Every 1,000-Yard Rusher in Tennessee Football History

Peyton Manning will forever be the face of Tennessee football. Manning began carving his path to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, one throw at a time, in Knoxville. But his receivers weren’t the only beneficiaries.

Two of the best individual rushing seasons in Tennessee football history happened with Manning under center, commanding everybody’s attention, from defensive coordinators to defensive backs.

In 1995, Jay Graham ran for a then-program record 1,438 yards. Two years later, during Manning’s senior season, Jamal Lewis rushed for 1,364 yards. At the time, their totals ranked No. 1 and No. 2 on Tennessee’s single-season rushing yards list. Entering the 2025 season, Graham and Lewis still rank in the top 4.

Here’s a detailed look at Tennessee’s 1,000-yard rushing history.

Tennessee’s 1,000-Yard Rushers

Johnnie Jones was the first 1,000-yard rusher in Tennessee football history and also the only Vol to top 1,000 yards twice in a career. Here’s the complete list of every 1,000-yard rusher in Vols history, entering the 2025 season.

Tennessee’s Single-Season Rushing Record Progression

Dylan Sampson not only became the most recent member of Tennessee’s 1,000-yard rushing club in 2024, he set the Vols’ single-season rushing record. Here’s a look at the record-holders since Johnnie Jones became the first Vol to top the 1,000-yard mark in 1983 (bold indicates season in which the record was broken):

Chris Wright

Managing Editor

A 30-time APSE award-winning editor with previous stints at the Miami Herald, The Indianapolis Star and News & Observer, Executive Editor Chris Wright oversees editorial operations for Saturday Down South.