In my lifetime UT has been Blessed by GREAT running backs - Who is your favorite?

#256
#256
UT Hill Man said:
Travis Henry (1997–2000) Henry is the program’s all-time leading rusher with 3,078 career yards. And famously, was quite the ladies man.

Dylan Sampson (2022–2024) In 2024, Sampson set new single-season program records for rushing yards (1,491) and rushing touchdowns (22), surpassing a scoring record that had stood since 1929.

Jamal Lewis (1997–1999) Lewis was a key piece of the 1998 National Championship team and an all-time NFL great. Despite shared carries, he holds the school record for career rushing average at 103 yards per game.

Arian Foster (2005–2008) Foster ranks second in all-time rushing yards (2,964) and holds the school record for career scrimmage yards with 3,706.

James "Little Man" Stewart (1991–1994) Stewart ranks third in career rushing yards (2,890) and finished his career with 35 rushing touchdowns.

Not to be forgotten are Jay Graham, Charlie Garner, Travis Stephens, and Alvin Kamara among the the list of all time greats.

It's hard for me to pick because I respected them all enormously. What do y'all think?
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Jay Graham
 
#257
#257
Chuck Webb is hands down the most talented and best running back. Lewis and Henry were awesome beast. But had Webb not got hurt he would have won the Heisman and they wouldn’t have been able to not give it to him. He was just that good. GBO
 
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#258
#258
MurphyVol said:
Charlie Garner was the one I wanted to see with the ball in his hands almost every running play. I'd guess he was one of the most underutilized players we've had.

Not sure why it took until halfway through his NFL career for someone to figure out that he was just as deadly catching the ball as he was carrying it.

I wonder if his 7.3 ypc Is the school record for a season
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Garner played with Aaron Hayden and Little Man Stewart, who were both really good. Hard to get enough playing time for all three.
 
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#259
#259
jackaro said:
Garner played with Aaron Hayden and Little Man Stewart, who were both really good. Hard to get enough playing time for all three.
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Garner came into Knoxville after their freshman seasons in which they shared carries and quickly became the starter. Garner was another level better than either one of them, and they both were starters in the NFL
 
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#261
#261
Johnnie Jones for me....because hes from my hometown, was one of my HS coaches, and is still a good family friend

Not to mention his college career was great
 
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#262
#262
There have been many great ones but to me it has to be Travis Henry.
After the Stoerner stumble and fumble, the determination and running of Henry to get the final score paved the way to the ’98 National Championship.
 
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#263
#263
Missjw said:
I'll have to go with Cedric Houston because he's my roommate and he might kick my ass if I went any other way! He did get chosen to give the homecoming speech last year.
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HFS, this has got to be some kind of a lurker award. 3 posts in 10 years, lured into making a 4th post to say he was Houston's roommate. Winner!
 
#264
#264
ffemtp said:
There have been many great ones but to me it has to be Travis Henry.
After the Stoerner stumble and fumble, the determination and running of Henry to get the final score paved the way to the ’98 National Championship.
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Lewis,Henry and Stephens were the best Tennessee Tandem ever no doubt. But Ground Chuck Webb was the best running back ever at Tennessee in my opinion. The Cobb-Webb was one tough combo as well. Garner was up there too. But I go Webb,Lewis,Henry and Garner in that order. 5th is Kamara, followed by Stephens,Sampson,Cobb with James Little Man Stewart and Gerald Riggs rounding out my top 10. First man out of top 10 Johnny Jones! GBO
 
#266
#266
utvols74 said:
Travis Henry was a stud (no pun intended). I remember his mom coming onto the field (in the end zone) during the Vanderbilt game when he dove over and landed squarely on his head. Everyone thought he did serious damage - but thankfully did not.

I think Jamal Lewis will be the closest to Hershel Walker UT will ever get.

