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Joey Halzle Excited About Star Thomas Addition

Tennessee Volunteers offensive coordinator Joey Halzle spoke with the media after the Vols' third spring practice. He raved about Duke transfer running back Star Thomas.

Evan Crowell

Nov 30, 2024; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils running back Star Thomas (17) runs for yardage against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons during the second half at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
Nov 30, 2024; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils running back Star Thomas (17) runs for yardage against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons during the second half at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
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Tennessee Volunteers offensive coordinator Joey Halzle spoke with the media after the Vols' third spring practice. He raved about Duke transfer running back Star Thomas.

Tennessee's offense is nationally revered for the explosive chunk plays it creates in the passing game. Quarterback Hendon Hooker was integral in the Vols' reintroduction to the national stage, and big pass plays always garner the most attention, so it makes sense. However, Tennessee's running game has been the core of its offense over the past two seasons.

Head coach Josh Heupel and offensive coordinator Joey Halzle have found many ways to get the football into the hands of talented running backs during their tenure in Knoxville, Tennessee. They're fresh off a year which saw running back Dylan Sampson set single-season school records for rushing yards (1,491) and touchdowns (22) en route to SEC Offensive Player of the Year. He's off to the NFL Draft this offseason and the Vols will highlight several new faces out of the backfield in 2025.

The Volunteers have a host of young talent at the running back position but wanted to add one more through the transfer portal. In the winter portal window, they landed Duke transfer running back Star Thomas. In 2024, Thomas amassed 1,024 all-purpose yards and eight touchdowns for the Blue Devils. He spent one season with Duke after starring for New Mexico State for the first two seasons of his career.

Halzle met with the media on Wednesday afternoon, concluding Tennessee's third spring practice. He discussed various topics surrounding Tennessee's offense and highlighted why the Vols are excited about bringing the veteran Thomas into this room.

"Physical runner, tons of experience. We were young, moving from being old in that room to young in that room, guys without a ton of game experience," Halzle explained. "He’s got a bunch of that. He’s played at a high level in a big conference. So he’s a guy that comes in. He’s not gonna step into any moment that feels too big for him. He’s got a skill set that translates to the SEC. He’s a real solid pickup for us." 

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Evan Crowell
EVAN CROWELL

Evan Crowell is currently pursuing a journalism degree from the University of Missouri and has various media experiences throughout his young career. He's been committed to marrying the fan's perspective of the game of football to the technical intricacies installed in each game by coaches and players. Crowell has been working at Fan Nation since 2020 and has covered high-profile college football games, recruiting events, and more during that five-year tenure. While he never played football, he's worked relentlessly to continue improving his understanding of the game while still covering the unique stories of each individual he covers.

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