KNOXVILLE – The good news for Tennessee’s running game is John Kelly leads the Southeastern Conference in rushing yards, is tied for first in rushing touchdowns and is on pace to challenge for the school’s single-season rushing yardage record.
But in reaching those early benchmarks, the junior star has accumulated more combined touches than any other running back in the league.
Kelly is second in the SEC with 81 carries and tied for fifth in receptions with 18, making him the most-used back in the conference through four weeks. Even in a 42-7 win over Football Championship Subdivision foe Indiana State and Saturday’s 17-13 victory over winless Massachusetts, Kelly had 23 and 27 touches, accounting for just more than half of his total of 99.
As the Volunteers (3-1, 0-1) enter the heart of their SEC schedule with a game against seventh-ranked Georgia (4-0, 1-0) on Saturday at Neyland Stadium, they’ll do so with their most potent offensive weapon on track for more than 300 total touches this season, assuming Tennessee plays in a bowl game.
Tennessee running back John Kelly has been the SEC’s busiest back through the first four weeks of the season.Jalen Hurd reached 299 total touches in 2015, and Montario Hardesty eclipsed the 300-touch barrier in 2009. But both had backups who ended the season with more than 100 carries.