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Tennessee running back Jalen Hurd was named SEC Freshman of the Week for Week 2 of the 2014 season. Hurd rushed for 83 yards and a touchdown on 23 attempts during the Vols’ 34-19 win over Arkansas State Saturday.
The five-star athlete from Hendersonville, Tenn,, became the first Tennessee tailback to win the award since Arian Foster in 2005. Butch Jones acknowledged the progress made by the first-year running back during his weekly press conference earlier today.
“I think Jalen Hurd continues to progress and get better and better against tough yards,” Jones said. “There was one run where we got him to the perimeter of the defense. Now you have to earn your scholarship and make an individual miss in space. Those are all teaching opportunities.”
Hurd has seen playing time in both of Tennessee’s first two games. In his debut, Hurd split carries evenly with senior Marlin Lane and rushed for 29 yards against Utah State. He scored his first collegiate touchdown on a 15-yard reception in the third quarter of the Vols’ 38-7 opening win.
Hurd was rated by 247Sports as the No. 33 national prospect, No. 4 athlete and No. 1 prospect in Tennessee. He enjoyed a decorated prep career while at Beech High School, leading the Buccaneers to a state championship, earning Tennessee State Mr. Football honors and setting state-records for yards (3,357) and touchdowns (43) as a junior in 2012. Hurd sat out the majority of his senior season after suffering a shoulder injury in week zero against rival Station Camp. He enrolled early at Tennessee last January.
A former freelance journalist from Nashville, Jason covers Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Kentucky
