Hurd picking up tough yards for Tennessee Vols

photo Tennessee's Jalen Hurd runs against Arkansas State in this file photo.

KNOXVILLE - With a trio of bursts into the open field, Jalen Hurd flashed the ability that has Tennessee excited about his future.

It's the freshman's less glamorous runs through three games that have stood out most to Volunteers coach Butch Jones.

Hurd's longest run of the season before last week's trip to No. 4 Oklahoma was 12 yards, and after grinding out a handful of short gains early against the Sooners, the 6-foot-3, 227-pounder found two lanes and took runs for 43 and 29 yards in the second half.

"Even if I wasn't a bigger back," he said, "we like to pride ourselves as a running back group on getting the tough yards and sticking it in there every play."

A question about breaking two long runs, though, brought a bigger smile to Hurd's face.

He got loose for 43 yards after pulling guard Marcus Jackson and a lead block by freshman tight end Daniel Helm sprung him into the second level and later found a seam on the left side behind Jackson, Helm and left tackle Kyler Kerbyson for 29 more yards.

Though his 12 other carries netted a meager 25 yards, Jones was happy with Hurd's performance.

"That's football, guys. That's football," he said. "You can run the same play three times in a row against the same defense, and you're gonna have three different results. I thought Jalen ran the ball hard. He's gaining tough yards. He's gaining the 3- and 4-yard runs and really lowering his center of gravity and his pad level. I've been proud of him."

Hurd's production has increased through each of the first three games of his career, from a 29-yard game in his debut against Utah State to an 83-yard performance against Arkansas State and last week's 97-yard output.

"I think as a running back group we've picked it up on pass protection," Hurd said. "We've done that a lot better from game one to game game three and pressing our holes, reading it well and getting those tough yards."

Good-bye week?

Tennessee is done practicing for the week with the first of the season's two open dates on Saturday, but it doesn't sound like many of the Vols will be taking off for quick trips back to their hometowns.

Both linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin and cornerback Cam Sutton plan to remain in Knoxville, and Sutton said the Vols may get a jumpstart on preparing for Georgia with a Sunday practice.

Tennessee will play six straight weeks until its next open date in early November, and this stretch includes trips to Georgia, Ole Miss and South Carolina and visits from Florida and Alabama.

"The bye week's definitely a good time for guys to get their bodies back and for everyone to get their legs back and get healthy," Reeves-Maybin said, "so it's definitely good to have these couple of days.

"We've been doing a lot of individual periods where we've just been working different techniques within your position and getting younger guys who haven't gotten a lot of experience yet, getting them some reps."

Maturing Malone

Freshman receiver Josh Malone believes he's matured through the first three games of the season, but after catching five passes for 63 yards, the former four-star recruit is hoping for an upcoming breakout, particularly given the health of injured wideouts Josh Smith and Von Pearson.

"I started settling down near the end of camp and right before the season started," he said. "I just started embracing all the coaching Coach Z [receivers coach Zach Azzanni] had for me and just focused on what he wanted me to get better on.

"There's been some of those moments, just with some of the techniques that we're working and the releases we're working. It was one of the adjustments, also, just coming in and learning how Coach Z's style of play was. I'm really started to just grab it and run with it."

Tennessee tidbits

Scout team cornerback Riyahd Jones came off the edge to block two punts during Tennessee's extended punt period early in Wednesday's practice, which earned him a fist bump from Vols coach Butch Jones. ... Receiver Johnathon Johnson got some extra reps in the slot during the Vols' routes-on-air period. ... While Ethan Wolf (knee) was practicing, fellow tight ends Daniel Helm and Joe Stocstill, who recovered Devrin Young's fumble on a kickoff at Oklahoma, missed practice and wore protective walking boots. ... Tennessee receiver commitment Preston Williams, one of the highest-rated players in the Vols' 2015 class, will be on ESPNU on Friday night at 8 p.m. as Hampton (Ga.) Lovejoy High School plays McEachern.

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