Jalen Hurd, Joshua Dobbs Will Be Formidable Force in SEC East for Tennessee

Freshman running back Jalen Hurd refused to go down.

It was late in the fourth quarter against South Carolina, and Tennessee was down 14 points but not done. The Vols freshman took a screen pass, spun away from what would have been a hope-ending tackle and scampered 21 yards to put UT within a touchdown.

Sophomore quarterback Joshua Dobbs refused to be denied.

Even after the Gamecocks responded to Hurd's touchdown with a 70-yard scoring run of their own, Dobbs—making his first start of the season—led UT on two touchdown drives to send the game into overtime. The Vols eventually won 45-42 in the extra frame.

In that game, Tennessee—like Hurd—refused to go down. Though the Vols were behind by two touchdowns late and needed 85 yards with no timeouts and just one minute, 23 seconds left on the clock in regulation, they, like Dobbs, refused to be denied.

They've already taken on some of the characteristics of their two young leaders, or their two young leaders have taken on characteristics of this team and second-year coach Butch Jones.

Either way, Jones' group of young Vols, led by Dobbs and Hurd, have given UT fans something they've not had in a long time: hope for the future.

With two budding stars on their hands, the Vols look like they'll be right in the thick of a wide-open SEC East race for years to come.

Jones told Tennessee media relations in the video below of his potential duo of offensive cornerstones:

"

They've really forged a very, very good relationship, and they're developing their leadership skills as well. They've been very consistent all year long with their approach. That's one thing that separates these two individuals; they're very, very mature, and they keep everything in stride.

"

Erasing a Past of Empty Promises

Rogelio V. Solis/Associated Press

Hope has been a fickle companion to the Tennessee fanbase in recent years, as anything positive has been squelched at its very source almost immediately after it sprung time and time again:

• Lane Kiffin's swagger and stellar recruiting (at least on paper) gave way to deceit and the young coach bolting for his "dream job" like a thief in the night.
• Defeat was snatched from the jaws of victory twice during Derek Dooley's first year—once on the road at LSU and again in the Music City Bowl against North Carolina. Then, nothingness followed.
• Finally, after the Vols scored a major upset victory against South Carolina in Butch Jones' inaugural season, UT lost four of five down the stretch to fail to make a bowl yet again.

Now comes A.C.—"After Carolina," Part II. The schedule is more favorable than a season ago, with Alabama in the past and Auburn gone from the schedule.

And then there are those two offensive playmakers on the rise.

Dobbs and Hurd exude confidence, so it's difficult not to feel the same. A Vol Nation that was minutes away from indifference before Dobbs brought it back against Carolina now has nearly sold out Neyland Stadium for this weekend's game against Kentucky.

Though the Vols need to win two of three against Kentucky, Missouri and Vanderbilt, many are already making bowl plans. Those positive vibes directly hinge on the renewed excitement surrounding a once-stagnant offense revitalized by Dobbs.

Regardless of what happens the rest of the way, however, Tennessee looks like it could be a future force with Dobbs and Hurd at the forefront. The sophomore quarterback's performance especially has even national media buzzing.

Dobbs is just the third SEC quarterback in the past 15 years to throw for 300-plus yards and run for 100-plus yards in a game, joining Tim Tebow and Johnny Manziel. That's pretty elite company.

Heaping on the Hype

RICHARD SHIRO/Associated Press

Dobbs has started just one game and played in only two, but the nation has noticed him. Hurd, on the other hand, has 664 total yards and four touchdowns this year playing behind a struggling offensive line. He has been a workhorse and flashed immense elite potential.

But just how much is too much hype?

The early comparisons for Dobbs and Hurd are impressive, exciting and a little unfair.

247Sports' JC Shurburtt is the latest of several media members to refer to UT's 6'3", 216-pound dual-threat quarterback as a "Russell Wilson-type."

Yes, Dobbs is uber-smart like Wilson and sneaky-fast, and he seems to have a sixth sense that tells him when to run or pass throughout the course of a game. But his sample set is extremely small. Yes, he led a Wilson-esque comeback against South Carolina, but that Gamecocks defense is horrendous.

