Tennessee running back Jaylen Wright had a huge game against Texas A&M Saturday evening and was an X-factor in the Vols’ 20-13 win. The junior’s big day, against what was the SEC’s best run defense entering Saturday, made the case that Wright may be the best running back in the conference.
Wright ran 19 times for a season-high 136 yards against the Aggies who were holding opponents to 84 yards rushing a game. Wright’s total led the way for a Tennessee team that recorded 232 yards rushing, smashing any other total another team had set on the ground against A&M this season.
Tennessee’s 232 team rushing yards were more than Alabama, Auburn and Arkansas has combined against the Aggies (209).
Furthermore, Alabama’s Jase McClellan, Auburn’s Jarquez Hunter and Arkansas’ Raheim Sanders combined for 132 rushing yards against Texas A&M, falling shy of Wright’s total (136).
#Vols RB Jaylen Wright had more rushing yards (136) tonight against Texas A&M than Jase McClellan (ALA), Raheim Sanders (ARK) and Jarquez Hunter (AU) did COMBINED against the Aggies this season.
Wright made his case as the best running back in the SEC tonight.
— Jack Foster (@jackfostermedia) October 15, 2023
Wright ran on A&M like no other had back has this season. In fact, the last time a running back ran for 136 or more yards against Texas A&M was Quinshon Judkins last year on October 30, when the Ole Miss star recorded 205 yards on 34 attempts and a score.
Additionally, no other running back has ran for triple digits against A&M this season. The next closest behind Wright is Auburn backup running back Brian Battie, who had 59 yards on the ground.
Arguably the most impressive part about Wright’s stat lines up to this point has been his very legitimate yards per carry mark.
Against A&M, Wright averaged 7.2 yards per attempt with a long of just 23 yards, meaning the vast majority of his runs were right at 7-8 yards.
And dating back to Virginia, Wright averaged 9.6 yards per carry with a long of just 21.
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Another impressive part about Wright’s junior campaign up to this point is the fact that he’s sharing a lot with backfield mates Dylan Sampson and Jabari Small. Wright has only gotten 42 percent of running back rush attempts so far this season, yet he still is going to be top five in the SEC in total yardage after Week 7. And he has played one less game than most due to the bye week.
Wright is the best player on Tennessee’s offense right now and has taken the run game to a level Tennessee hasn’t had in several years.
He may not be first in the SEC in total rushing yards heading into Week 8, but he will be in efficiency. And he just had his best game of the season against the league’s best run defense.
Wright has been a game-changer. He’ll continue to be a game-changer, and his Week 7 performance made the case that he is the best back in the Southeastern Conference.
