Tennessee Vols RB sends message to teammates after win against Iowa in Citrus Bowl

The 2023 season just ended but Tennessee Vols running back Dylan Sampson is already looking forward to 2024. 

Sampson, who will be a junior next fall, made his first career start for the Vols in Tennessee's 35-0 win against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Citrus Bowl, rushing for 133 yards on 20 carries. 

After the game, the Louisiana native sent a message to his teammates -- imploring them to be ready to work this winter in preparation for the 2024 season. 

"A game like this (the Citrus Bowl), you do wish you were playing for another game," said Sampson. "But that's what this work [is for] going into next season, so we make sure we're playing at this time next year. That's the goal -- to be playing at this time next year and going into another game. As soon as we finished this game, I told everybody that it's time to go to work. Everybody's ready to go to work. It's time to jump off the grid and show up in 2024 ready to dominate."

"I'm just excited for this team," added Sampson. "I hope the transfers and the freshmen that came in, that it gets them excited and ready to go to work." 

Sampson will be the Vols' lead running back in 2024 and it's clear he's already stepping up as a main team leader. 

There are going to be some high expectations for Tennessee entering next season -- especially after quarterback Nico Iamaleava's strong performance in his debut against Iowa -- but it doesn't sound like anyone in the Vols' locker room will be running from those expectations.