KNOXVILLE - Three Georgia players stood within 2 yards of Tennessee's Ty Chandler as he looked for a running lane.
"I knew I couldn't really go outside because there was a defender out there," the sophomore running back said.
So Chandler cut to the inside, leaving a pack of Bulldogs diving at his heels. He left a couple more in his wake as he sliced through the middle of the field for a 35-yard touchdown reception in the Volunteers' 38-12 loss at second-ranked Georgia on Sept. 29.
Georgia defensive back J.R. Reed trips up Tennessee running back Ty Chandler during their SEC game on Sept. 29 at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Ga.COMMITTEE NOTES
Tennessee’s four primary running backs through five games this season have totaled 188 touches (combined carries and catches). Here’s a breakdown of their share of the workload within the group, with total touches listed first and percent in parentheses:› Tim Jordan 65 (34.6)› Ty Chandler 44 (23.4)› Jeremy Banks 42 (22.3)› Madre London 37 (19.7)
Chandler's touchdown scamper on a simple swing pass brought Tennessee within 24-12 early in the fourth quarter, giving the visitors a glimmer of hope of earning their first Southeastern Conference win since November 2016.
It also proved a point.
The speed that separated Chandler from a pack of Georgia defenders is what separates him from a pack of teammates competing for carries as the Vols (2-3, 0-2) prepare to play at No. 21 Auburn (4-2, 1-2) on Saturday.
All four of Tennessee's primary running backs have from 37 to 65 offensive touches this season, but only Chandler has shown the ability to turn an ordinary play into a touchdown with sheer speed.
"I think we had three explosive plays the other day," Vols coach Jeremy Pruitt said as he reflected on the Georgia game. "Ty was involved in two of them. The two times that he created explosive plays, we got him to the second level, he makes a guy miss, extends a play to plus-20 yards or plus-15 yards."
Pruitt wants to see even more of that from Chandler, who was a track star at Nashville's Montgomery Bell Academy.
"There's probably three other times in the game Saturday that we got him to the second level, and the first guy there knocked him down and it's a 6-yard gain," Pruitt said. "So, all of our backs, not just Ty, we have to make the first guy miss."
Between the tackles is where bruising runners such as senior Madre London and freshman Jeremy Banks thrive. But suspect play from Tennessee's offensive line has made running the ball up the middle difficult this season.
Sophomore Tim Jordan has proven versatile enough to run between the tackles or on the perimeter, but he lacks Chandler's breakaway speed.
Since Chandler returned from a head injury suffered in the season opener, he has also demonstrated the ability to run the ball between the tackles, dispelling the notion that he is a finesse player.
"I've been in the weight room working with Coach Fitz," Chandler said, referring to strength and conditioning coach Craig Fitzgerald. "I want to be able to do both: run outside the tackles and in between the tackles. So just having variety to my game is something I want to be able to do."
Offensive coordinator Tyson Helton indicated before the season that the Vols would use a committee approach at running back. Pruitt's experience as an assistant at Alabama also indoctrinated him on the merits of using several running backs.
Within the committee, though, Chandler's unique ability is positioning him for an increased role as the offense looks for a spark during the rigors of conference play.
"We have a game plan every week," Chandler said. "We just follow that. If my name is in it, then it's in it. If it is, I'm going to go out and do my part and execute where I can."
Contact David Cobb at dcobb@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @DavidWCobb and on Facebook at facebook.com/volsupdate.