KNOXVILLE - Jeremy Pruitt liked the way his running backs played in Tennessee's second scrimmage of the spring last Saturday at Neyland Stadium, but it didn't change his assessment of the position's depth.
"We're looking for able bodies that can play running back," the Volunteers' first-year coach said Thursday. "But the guys that have had a chance to compete have done that."
In the spring game at Neyland Stadium this Saturday at 2 p.m., fans are likely to see just two scholarship running backs on each team.
The name they will recognize is sophomore Ty Chandler, a former prized recruit from Nashville who ran for 305 yards and two touchdowns while backing up the now-departed John Kelly in 2017.
Tennessee running back Ty Chandler (3) carries versus Southern Mississippi during an NCAA football game at Neyland Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2017, in Knoxville, Tenn.But with Pruitt preferring bigger running backs and two of them arriving this summer in graduate transfer Madre London and freshman Jeremy Banks, the coach has yet to bite when asked about Chandler. He said last week that it was still too early to single out any players at running back.
As spring practices have progressed, Pruitt has been willing to talk about specific players at other positions, but when it comes to the backfield, he is sticking to generalities with the exception of explaining why Princeton Fant was moved to running back from wide receiver.
Pruitt's trend of playing it coy about the Vols' running backs continued after Tuesday's practice, the 13th of the spring.
"As a whole, I think the group of running backs has improved this spring, which we have very little depth at that position," Pruitt said. "That's why we moved Princeton Fant to that position."
The summer arrival of London and Banks and Pruitt's early hesitation to anoint Chandler are setting the stage for an intriguing position battle in preseason camp. It could also mean the Vols will end up with a carries distribution that more closely resembles that of the Alabama teams Pruitt has worked for in the past.
Four running backs carried the ball 46 times or more for the Crimson Tide in 2017, while just two - Kelly and Chandler - carried more than 31 times for Tennessee last year.
Size is another element that could factor in to who becomes the featured running back in offensive coordinator Tyson Helton's scheme in 2018. London was listed at 6-foot-1 and 218 pounds on Michigan State's 2017 roster, and Banks is 6-2 and 215 pounds, according to 247Sports. Both are bigger than Chandler, who was listed at 5-11 and 195 on UT's 2017 roster.
"I like big backs," Pruitt said. "I know from a defensive side, those big backs, over the course of time, they fall forward a bunch of times, and they can handle a lot more licks."
That preference is another reason why Fant has played running back during the spring practice session. Fant was listed at 6-3 and 216 pounds as a true freshman wide receiver on the 2017 roster. Fant, though still new to playing running back, figures to play some with the second-team offense during the spring game Saturday. He has gained weight since last season.
"Well, he's learning the position," Pruitt said. "I think he played wide receiver in high school. He was recruited here to play tight end. We originally moved him to running back because of lack of numbers for the position. Watching in winter conditioning, he's kind of had some athletic ability about him, and I like the fact that he weighs 225 pounds."
The new coaching staff's preference for big running backs also helps explain why Carlin Fils-aime is playing cornerback after finishing third on the team in carries as a reserve running back in 2017. Fils-aime was listed at just 183 pounds on last season's roster.
Contact David Cobb at dcobb@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @DavidWCobb and on Facebook at facebook.com/volsupdate.