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Tennessee RB John Kelly on running hard: ‘I don’t like getting tackled’
By Adam Spencer
Published:
A year after losing RBs Jalen Hurd and Alvin Kamara, Tennessee RB John Kelly has managed to keep the Vols’ running game going strong.
He’s been a nightmare for opposing defenses, rushing for 349 yards and five touchdowns and adding 16 catches for 191 yards in the passing game.
So, what makes him so good? It may seem simple, but he said on Tuesday that he just hates getting tackled, which motivates him to run hard:
#Vols Jr RB John Kelly on why he runs so hard: I don’t like getting tackled. I don’t ever want to be tackled.
— Wes Rucker (@wesrucker247) September 19, 2017
Has his recent run of dominance surprised him? Not really, he said, but he added one exception:
#Vols RB John Kelly on if he’s surprised himself: No. Not really. Well … other than that time I jumped over a guy. That surprised me.
— Wes Rucker (@wesrucker247) September 19, 2017
Kelly is very popular with his teammates and coaches, and offensive line coach Walt Wells said his attitude has his teammates eager to block for him:
#Vols OL coach Walt Wells: If anybody doesn’t want to go out there and block for John Kelly, I’ve got to check their pulse, to be honest.
— Wes Rucker (@wesrucker247) September 19, 2017
Though the Volunteers lost a heartbreaker to Florida on Saturday, they have a chance to rebound this weekend when UMass comes to town.
It’s safe to say we’ll see a lot of Kelly, at least early in the game, as the Vols try to improve to 3-1.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
