Tennessee Football Position Previews 2026: Running Backs
After all, a Bishop feels at home on a Checkerboard
Dylan Sampson was the SEC Offensive Player of the Year in 2024 and broke school records in single-season rushing yards (1491) and single-season rushing TDs (22—a record that stood since 1929!) en route to being drafted by the Cleveland Browns. This left enormous shoes to fill in the Tennessee backfield in 2025.
Enter DeSean Bishop, Peyton Lewis, and Duke transfer Star Thomas as a three-headed monster to fill the role. All three found their place in the Vols’ offense, with Thomas using his final year of college eligibility to amass over 700 total yards and 7 TDs, while Lewis scored 7 TDs of his own. But it was Bishop who separated himself to become the feature back in the rotation. Last year Bishop became UT’s third straight 1000-yard rusher—previously the Vols hadn’t had a 1000-yard back since 2016. Bishop also found the endzone 16 times, more than his backfield mates combined.
However the running back room is the one offensive spot that Tennessee lacks in star power. The two-deep at every other position across the offense is going to average a 4* player. Peyton Lewis was a rare 4* in the RB roomr in 2025, and he has transferred to Virginia. Bishop is a former 3* who originally committed to Coastal Carolina before choosing to walk on at Tennessee. Daune Morris, Justin Baker, and Tulane transfer Javin Gordon will be the backs looking for some carries behind Bishop, and all but Morris were 3* recruits coming out of high school, too. Gordon, a Toccoa, GA native, rushed for 515 yards and 5 TDs in 14 games for the Green Wave last year—that’s real production on a CFP team. Morris appeared in 6 games for the Vols and tallied 133 yards on 35 carries, with Baker also having 14 carries for 43 yards in 2025. Bishop will be the feature back in 2026, but how the rest of the workload is shared and by whom is yet to be seen.
Nega Vol’n
Sure, Heupel’s run game always produces. But running backs take a lot of punishment. You’re one injury away from a 3* Tulane transfer being the workhorse of this unit. Plus, if the QB situation takes a while to shake out, the pressure of offensive production fall squarely on this unit. Can the RB room handle the burden of carrying the offense while the young QB find their footing?
Sunshine Pumpin’
C’mon man. Here is one position that never disappoints in this offense. DeSean Bishop has “added a ton of muscle” in the offseason according to his own assessment (i.e., he looks freaking yoked), and I’m convinced that Heupel could get production from a set of donkey hips and a roll of duct tape. Bishop will be a 1000-yard rusher again, and the fun will be in seeing what kind of change-up the other backs throw.
