Earliest memories are in 1998 but I was 6. So don't have vivid memories of how good players were besides the VHS movies VolNetwork made (Jamal is a Top 3-4 RB in SEC history). For me 2000 is when I can truly start to remember how good certain players were.
Your list can be subjective as well. You can look at full career, 1 boom season after waiting his turn, guys who were good but injured or dismissed.
2000-2019 my Top 10 RBs at Tennessee
1) Travis Stephens- He gets bonus points for epic performance against Florida when they had possibly their best team of all time. How about the Georgia game we choked away when he had almost 300 all purpose yards? Had we not choked against LSU he would be considered even higher IMO leading us to a National Title game at the least.
2) Travis Henry- workhorse RB who Pruitt would give his left arm for. Felt Stephens being a bit more explosive give him very slight edge. Stiff arm may be best signature move for any UT RB.
3) Monatrio Hardesty- without injuries he could have been #1 on this list. The total package. Big and physical. Could run. Was GREAT catching the ball out the backfield had 25 catches for over 300 yards his 1 healthy season. Was a 2nd round draft pick with a long injury history to speak to his pure talent. Spin move one of best signature moves for a UT RB ever. We got 1 season of Montario truly healthy and it was special.
4) Jalen Hurd- Probably the worst possible offense for him to play in. A slow developing run offense that required backs to slither through small holes as offensive lineman played laterally. Ran as hard and physically as any back I have seen. I can still remember the sound in Neyland when he put the crown of his helmet in the UGAs defenders fask mask their the goal line and ran him over. We got small glimpses of him in the I-formation and it was special when he finally was able to get down hill. Really good pass catcher as well evidenced by him being an NFL player at WR. It ended badly but had he played for Fulmer or Pruitt he is the all time leading rusher at Tennessee.
5) Alvin Kamara- We knew he was special but I didn't know how good he was at UT. As grossly mismanaged as any UT football player ever. How that guy can sit on the sidelines for majority of the game is awful. He went from not getting the ball at UT to dominating in the NFL in a span of 7 months. Special talent.
6) Arian Foster- before he got fat as a SR he was really good. Just a pure runner who would glide on the field. Ended badly and had some brutal fumbles but he was really good as a freshman and junior.
7) John Kelly- played behind the worst offensive line I have seen at Tennessee and one of the worst offensive lines I have seen in P5 football in 2017. Again another stud who sat on the sideline with Kamara. When Hurd quit in 2016 and he got his chance he averaged over 6 YPC. His balance and tackle breaking ability was incredible. Again had he had a semblance of an offensive line in 2017 it would have been a show.
8) Cedric Houston- I remember him being very steady. Not a game breaker but just solid every year.
9) Gerald Riggs- One hit wonder but it was a fun year for sure.
10) Eric Gray- why the heck not!
Honorable mention:
LaMarcus Coker- my gosh that kid would have been special.
Jabari Davis- biggest touchdown hawk in Tennessee history?
Who yall got?
Your list can be subjective as well. You can look at full career, 1 boom season after waiting his turn, guys who were good but injured or dismissed.
2000-2019 my Top 10 RBs at Tennessee
1) Travis Stephens- He gets bonus points for epic performance against Florida when they had possibly their best team of all time. How about the Georgia game we choked away when he had almost 300 all purpose yards? Had we not choked against LSU he would be considered even higher IMO leading us to a National Title game at the least.
2) Travis Henry- workhorse RB who Pruitt would give his left arm for. Felt Stephens being a bit more explosive give him very slight edge. Stiff arm may be best signature move for any UT RB.
3) Monatrio Hardesty- without injuries he could have been #1 on this list. The total package. Big and physical. Could run. Was GREAT catching the ball out the backfield had 25 catches for over 300 yards his 1 healthy season. Was a 2nd round draft pick with a long injury history to speak to his pure talent. Spin move one of best signature moves for a UT RB ever. We got 1 season of Montario truly healthy and it was special.
4) Jalen Hurd- Probably the worst possible offense for him to play in. A slow developing run offense that required backs to slither through small holes as offensive lineman played laterally. Ran as hard and physically as any back I have seen. I can still remember the sound in Neyland when he put the crown of his helmet in the UGAs defenders fask mask their the goal line and ran him over. We got small glimpses of him in the I-formation and it was special when he finally was able to get down hill. Really good pass catcher as well evidenced by him being an NFL player at WR. It ended badly but had he played for Fulmer or Pruitt he is the all time leading rusher at Tennessee.
5) Alvin Kamara- We knew he was special but I didn't know how good he was at UT. As grossly mismanaged as any UT football player ever. How that guy can sit on the sidelines for majority of the game is awful. He went from not getting the ball at UT to dominating in the NFL in a span of 7 months. Special talent.
6) Arian Foster- before he got fat as a SR he was really good. Just a pure runner who would glide on the field. Ended badly and had some brutal fumbles but he was really good as a freshman and junior.
7) John Kelly- played behind the worst offensive line I have seen at Tennessee and one of the worst offensive lines I have seen in P5 football in 2017. Again another stud who sat on the sideline with Kamara. When Hurd quit in 2016 and he got his chance he averaged over 6 YPC. His balance and tackle breaking ability was incredible. Again had he had a semblance of an offensive line in 2017 it would have been a show.
8) Cedric Houston- I remember him being very steady. Not a game breaker but just solid every year.
9) Gerald Riggs- One hit wonder but it was a fun year for sure.
10) Eric Gray- why the heck not!
Honorable mention:
LaMarcus Coker- my gosh that kid would have been special.
Jabari Davis- biggest touchdown hawk in Tennessee history?
Who yall got?