My favorite had to be Chuck Webb. His freshman year was incredible. He had Reggie Cobb subbing in/out for him which made the "Cobb-Webb" tandem and national acclaim. He set a Cotton Bowl rushing record (nearly 300 yards) and was Offensive MVP in UT's win against a top-10 Arkansas. That '89 team was loaded in nearly every position. He rushed for more than 1600 yards in 12 games with a 6+ YPC average.
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Chick Webb, he was also the most talented one also ever . Sad it was cut so short with the knee injury
 
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#268
#268
Travis Stephens is my all time favorite Vols RB. Had a heart of a lion
 
#269
#269
Rickyvol77 said:
Jamal broke the single season NFL record, Chuck Webb is no Jamal
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Then you obviously never saw Webb. This was when Majors refused (stupidly) to play true freshman. Guys like Webb and Pickens frittered away as true freshman on the bench.

In 1989, Webb gained over 1,200 yards while sharing early season carriers with Reggie Cobb. And that was pretty much it, because he blew his knee out in the 2nd contest, a meaningless blowout of hapless Pacific. If ACL procedures were where they’d be just a few years later, he likely goes on to a promising NFL career.
 
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#270
#270
WaywardVol said:
Then you obviously never saw Webb. This was when Majors refused (stupidly) to play true freshman. Guys like Webb and Pickens frittered away as true freshman on the bench.

In 1989, Webb gained over 1,200 yards while sharing early season carriers with Reggie Cobb. And that was pretty much it, because he blew his knee out in the 2nd contest, a meaningless blowout of hapless Pacific. If ACL procedures were where they’d be just a few years later, he likely goes on to a promising NFL career.
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Chuck was special to watch
 
#271
#271
Little Man Stewart with his dives over the top for short yardage or TDs. My son's name is Stewart --- he was too little for any of the jerseys sold so my wife cut one down and sewed it together to make him a Little Man Stewart jersey. Jay Graham despite his recent issues for the runs in victories over Bama and Travis Henry for the winning drive over Arkansas with the national championship on the line. Henry just bulldozed folks on that drive. I still enjoy watching that over and over!
 
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#272
#272
WaywardVol said:
Then you obviously never saw Webb. This was when Majors refused (stupidly) to play true freshman. Guys like Webb and Pickens frittered away as true freshman on the bench.

In 1989, Webb gained over 1,200 yards while sharing early season carriers with Reggie Cobb. And that was pretty much it, because he blew his knee out in the 2nd contest, a meaningless blowout of hapless Pacific. If ACL procedures were where they’d be just a few years later, he likely goes on to a promising NFL career.
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Cobb-Webb was quite the combo...perhaps the best 1-2 punch ever for the Vols.
 
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#273
#273
vols40 said:
Webb was built like Emmett Smith and had trackesque speed. That dude could fly. I love everyone mentioned in this thread. Long time vol fans are saddened by what might have been. The Vols were loaded in 1990 and Chuck was at the top of that list. We lost to Alabama 9-6 no way they beat us if Chuck is Healthy
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The loss 9-6 to Bama still stings. We had an NC caliber team and should have rolled the Tide except Majors going so tight when playing Bama. We attempted a winning FG only to have it blocked and it went backwards around 30 yds if memory serves to allow Bama to quick the winning FG. Damn!!
 
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#275
#275
MurphyVol said:
Charlie Garner was the one I wanted to see with the ball in his hands almost every running play. I'd guess he was one of the most underutilized players we've had.

Not sure why it took until halfway through his NFL career for someone to figure out that he was just as deadly catching the ball as he was carrying it.

I wonder if his 7.3 ypc Is the school record for a season
Click to expand...

I'm not sure what the single-season yards per carry record is at Tennessee but, in 2023, Jaylen Wright's "7.39 average yards per carry led all FBS running backs with a minimum of 120 attempts. [He] spearheaded the ground assault, carrying it 137 times for 1,013 yards, including 592 yards after contact." Football History - University of Tennessee Athletics
 
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