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Tennessee Volunteers

Mark Stoops compares Jalen Hurd to Adrian Peterson, calls freshman ‘complete running back’

Jason Hall

By Jason Hall

Published:

Mark Stoops gave his final comments leading up to Kentucky’s game at Tennessee this weekend. The second-year head coach gave high praise to the Vols’ leading rusher, freshman Jalen Hurd, following Thursday’s practice.

“He’s just a complete running back,” Stoops said. “Just physically if you look at him, he reminds me of Adrian Peterson a little bit. Just that big tall, good-looking running back. Very dynamic player. He’s going to be a heck of a player. They do a nice job of trying to get him the ball in space in a lot of different ways.

“He looks like he has very good top-end speed and he has that way with some big backs to just be very elusive. Maybe doesn’t look as flashy as the little guys sometimes, but he’s always running away from people, running through people. He’s a very good player.”

Hurd recorded a season-best 125 yards in Tennessee’s win over South Carolina in Week 10. It was the most by a Vols true freshman since Jamal Lewis had 127 in the 1997 SEC Championship Game. Hurd also recorded a team-best seven catches for 58 yards, including a 21-yard fourth quarter touchdown.

The Hendersonville, Tenn., native has 623 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 134 carries, ranking fourteenth in the conference and fourth among SEC freshmen.

Jason Hall

A former freelance journalist from Nashville, Jason covers Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Kentucky

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