No. 15 Tennessee football may be 2-0 and playing well, but nobody in the building is taking a moment to pat themselves on the back. Tuesday, during media availability, running backs coach De’Rail Sims carried that tone when asked about his group’s 299-yard rushing attack against Georgia Tech.
When asked if he had a favorite run from DeSean Bishop’s career-high night of 147 yards and two touchdowns, the answer was clear and spoke to the missed opportunities.
“No, I had a bunch of critiques on them, because we left a ton of yards on the field,” Sims said. “Like the first run of the game, we kinda overshoot the hole a little bit. He finds it back late. But overall, the touchdown runs are my favorite because we were putting points on the board. But I had a ton of critiques off of them.”
That standard has not changed even as the numbers have piled up. This Vols running back group is very detailed, and it’s easy to see where that trait originates from. Sims combs through every part of the performance.
“It’s never as good as you think it is, and it’s never as bad as you think it is when you go back and watch the tape,” Sims said. “It’s all about the details in terms of how we’re executing, because at times it looks like it’s really, really good, but then when you get to the sideline and you’re watching the iPad, or when you come back on Sunday and you’re watching the game, you see the things that could have made the play even better.”
Sims noticed something after Week 1’s win over Furman. He wanted his backs to quit hesitating and attack the line of scrimmage, and he saw the group take a step against Georgia Tech.
“From week one, I challenged some guys about being decisive because it was a little hesitant on some of those runs,” Sims said. “Last week I thought we did a better job as a group.”
Bishop carried the load, but the rotation behind him gave Tennessee different looks. Daune Morris changes the tempo and style, and Sims liked how that pace shift bothered a defense that had been getting pounded on early.
“You saw him get comfortable and you saw him do a really good job fast,” Sims said. “It was a change of pace when he got in the game. Those other guys get in there, they kinda pound them up a little bit, and now all of a sudden you gotta change the pace back that’s coming at you that’s a little bit different, and it does present problems to the defense.”
Sims was quick to point out the group still has work to do in pass protection, where he wants his backs to slow their eyes down. A bright spot came from Javin Gordon, who stepped up and picked up a blitzing linebacker.
“The want to factor from them guys has been good,” Sims said. “You saw that in JG’s, as he stepped up in there and picked up the linebackers, that blitzed. So I thought overall as a group, we did a good job. We just gotta slow our eyes down at times.”
For Bishop, an area of growth that Sims spoke on is his yards after contact. He’s leaned into being more physical and finishing runs. That is the DeSean Bishop that a lot of us here in Knoxville has known, going back to his high school days.
“It’s been good, that’s the biggest deal I challenged him on,” Sims said. “The one run that he had in the hole, that’s a 50-50 opportunity. When it’s one-on-one with a defender in the hole, man, run through his face and let’s go accelerate through that and go have big plays. He’s done a good job of yards after contact so far this season.”
When it comes to constructive criticism, some don’t take it as well as others. But the Tennessee running back room receives the message, and they understand that it is from a good place with great intention.
“They’re used to it now,” Sims said. “They understand, with me, it is always, I tell them to listen to the message, not the tone of the way I deliver it. Because the biggest deal is there’s always gonna be room to improve. And they see it.”
Find the complete media availability from Sims at the YouTube link below.
