Ty Chandler carries the ball for Tennessee during a home game against Missouri in November 2018.KNOXVILLE - The Times Free Press is taking a daily positional look at the Tennessee football team before the first day of preseason camp on Aug. 1. After starting with quarterbacks, we turn our attention to running backs:
Who's back
Returning almost everyone in the backfield can't be a bad thing, right? Well, how helpful is it when the unit wasn't very good last season? The Volunteers' hope is changes in the offensive coaching staff will have a positive effect on the running game, which ranked last in the Southeastern Conference in yards per game (129.1) and yards per carry (3.7) and tied for 12th with South Carolina in rushing touchdowns (15). Junior Ty Chandler, who led the team last season in all-purpose yards (813) and touchdowns (seven), is on the preseason list of candidates for the Doak Walker Award, which is given annually to college football's top running back. Last year the 5-foot-11, 201-pounder became the first Vol since LaMarcus Coker in 2006 to record two runs of 75 or more yards in the same season, with scoring runs of 81 and 75. Chandler was complemented by Tim Jordan, who is more of a grinder at the position, though Jordan - now a junior - showed he could do well in a more featured role by running for 118 yards on 20 carries after Chandler was injured in the season opener against West Virginia. Both have shown ability beyond running the ball, combining for 31 catches in 2018, with Chandler's receptions including three touchdowns. Both senior Carlin Fils-aime and sophomore Jeremy Banks showed they could run the ball, but neither has a locked-in position, with both having played defense for the Vols as well. Fils-aime spent most of last season as a defensive back, but he was moved back to offense before the South Carolina game in late October. He ran well against the Gamecocks, scoring on a 14-yard run, but his final carry of the season resulted in a fumble against Missouri that was returned for a touchdown.
What's new
It was considered a big recruiting win when Eric Gray from Memphis backed out of his commitment to Michigan and chose to sign with the Vols in December. A two-time Tennessee Gatorade Football Player of the Year and a three-time Mr. Football award winner, the 5-10, 195-pounder rushed for 7,901 yards in his final three seasons at Lausanne and set the TSSAA record for career touchdowns with 138. As a freshman he could be asked to fill a role similar to the one played by Chandler, who can catch passes out of the backfield and even line up out wide as a receiver in addition to running the ball.
Strengths
The Vols have good players at this position. Chandler has shown he can be a game-breaking back with dynamic speed. While not as fast, Jordan possesses the strength to be able to get some of the tough yards in between the tackles. That's the 1-2 punch the Vols will rely on in the backfield - with some Gray sprinkled in.
Weaknesses
There's not a ton of depth, at least not the type that breeds confidence. Gray could be good, but freshmen are unpredictable. Chandler is a very good back, but he has been riddled with injuries that have forced him to miss time during his Vols career. Fils-aime and Banks have had moments, but neither has really shown he can be relied on. Is this the year Fils-aime puts together a solid season in a backup role, or is he better as a defensive back? Can Banks be another Jordan, or is he more suited to play linebacker? Finally, will the oft-maligned offensive line provide the holes needed to showcase what this unit can do?
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenley3 or at Facebook.com/VolsUpdate.