Alex Golesh provides health update on Tennessee running back Jaylen Wright

Jaylen Wright will have an important role in the Tennessee backfield this season if he can stay healthy. The sophomore running back has been limited throughout fall camp with a quadriceps injury, wearing a red non-contact jersey and sitting out the Vols’ first two scrimmages.

That changed Tuesday, as Tennessee offensive coordinator Alex Golesh confirmed that Wright practiced in full for the first time all preseason. His return comes at a perfect time, as the Volunteers are set to kick off the 2022 season in less than two weeks.

“Jaylen Wright just went through practice with us,” Golesh said Tuesday. “He looks like he’s got fresh legs, fresher than almost everybody else. He’s been so eager to go. We’ve been really, really smart with him knowing the beating that a back in this conference is gonna take, but he was full-go today. Looked good. A cool energy about him. He doesn’t like sitting out, so he’s ready to go.”

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A true freshman last season, Wright ranked as the No. 34 running back and No. 511 player according to On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average. He rushed for an impressive 409 yards and four touchdowns playing behind Jabari Small and Tiyon Evans.

Although Small returns this season, Evans transferred to Louisville opening up even more opportunity for Jaylen Wright at Tennessee. Golesh said the Volunteers hope to play around four players at running back, with freshmen Justin Williams-Thomas and Dylan Sampson also having a chance to make an impact.

“We’ll see rotationally how it ends up being,” the coach said. “We’re gonna play hopefully four of those guys — knock on wood — if everybody stays healthy. But today was the first day he’s been with us full-go going through it. So he was eager and excited.”

Tennessee finished third in the SEC this past season in total offense and projects to again be among the top units in the league. With a running back room that includes Small and Wright, it’s hard to argue that.

The Volunteers are scheduled to kick off the 2022 season on Sept. 1 against Ball State.