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Quote from rising Tennessee Vols junior shows he's already a key team leader for the program
Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports

Quote from rising Tennessee Vols junior shows he's already a key team leader for the program

Originally posted on A to Z Sports  |  By Zach Ragan  |  Last updated 2/15/24

After waiting patiently for two seasons, rising junior Dylan Sampson will enter the 2024 season as the Tennessee Vols' lead running back. 

Sampson, a former four-star recruit from Louisiana, steps into that role with Jaylen Wright and Jabari Small off to the NFL. 

Not only will Sampson serve as Tennessee's top running back in 2024, he'll also be one of the Vols' most important team leaders. And that's a role he started embracing last season. 

Sampson recently joined VFL Films' Sarah Detwiler for a "Film Room" session. During the clip, Sampson said he told his teammates during the Vols' road win against Kentucky last October that they weren't leaving the field with a loss that day. 

"I walked up and down the sidelines, and I looked at the defense and I looked at the offense and I was like 'we're not leaving this field with an L today'," said Sampson. 

Tennessee won a hard fought game that night, beating the Wildcats 33-27. Sampson had 115 total yards and a touchdown in the win, including a couple of key runs late in the fourth quarter that helped clinch the game for the Vols. 

Not only did Sampson show leadership vocally in the win against Kentucky, but he showed leadership with his play on the field, too. 

And that leadership has carried into the offseason as well. 

"As soon as we finished this game, I told everybody that it's time to go to work," said Sampson after Tennessee's win against Iowa in the Citrus Bowl. "Everybody's ready to go to work. It's time to jump off the grid and show up in 2024 ready to dominate."

If the Vols reach their goals in 2024 -- those goals include an appearance in the College Football Playoff -- Sampson will be a big reason why. 

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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