Tennessee running backs coach De’Rail Sims met with the local media on Tuesday morning just four days before the Vols open up their 2024 season against Chattanooga at Neyland Stadium.
Sims discussed Cam Seldon’s health, finding a rotation in a deep room and much more. Here’s everything Sims said on Thursday.
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On what Tennessee running back Cam Seldon has looked like since being cleared for contact in practice
“He’s been doing good. He’s been doing a really good job of sitting up there attacking the practice. So we’ll turn loose on Saturday and let him see what we can do.”
On the overall health of Tennessee’s running backs entering the season
“We’re sitting in a good spot right now heading into this opener. So feeling good about where we’re at right now. I’m just ready to see these guys perform on Saturday.”
On if they did extra work with Cam Seldon while he was not cleared for contact
“Yeah, we kind of do that especially in our ball-security circuit and our (individual) period, giving him a chance to be able to feel getting hit and what it will feel like once he gets hit to the game on Saturday.”
On how he organizes the workload when he has so many Tennessee running backs to pick from
“I think you plan it out by the way that they go attack the week in practice. Seeing, from the standpoint of the competition in the room, who understands their assignments. And then kind of based on the flow of the game as well. We’ll kind of put a plan together in terms of how we rotate guys and then it’s also a feel of it. Me being able to play running back in in my previous life, you kind of get a feel for it as a running back as you get in the groove and kind of see who has a hot hand.”
On how versatile this group of Tennessee running backs is, if multiple backs are able to play in multiple situations
“I think that’s kind of the best part about the room right now, that we all got compliments to each other, but we’re all similar too from a skillset standpoint. So it’s not like when when one guy guy comes in that it can key on this particular skill set is coming. I think that’s the best part about the room right now. And then at the same time they also got different off-speed pitches that they bring to the table. So that part is good.”
On coaching in FCS and how those teams view games like Chattanooga at Tennessee
“Nah, the mindset, previously when I was at FCS was you always want prove a point. A lot of those guys in that sitting on the opposite sideline, a lot of them are from our surrounding areas. The in-state guys that want to prove that they deserve to be here and that they deserve to be on the stage. So you’re going to get their best shot every single snap. There were things that, previously at some places I’ve been, anytime you got a chance to play up in weight class, that you go in there and you give everything that you’ve got for four quarters and then you let the chip stack where they may fall. So our guys understand that as well. They understand that they’re going to get their best shot this weekend and we got to be ready to play.”
On where Tennessee freshman running back Peyton Lewis is in his development
“I think Peyton has done a really good job in terms of taking the next step. I think he’s more confident right now in himself. I think he’s done a really good job of getting comfortable in the whole entire offense. So when he gets in there, you see him in practice do a lot of really good things. You see him understand the protection aspect of it, you see him anticipate where the runs are supposed to hit it. So I think he’s at a point right now, where he’s getting more comfortable. But I think he’s going to get comfortable continuously as he gets practice throughout the season, too, and he gets some damage experience. So I think that’s the number one thing with him, his confidence will continue to grow.”
On what Chattanooga looks like on defense
“I think the number one thing you look at is the defensive front, how they attack and they get off the ball. I think they do a really good job in terms of penetration, in terms of being able to play aggressive. And they want to try and move the line of scrimmage, to play on the opposing offense’s line of scrimmage. I think their linebackers are downhill players. They do a really good job of being able to go gang tackle and wrap up. I think those are the things that you see. They’re very similar, when I was at Western Carolina and was in the same conference with them, very similar structure wise to what they’ve done in the past when they were really good. So it is a defense that’s going to play hard and it’s going to get at your tail. And they want to be attacking in all phases.”
On how his expectations for Tennessee’s running backs change as they exit the preseason and enter the regular season
“It doesn’t change. The standards is the standard. So we make sure we do a really good job of understanding, just because we’re transitioning to game week, our attention to detail does not change, our focus does not change, the level of expectations of the way we go out here and practice every day does not change. So it actually has to go up another level. Because you understand like, OK, my reps are my reps and I got to make each one of those reps count. So we got to do a phenomenal job of maximizing our time on the practice field.”
On how he has seen Tennessee’s offensive line grow and working in the concepts that the running backs use
“They’ve done a really good job. That’s the number one deal right now, that us and offensive linemen are on the same page. So we fit hand-in-hand together and I think that they’ve done a phenomenal job of being able to come off the football, in terms of when we’re running the football, moving the line of scrimmage. And also the communication piece from a pass (protection) standpoint. We’re on the same page, which is phenomenal.”
On how he evaluated Cam Seldon before this fall, if he watched Citrus Bowl tape or high school tape
“Watching the tape from high school and then watching the tape from the bowl game and how he played along last season. And then being able to watch him as he’s got a chance to practice and kind of get a feel for what style of a running back is. (We’re) always looking at things that we can work on from that standpoint. Trying to enhance his strengths as well, as we’re trying to set up here and work on the things to continue to tweak him and make him being the most complete running bat that he can be.”
On what Seldon’s strengths are and what they’ve been working on
“I think you sit here and look at it, he’s smooth. He has really good vision. He’s able to anticipate where the holes are going to be at the second level. I think just like with all taller backs, just being able to work on that pad level. Instead of running upright like Eddie George, make sure we’re doing a really good job running behind pass and being able to finish off runs.”
