FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Following last season’s 20-13 win over Texas A&M inside Neyland Stadium, a game in which Tennessee threw for just 100 yards, coach Josh Heupel provided somewhat of an offensive mission statement for the Volunteers.
“People have gotten caught up in the pass game with us and some of those explosive plays,” Heupel said, “but the bread and butter of what we do all starts with the run game.”
Heupel has referenced “bread and butter” this season as well, but the Vols didn’t seem to go to their running game nearly enough during Saturday night’s 19-14 loss at Arkansas that certainly took a lot of shine off what had been a 4-0 start by the average score of 54-7. Tennessee somehow lost a game despite starting running back Dylan Sampson averaging 6.4 yards per carry and backup DeSean Bishop averaging 6.3.
Sampson rushed 22 times for a career-high 140 yards and both of Tennessee’s touchdowns, and he was asked afterward whether he would be up for more carries.
“I don’t really care what the number is,” Sampson said. “Whatever I’ve got to do to help my team. I don’t care if I’m cramping or not, I need to be in a position to finish games, and whatever role they put me in, I’m willing to do that while they figure other things out.