Breaking news;former Duke running back Star Thomas commit to Tennessee Vols football over Alabama Gator’s and bulldogs …

Breaking news;former Duke running back Star Thomas commit to Tennessee Vols football over Alabama Gator’s and bulldogs …

In the wake of historic running back Dylan Sampson leaving for the NFL after the Vols’ trip to the playoffs last season, the Vols chose to bolster their room by adding former Duke running back Star Thomas from the transfer portal this offseason.

Thomas racked up more than 1,000 all-purpose yards and eight total touchdowns last season with the Blue Devils and brings a load of experience with him to Knoxville. Prior to his lone season in Durham, Thomas played his first two seasons at New Mexico State.

In three years before joining Tennessee, Thomas played in nearly 40 games – considerably more than any other running back on the Vols’ spring roster. Aside from the talent he has at the position, Thomas’s experience is one of the things that excites the Vols’ coaching staff the most.

“Tons of experience,” Tennessee offensive coordinator Joey Halzle said about Thomas on Wednesday. “You know, we went from being old in that room to young in that room. Guys without a ton of game experience. 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 going to step into any moment that feels too big for him.”

Last season at Duke, Thomas racked up 871 rushing yards, seven rushing touchdowns, 153 receiving yards, and a score through the air. The six-foot, 211-pound running back gave the Blue Devils’ offense a strong, sturdy back who could stand up to the workload of 213 carries, 20 receptions, and three kick returns in a season.

“He’s got a skill set that goes and translates to the SEC,” Halzle said. “He’s a real solid pickup for us.”

In three years before joining Tennessee, Thomas played in nearly 40 games – considerably more than any other running back on the Vols’ spring roster. Aside from the talent he has at the position, Thomas’s experience is one of the things that excites the Vols’ coaching staff the most.

“Tons of experience,” Tennessee offensive coordinator Joey Halzle said about Thomas on Wednesday. “You know, we went from being old in that room to young in that room. Guys without a ton of game experience. 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 going to step into any moment that feels too big for him.”

Last season at Duke, Thomas racked up 871 rushing yards, seven rushing touchdowns, 153 receiving yards, and a score through the air. The six-foot, 211-pound running back gave the Blue Devils’ offense a strong, sturdy back who could stand up to the workload of 213 carries, 20 receptions, and three kick returns in a season.

“He’s got a skill set that goes and translates to the SEC,” Halzle said. “He’s a real solid pickup for us.”

More from RTI: Joey Halzle Gives Honest Assessment of Where Tennessee’s Offense Needs to Improve in 2025

In addition to bringing in Thomas from the transfer portal, Tennessee returns a pair of running backs from the 2024 season with DeSean Bishop and Peyton Lewis. Bishop served as Sampson’s primary backup last season until a multi-week injury sidelined him and paved the way for the freshman Lewis to take over the No. 2 position. Tennessee also added four-star running back Daune Morris from the 2025 recruiting cycle, who is a talented true freshman in his own right.

“I think you’ve got a guy that’s got a chance to be a big play potential guy,” Halzle said about Morris on Friday. “When he has a ball on his hand, he’s shown flashes where he can put a foot in the ground and get north and south really quickly. He’s got high-end speed. He’s got really good weight also for him.”

Those are the four main names to know about as Tennessee undergoes camp this spring and we see how each one progresses with their own storylines surrounding them. While there’s no immediate star like Sampson entering the season, Tennessee’s room has a good bit of versatility and could be a welcomed surprise come next season. We’ll just have to see how things shake out.

Star Thomas is wearing No. 33 for his first spring camp in Knoxville this month.

Stay tuned to Rocky Top Insider for continued spring camp coverage.