Everything Tennessee running backs coach De’Rail Sims said after Tuesday’s practice

Everything head coach Tennessee running backs coach De’Rail Sims said during his press conference after Tuesday morning’s practice at the Anderson Training Center:

The progress of Tennessee’s running back group as game week gets closer

“I think you got to look at the first two, the returning guys from last year. You got Bish (DeSean Bishop), you got Peyton (Lewis), and then you got to look at the rest of the room. It’s no really set numbers and rotation yet. I think it’s still working itself out as it get towards game week, the competition factor in that. I think you start with the two older guys and then you look at Star (Thomas) and other guys, played a ton of football that’s working his way and has had a really good camp. And then you look at the two younger guys (Daune Morris and Justin Baker) that are fighting for a role on this team, have done a really good job too. So I think once we get towards game week, I think that’ll work itself out.”

Where Tennessee’s DeSean Bishop has grown, the bigger role he will have this season

“I think he’s taken a step in terms of leadership, number one. He’s been a dynamic guy in the room, in terms of holding guys accountable. 

If somebody’s not living up to the standard, he’s the first one to get on them. And that’s including all factors. And I think you look at, from a pass protection standpoint, he’s taken the next step too. From a physicality standpoint, an eye discipline standpoint, he’s done a really good job from that standpoint. Running the ball is natural to him. You’re talking about a guy that was highly productive in high school, that rushed for a ton of yards. So that came natural. The pass protection piece of it, he’s grown tremendously in that and done a really good job this camp.”

What he likes about Tennessee’s new-look offensive line going into the season

“I like the fact of how they’re coming off the ball. They’re coming off the ball hard, creating seams, vertical seams in the defense for us. They’re doing a really good job playing physical. They’re doing a really good job of playing connected and playing together. Those guys have been tenacious in terms of the way that they came off the ball for us, in terms of being able to run the ball. Their attitude has been tremendous. You see a different mentality in them collectively, which has been good for us.” 

Having three older running backs to choose from and how that is a good problem to have

“It’s a good problem because I think competition never lets you be complacent. 

We talk about it all the time. Good is the enemy of great. So when you got a whole room, and it’s not just those three guys, as well, you sit up there and you look at them two freshmen that we got in Daune Morris and Justin Baker, they don’t want to take a backseat to anybody. So they’re competing their tails off as well. So everybody in the room, including Hunter Barnes as well, I mean, you got six guys in that room who are competing their tails off to go play. So I can’t have an off day, you know what I’m saying? It can’t be one of those days that I’m not bringing my A-game. I got to be an A-player every single day when I got a deep room in the way that we do.”

How Tennessee running back Star Thomas has grown since the spring

“He’s gotten comfortable in terms of knowing the offense inside and out. He’s grown so much between the spring, over the summer, to now. You can just tell how comfortable he is. And now he can be himself. He’s the guy that you’ve seen on tape be productive last year. He’s grown even more in terms of being able to run the football behind his pads. That’s the biggest deal for us, too, the physicality piece of it. And then in pass protection, he’s done a good job in terms of being identified. The physicality piece is showing up a lot with him in pass pro as well, which has been awesome.” 

If catching passes out of the backfield is a strength for Star Thomas, if he’s more of a situational or third-down back

“No, I wouldn’t say he’s a situational guy. I think Star is a complete back. He’s not a guy that’s just going to catch the ball outside on the perimeter and be able to run. He’s a run between the tackles guy. He’s a run on the outside, he’s able to catch the ball, pass protect. So in my opinion, he’s a complete back.”

Tennessee being able to plug in new running backs in this system and keep being productive in the run game

“I think it’s being in a rhythm and a flow with your offense, number one. I think the way that we play ball allows us to have the box counts that we do. But also at the same time, it’s a mentality. Everybody understands that we’re going to run a football in this program. And I think the mentality that the offensive line says to what the tight end said, to what we’re sitting in the running back room, that’s allowed us to be successful in the run game. And they understand that. They understand the standard and the expectation of us. Man, in this league, you got to be physical and you got to be able to run the football. No matter how many they put in the box, you got to be able to get downhill on people and go hit them in the mouth.” 

The offseason for Peyton Lewis

“We challenged him just to grow. He changed his body. You know, he looks like a Greek God when he walks out there on the field. And to get comfortable. I wanted him to be Peyton like he was in high school in terms of when he was able to run behind his pads. He was running through the trash that was being created up front. He’s done a really good job from that standpoint. Like, his eyes and his feet match now in the run game. His eyes and his feet match in the pass protection game, as well. Like, you can see the maturation process and he’s playing faster. I think last year, especially him not being able to go through spring ball, when he came out to fall camp, he was still feeling his way through. There’s no more of that now. He’s actually playing fast. He’s playing behind his pads. He’s doing a really good job in all three phases of the game for us right now.”

Managing the rotation of Tennessee running backs in games

“Yeah, so we kind of throughout the game we go through as a staff and we kind of talk about what the rotation is going to be about. The rotation takes care of itself during the week in terms of who’s competing. Who has the less (missed assignments), who’s doing a really good job protecting the football, protecting the quarterback and who’s being highly productive. I think going by that in the game, it kind of always sorts itself out. You know, you always kind of got a plan. I know last year, Dylan (Sampson) was in the first two series and then (DeSean Bishop) came in the third series. Not necessarily saying it’ll be that way this year. I think it kind of works its way through. But also, you got to look at how is the offense moving when you’re in the game. That’s why I always challenge the guys with, is it being highly productive and going up another level? Is it staying consistent when you’re in the game? I think by that token of it, it always works itself out.”

Tennessee freshman Daune Morris gaining weight, his pass protection

“I think you look at his body and see how much he’s changed since he got here. That’s been awesome. You know, he takes pride in terms of putting the weight on the right way. The biggest deal with Daune is he’s still growing. He’s natural in terms of being able to run the ball. He’s got vision. It’s like he’s running blind at times because he can feel his way through the holes, which is really good. His acceleration is good. It’s always going to be pass protection, you know, for the young guys as they come in. But it’s not because of he don’t want to. That joker is physical. He’ll go in there and he’ll put his face in the fan and he’ll go in there and stop a charge. We just got to keep working on making sure his eyes is in the right spot from a fundamental standpoint. But overall, we’re pleased with where he’s at. But he’s still got a high, high ceiling to still continue to work to get to.”

The strength of Peyton Lewis

“You see it because he’s able to, you know, you see tackles bounce off of him and that’s the biggest deal. He’s built his body up in a way to where he has the armor, to where he’s able to use his body as a weapon now, which is really good. And I think that’s translated into confidence, as well. He understands that he can drop his pads in the run game, he can drop his pads in pass protection and he’s able to stop people in their tracks. So I think that piece of it has been awesome for him from a confidence standpoint.”