second team selection, Bishop is undoubtedly viewed as the RB1 for the 2026 season.

Bishop showcased an ability to take over games last season, recording 90+ yards in four of Tennessee's conference matchups to close out the year.

In a gut-punch loss to Alabama on the Third Saturday of October, Bishop shined for the Vols. As the silver-lining of that night, Bishop's 123-yard, 2 TD performance was indicative of the 21-year-old's resilience and ability to perform in tough environments.

An impressive showing (93 yards, 2 TDs) in Tennessee's bowl game loss to Illinois helped supplement these facts.

In addition to Bishop, the Vols are set to return rising sophomores, Justin Baker and Daune Morris.

Baker, a 5-10, 210-pound back carried the ball in three games for Tennessee last season, most notably recording 11 rushing attempts for 37 yards against ETSU in the Volunteers' second game of the year.

Morris, who doubled as a punt returner in several games for the Vols last season, played a more significant role than Baker, appearing in six games, tallying 35 carries for 135 yards and a touchdown.

While Baker is likely to play a similar role as before, Morris will compete for more significant reps in the offseason, and could play the role of consistent contributor come fall.

As of now, Tennessee will have just one new face in the running back room for 2026.

As for the significance of this addition– it's a good one. 

The Vols snagged Tulane transfer freshman Javin Gordon in a signing that could secure a running back for several seasons to come. As opposed to going after an older veteran back like Thomas in 2025, the Vols went young. But in spite of his age, Gordon got plenty of experience in 2025.

As Tulane’s No. 1 RB, Gordon carried the ball 128 times, recording 516 yards and five touchdowns. 

The rising sophomore also hauled in 13 receptions for 93 yards and a touchdown for the Green Wave in 2025. 

Gordon also brings College Football Playoff experience to Knoxville, as he was an integral part of leading Tulane to a CFP showdown against Ole Miss last month.