KNOXVILLE Tennessee's quest for another running back for its 2015 recruiting class ended Friday evening in the Volunteers' second commitment of the week.
New Orleans back Kendall Bussey picked Tennessee over Texas A&M, Nebraska and Indiana during a ceremony at his high school on Friday, giving the Vols a commitment from the nation's No. 2 all-purpose back and the third-ranked player in Louisiana according to Rivals.com.
"Up until this morning, it was pretty much a coin flip," the 5-foot-8, 195-pounder out of Isidore Newman High School told NOLA.com, which provided a live stream of his announcement.
"I went up there at 12 years old for a Junior Olympic track meet, and I just left Knoxville astonished," he added. "I never got why, but it always had a special place in my heart. Not many people are able to live out their dream, being able to go to their dream school and play for their dream school. I saw the opportunity, and I felt I had to seize it."
Bussey committed to Nebraska in November but reopened his recruiting after Cornhuskers coach Bo Pelini was fired. His list of scholarship offers included Notre Dame, Arkansas, Missouri, Southern California, TCU and Mississippi State, among others.
Alvin Kamara, a former Alabama freshman and one of the nation's top junior college running backs, signed with Tennessee on Wednesday, and the Vols continue to hold a commitment from North Carolina prospect Rocky Reid, a 6-foot, 220-pound bruiser who ran for 2,734 yards and 38 touchdowns this season at Concord High School near Charlotte.
The Vols return just one running back -- freshman leading rusher Jalen Hurd -- next season. Marlin Lane and Devrin Young are seniors, as is walk-on Deanthonie Summerhill. Freshman Derrell Scott elected to transfer, and walk-on Justus Pickett won't return due to academic reasons.
Hurd and Kamara could provide a nice 1-2 punch for Tennessee, but the Vols still need to add to their backfield options.
"I think they will complement each other well," Vols head coach Butch Jones said of Hurd and Kamara on Thursday. "As we found out, in this conference you need more than two running backs. It's going to be a great opportunity for other individuals as well.
"You have to have two complementary backs, and they complement each other just in terms of different skill sets and in terms of speed and make-you-miss (ability). They're both very good at pass protection, and (Kamara) will be involved even more in the throwing game.
"(We're) very, very excited, but we need to continue to recruit that position and develop that position as well."
The strength for Bussey, who played at the same high school that produced Peyton and Eli Manning, is his speed.
He had a connection to Texas A&M's staff in secondary coach Terry Joseph, a Louisiana native and former Vols assistant who joined the Aggies last offseason after two years at Nebraska, but chose the Vols.
"My heart's beating about a million miles an hour," Bussey said. "Of course I respect those coaches a lot. They put a lot into me as well, so it was very tough, but I think Tennessee is the place for me."
Contact Patrick Brown at pbrown@timesfreepress.com.