Marlin Lane
Much of the offseason chatter about the Vol running backs has centered on Jalen Hurd and that’s understandable. Tennessee’s talented 5-star freshman has excelled thus far and has been immensely consistent during fall camp. But Marlin Lane, not Hurd, is in line to start at running back this season. Fans seem to forget that Lane is averaging 5 yards per carry for his career – more than the career averages of Travis Stephens, Rajion Neal and Arian Foster, to name a few. Lane would have seen more snaps last season (when he averaged 5.3 ypc) but a lack of conditioning kept him off the field at times. He’s in the best shape of his career and has really stepped up to lead the young Vol RB corps during camp.
Quotable: “He’s a kid that realized that football was going to be his way to change his future, change his life. He’s done a great job making off the field decisions and a great job in the classroom. Those are really the things that really matter in the end. Marlin has wanted to change. He has wanted to change the way people looked at him. Fighting every day to earn respect form his peers and coaching staff and to put a product out there that makes him proud.” – Vol RB coach Robert Gillespie
