By Anna Reiffer
It’s almost football time in Tennessee, and the running backs are coming back stronger – and more competitive – than before.
Since arriving in 2024, Tennessee’s running back coach De’Rail Sims has built a room known for its physicality and red zone efficiency.
Now entering his third year coaching the position, Sims has a veteran-heavy group that gives him plenty of backfield options.
Desean Bishop’s 1,076 yards led the rush offense last season, but this year, he is returning to a room where the depth chart is nearly irrelevant.
The addition of Javin Gordon from the transfer portal, along with returning veterans Duane Morris and Justin Baker, has only intensified the competition. While each back brings something different to the room, they all share the same goal of pushing each other to their full potentials.
“It’s a coach’s dream when you got a whole entire room that’s competing from top to bottom,” Sims said.
Sims’ Perspective On The Depth Chart
With four faces ready to make their presence known, Sims has fostered a room where competition and chemistry go hand-in-hand.
“I think you kind of go into it every year with a blank slate and you kind of don’t look at it as these are the guys that we got returning, but let’s just keep the status quo,” Sims said.
For Sims, the competition extends beyond who has the ball in their hands. He evaluates every rep, paying close attention to missed assignments and the plays the backs make when the ball is not in their hands. He also pays attention to the chemistry of the offense when each back is put in, looking for specific players that maintain or elevate the unit’s entire production.
“The best thing that happens is that the eye in the sky don’t lie,” Sims said.
These constant evaluations give Sims the ability to distinguish between the backs in his talent-heavy room. By making fewer mistakes and consistently elevating the team, those players will separate themselves.
“There’s no gray area in that standpoint,” Sims said. “It’s just true black and white from a competition standpoint.”
Dynamic Duo: Bishop And Gordon
For Bishop, the competition is not limited to defending his position atop the depth chart. He has become a leadership figure to those in the room, including Tulane transfer Javin Gordon, who has looked to him for guidance during his first season with the Vols.
While Gordon and Bishop may have similar builds and running styles, each provides something unique to their position. As Gordon competes for his own opportunities this season, he has also spent time studying how Bishop approaches the position.
“Being a student of the game, getting in the film room, watching film, taking news, everything,” Gordon said. “Like I’m beside him watching, trying to correlate and comprehend the best I can from him.”
But while Bishop is seen as the “big brother” of the group, he maintains that the relationship goes both ways with his counterparts.
“[Gordon’s] been someone who’s been pushing me to be better,” Bishop said. “I need that in a room.”
A Room Of Unprecedented Depth
While Bishop and Gordon have developed their own relationship, the same competitive spirit extends throughout the rest of the room, particularly in veterans Morris and Baker.
Morris acknowledged the depth of the room, but maintained that it has not prevented the backs from supporting one another.
“Everyone wants to go attack,” Morris said. “Everyone wants to continue to uplift each other.”
Baker has seen the same dynamic. With all of the backs around the same age and sharing similar experiences, the unity has helped keep the room healthy.
“We all love upon each other, we all understand that we’re all trying to get better,” Bakery said.
Building A Stronger Backfield
The development of the running back room hasn’t been limited to on-the-field practice, but has improved significantly in the weight room as well.
With the addition of new Strength and Conditioning Coach Derek Owings, players across the Tennessee football roster have seen significant drops in body fat and gains in muscle mass.
With players like Bishop drawing comparisons to the Hulk, off-season conditioning has brought a new level of physicality to the team.
“Their bodies have changed in a good way,” Sims said. “[Bishop’s] just added more mass in terms of now he’s stronger, now he’s faster.”
Bishop enters the season as Tennessee’s most proven back, but Gordon, Morris and Baker constantly make it clear that no position is guaranteed. Each brings a different skill set and has spent the offseason finding ways to improve their game.
As the season opener approaches, Sims has more than a crowded depth chart to manage. He has a group that has embraced the competition rather than letting it divide them.
And for the Vols, that could make the difference.