KNOXVILLE -- Asked why it looked like he played at another level during his most recent football game, Jalen Hurd delivered a simple answer.
The angry running style the Tennessee running back showed throughout his freshman season in 2014 returned when the Volunteers powered through Iowa in the TaxSlayer Bowl in January.
"We had time off before," he said after Tennessee's practice Tuesday, "and I think you saw all big numbers around college football, just because everyone had been rested and healthy."
Hurd and the Vols would like to believe his 122-yard, two-touchdown exhibition against the Hawkeyes was a preview of things to come for the former five-star recruit.
That's if he can stay healthy, of course.
Missing nearly all of two games and most of a third cost Hurd a bigger season than he had in 2014 -- his 899 yards were still the third-most by a true freshman in program history -- and Tennessee is hoping to avoid increasing his hit count by keeping him in a green jersey and limiting his contact this spring.
Unlike last season, the Vols now have another dynamic back to pair with Hurd in junior college transfer Alvin Kamara, who sat out Tuesday's practice while nursing a thigh bruise.
But if Hurd is to make a big leap from his freshman season to his sophomore year, he'll need to improve his durability, and that's something he and Tennessee's coaching staff openly acknowledge.
"The first thing going from the first step to the next step is just overall durability and learning what it takes to really take care of your body at an elite level," head coach Butch Jones said.
"Obviously Jalen, being the size and stature that he has, he's going to take some hits that other backs don't take. It's being able to really take care of your body and do the things you need to from rest to recovery to in the weight room, and Jalen's done a great job with that to date.
Tennessee running back Alvin Kamara (6), left, runs the ball while taking light contact from Tennessee running back Jalen Hurd (1) during Tennessee's opening spring football practice at Haslam Field on Tuesday, March 24, 2015 in Knoxville."He's taken great pride in the weight room. He's taken great pride in adding the weight that he needs, and I see it, I see him right now being bigger, stronger and faster. He's an elite athlete, and Jalen is very, very competitive. I see him making great progress in those areas."
Hurd is up to 235 pounds, and he believes that won't cost him his speed or cutting ability.
"I don't think I've lost anything," he said.
Of course, Hurd also believes he's pretty much invincible. Missing time in games last season and wearing a green jersey in practices isn't something he likes to do. But he appears to be making the most of it this spring.
"Obviously we're limited with some of the things that he does," running backs coach Robert Gillespie said last week, "and it's still hard to keep him out."
Hurd has welcomed Kamara, too, and tried to help his adjustment to Tennessee. Kamara is nearly six months older than Hurd, but the younger back has more SEC experience.
"I think we feed off each other," Hurd said. "He might be more elusive than I am, and I could work on that. He could work on (running) a little bit more bigger like I am. We'll feed off each other, and we'll get better having each other.
"I've been in the program, so I've been around Coach Gillespie, Coach Jones. I know the style they want and what they want on the field. I'm just trying to convey that to Alvin and be the best leader I can to him."
In its analysis of last season, Tennessee's coaching staff determined Hurd could have ended up with roughly 1,400 rushing yards -- which would've ranked second in the SEC behind Auburn's Cameron Artis-Payne and Georgia's Nick Chubb -- had he broken a few more tackles here and there or stayed healthy enough to play.
Though a couple of shoulder injuries hindered Hurd's high school career, the Vols never had any doubts about his durability, nor do they doubt how good he can be if he's able to stay on the field and out of the training room.
"Jalen Hurd can be as good as he wants to be," Jones said. "I think the sky's the limit for him. You look at his production last year with missing a few games. He has the one intangible that all great players have. He's got great competitive character. He loves to compete. He loves football, and Jalen's a very smart football player. You only have to tell him once.
"What he did in the pass-protection game as a true freshman was one of the best things I've seen in coaching, to be able to be a good pass protector and play without the football in his hands. Understanding schemes and the knowledge base, that was very impressive."
Contact Patrick Brown at pbrown@timesfreepress.com.