University of Tennessee Athletics
Hurd's Confidence Bolsters Run Game
October 28, 2014 | Football
By Brian Rice KNOXVILLE, Tenn.
UTSports.com
The Volunteers' best rushing performance of the season allowed the offense to take that next step against Alabama. It may not have been the biggest scoring output of the year or accounted for the most total yards, but the 181 yards gained on the ground against Alabama represented the next step in playing the consistent, complementary football that Butch Jones is looking for out of his team.
And it started with the confidence of a freshman.
"The run game opens up the pass game, the pass game opens up the run game," running back Jalen Hurd said. "On offense, we complement each other."
His stats on Saturday may not have been gaudy, 16 carries for 59 yards, but they helped grind on the Alabama defense, giving Tennessee a season high in rushing yards and the Crimson Tide a season high in ground yards surrendered.
With Justin Worley sidelined, the running ability of Joshua Dobbs helped open up running lanes for Hurd and his fellow tailbacks. Thanks to the work they do together in practice every day, there was no break in rhythm for the running game.
"Every quarterback and running back have a great relationship," Hurd said. "Every day at practice we roll through and get different reps with different quarterbacks, we try to prepare for every moment that could happen."
Having a consistent back like Hurd helped the stability of the offense as well. After battling a shoulder injury earlier in the season, the freshman said he felt as good as ever heading into the game, and showed it on the field.
"I'm not trying to run harder, I'm just doing anything I can to try and help the team," said Hurd of his game against the Tide. "Knowing teams like that, teams I've watched since I was a little kid, I want to play against those teams, I want to have an impact on those games and that's what I'm trying to do."
His play, along with that of his fellow running backs, took pressure off of Dobbs and an offensive line dealing with health and depth issues of its own.
"It all starts with the running back," Jones said. "The mark of a great running back is the overall durability. When you look at the physicality of the game in the SEC, they're getting hit on every snap. So it's that mental toughness, that physical presence, that domination in the weight room and overall mental conditioning and mental toughness that goes along with playing the position."
Like every other piece that fits together on the field, it all starts for Hurd in practice.
"He's very prideful," Jones said. "He works exceptionally hard on the practice field. You can see that on game day because of the hard work he puts in on the practice field, it always starts in practice."
Hurd carries himself in a way that exudes confidence. Jones recounted a brief conversation with Hurd on the bus to Tennessee's walkthrough on Saturday morning, where he told the freshman that he needed him to help the team get over the hump, to gain confidence with a strong showing. Hurd simply asked for the ball.
"That is his overall style of play and his overall demeanor," Jones said. "It's that confidence and aura that he has. It's not cockiness, it's confidence, and we like that. It bleeds over into everyone in our football team."