After Dobbs' heroics, Jones tried to temper expectations at his press conference this week, according to The Tennessean's Matt Slovin:

"

It's easy to write things when you watch a game or two, but we see it every day in practice. There's a lot different. Josh knows it. For us to be successful, he has to play with great consistency, day in and day out.

"

Hurd is no stranger to high praise, either. Earlier this year, he was lauded on Twitter by his idol, former Tennessee Titans running back Eddie George.

Just on Thursday, UK coach Mark Stoops compared Hurd to another superstar while talking with The Courier-Journal's Kyle Tucker:

"

He's just a complete running back. 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.

"

That's high praise from a guy who knows. Stoops' brother, Bob, coached Peterson at Oklahoma.

Whether all these crazy projections are premature or not, one thing is certain: This isn't just UT propaganda promoting these kids as stars. Everybody sees the potential.

Whether they live up to the hype, surpass it or fall flat will go a long way in determining this program's immediate present and future.

A Comparison Study

David Goldman/Associated Press

The SEC is so deep and so strong, though, so why should Tennessee fans be excited about a future in the midst of a present when a bowl game is in doubt?

Just look at how much improved the freshman-filled Vols are this season and what they're facing next year.

Though rival Alabama is still obviously better, UT closed that gap significantly with Dobbs. Bama has now won eight straight over the Vols, but the past four prior to this season were won by an average of 32 points. This year's deficit was 34-20, and that's after the Vols dug themselves a massive first-quarter hole.

Moving to the open SEC East, very few teams besides Georgia can boast the kind of returning talent the Vols have, led by Dobbs and Hurd.

Tennessee already has passed South Carolina. The Vols have beaten them the past two years, and with Dylan Thompson and perhaps even Mike Davis going pro, that gap could grow. The Gamecocks do have the seventh-ranked recruiting class coming in (per 247Sports), but UT has the fourth-best class.

Though Georgia is probably the beast of the East right now, the Vols have been extremely competitive with the Bulldogs the past three years, with all games decided by a touchdown or less.

Yes, UGA will return star freshmen running backs Nick Chubb and Sony Michel, but the Bulldogs also have to replace quarterback Hutson Mason and all-world running back Todd Gurley. Mark Richt always recruits well between the hedges, but Tennessee is already not far behind Georgia on the football field.

While Florida has Tennessee's number, that program is in disarray, with head coach Will Muschamp's job status up in the air. All the uncertainty surrounding the Gators has UF's recruiting class ranked 62nd. So, unless they have a strong finish on the trail, that is going to be tough to overcome in the short-term.

Missouri and Kentucky are interesting cases. On one hand, the Tigers won the SEC East last year and could again this season. With quarterback Maty Mauk, they'll be a tough matchup with UT, and the Vols will have an opportunity to make a resounding statement next week.

Though the Tigers never show well in recruiting rankings, they find players who fit coach Gary Pinkel's system, and it has worked out lately.

Kentucky hasn't won anything of consequence in years. The Wildcats have lost 28 of their past 29 games against the Vols, and after a 5-1 start, they seem to be fading down the stretch.

But Stoops has proven he can recruit, and with redshirt sophomore quarterback Patrick Towles probably coming back to UK next year, he'll contend with Dobbs for the class of the conference at quarterback, at least in the East. Their future is an interesting one.

So is Tennessee's. When you combine the budding young stars with the way Jones is recruiting, it's hard not to be excited. If UT can somehow win out, get to 7-5 and play in a quality bowl, that future burns even brighter.

The next three weeks are extremely important, not only for the perception of the program and the developmental potential of making a bowl and getting the extra practice, but also for obtaining that measure of belief from the players that the team has taken a step forward.

The present can fuel the future. If the Vols can build off that South Carolina win, and if Hurd and Dobbs can lead the program into the postseason, it feels like the program is on the cusp of breaking through. 

All stats and information taken from UTSports.com. All recruiting rankings were taken from the 247Sports composite.

Brad Shepard covers SEC football and is the Tennessee Lead Writer for Bleacher Report. Follow Brad on Twitter @Brad_Shepard.