Tennessee football may need this freshman to play immediately if he's ready

Tennessee football makes freshmen available to media for interviews during preseason practice, an allowance that’s uncommon among power conference teams.

It’s a win-win situation for players and media.

Reporters help fans get to know new players. And freshmen get valuable experience talking in front of cameras and bright lights, which comes in handy when they must answer tough questions after games.

But that first interview is often littered with softball questions that have little impact on the season. Running back Peyton Lewis is an exception for the Vols this preseason.

He was asked if he can contribute immediately, if his surgically repaired shoulder is game-ready and if he can learn UT’s system quickly. There’s certainly more urgency to the questions and his answers.

“I’m trying my best not to be a young guy,” Lewis said during his first week of preseason practice.

VOLS PRAY FOR RECRUITS Assistant Alec Abeln prayed for recruiting. He believes it's working

Peyton Lewis competing with DeSean Bishop

Lewis could carry the ball in meaningful situations in the season opener against Chattanooga and a critical Week 2 game against North Carolina State.

That’s because presumed backup running back Cam Seldon is limited by a shoulder injury suffered in spring practice. And the other contenders to back up starter Dylan Sampson are almost as inexperienced as Lewis.

Redshirt freshman DeSean Bishop, a former Karns standout, sat out last season with an injury, so he hasn’t played in game yet. Sophomore Khalifa Keith played 12 games last season, mostly on special teams, but he had only 11 carries for 24 yards.

“I’m excited to play this year. It’s something I’ve always dreamed of,” Lewis said. “I always wanted to be the guy who everybody leans on. I want to have that responsibility, and I’m a very competitive guy. So I’ll fight for that (opportunity to play) early on, and it goes how it goes.”

How Peyton Lewis rating compares to other UT backs

Sampson has led the group through drills in the first few practices. After that, it’s been Bishop, veteran walk-on Patrick Wilk, Keith, Lewis and injured Seldon.

That order should change as Lewis works into the mix.

Physically, Lewis measures up. He is a 6-foot-1, 210-pounder with a burst of speed. He was a four-star recruit ranked the No. 12 running back in the 2024 class by the 247Sports Composite , higher than any current UT running back in their respective classes.

And Lewis said he’s healthy. He had shoulder surgery immediately after enrolling in January because he wanted to rehab in time to play as a freshman.

The downside was that he couldn’t compete in spring practice, so now he’s trying to catch up. The upside is that he’s healthier than Seldon, who’s at least a few weeks away from being game-ready.

This could keep Peyton Lewis out of the Vols' lineup

But there are two big obstacles that could keep Lewis out of the lineup. He must learn UT’s up-tempo spread offense and how to pass block.

Both are new to Lewis. He played in an I-formation offense in high school, and he has very little experience in pass protection.

“(Pass blocking) is more mental, knowing where I need to be,” Lewis said. “If you put someone who has talent on the field, they can do great things as long as you let them know what to do.”

The next four weeks will determine whether Lewis can close that knowledge gap for a chance to play immediately, or at least until Seldon can return to the backfield.

Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com . X, formerly known as Twitter @AdamSparks . Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe .

Get the latest news and insight on SEC football by subscribing to the SEC Unfiltered newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee football may need this freshman to play immediately if he's ready