Josh Heupel talks running back depth, Tiyon Evans and LenNeth Whitehead

Prior to Tennessee’s 62-24 rout of the Missouri Tigers, Volunteers running back Tiyon Evans told the media “we’re going to have some fun” in their second SEC game. Surely, Evans wasn’t expecting that successful of a performance. Not even head coach Josh Heupel could have predicted what the Vols rushing attack would do to the Tigers’ defense.

Tennessee ran buck wild against Missouri — not necessarily in terms of total yardage, but in terms of efficiency. Evans needed just 15 carries to have by far his best game this season, totaling 156 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns.

Evans wasn’t even the only Volunteers rusher that saw an efficient output. Len’Neth Whitehead, a freshman running back from Athens, Georgia, had nine carries for an efficient 76-yard day. Even senior Marcus Pierce Jr. chipped in, his first 10-plus carry performance of the season, adding 45 rushing yards and a touchdown. And of course, the cherry on top, newly-appointed starting quarterback Hendon Hooker rushed for 80 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries.

Heupel liked what he saw from Tennessee. And he thinks that Evans and Whitehead can create a crowded backfield.

“I think a week or two ago, I talked about [Whitehead] as a guy that was banged up in the offseason, was rehabbing with our strength and conditioning staff, had a really good summer and just has steadily grown throughout training camp and the early part of the season,” Heupel said. “I think it’s a great lesson for guys inside of our program: sometimes things don’t happen exactly when you want them to. You continue to work and you continue to strain and you continue to learn — on the field and off the field — and eventually, your opportunity is going to come.”

A foot injury cut Whitehead’s senior season short at Athens Academy in high school, then a subsequent shoulder injury ended his 2020 freshman campaign at Tennessee. But after rehab, Whitehead played an excellent game in just his second game of the 2021 season, as he had not appeared since Tennessee’s Sept. 18 win over Tennessee Tech.

Heupel sang high praise for Evans, too.

“Tiyon [Evans] continues to grow. He did some really good things for us, then he got nicked up and wasn’t able to go for a week,” Heupel said. “And I think he continues to grow, and his understanding — if you watch him at the running back position the other day, and he’s doing a great job of being on his track and pressing the line of scrimmage. He made some people miss, too, which is important. It’s going to be important in this game, too.”

Tennessee will have another opportunity to put together a strong rushing performance against a lackluster South Carolina Gamecocks defense this week, with opening kick at Neyland Stadium set for 12:00 p.m. ET.