He attributed his departure to not fitting in the Tennessee offense, as well as some previously undisclosed injuries, including what he says was a concussion that sidelined him against Texas A&M.
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Hurd wrote, in part:
“Coming to Tennessee, I understood the read option offense may not be the best fit for me, but I put that aside for my love of Tennessee and wanting to be part of a beloved program. While I had hoped for scheme adjustments to suit my strengths, this did not happen on a consistent enough basis. This did have a factor in my decision as I want to play in an offensive scheme that highlights my abilities to run but also expands to allow me to show my abilities to catch the ball and be a mismatch for defenses.”
During coach Butch Jones’ weekly press conference last Monday, he said he had a good relationship with Hurd and supported his decision. But when asked if he thought Hurd’s departure would improve team morale, Jones answered: “I do.”
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For his part, Hurd on Sunday wrote: “I understood the media would create multiple storylines as to why I made the decision so I want to inform you [of] the truth. … I don’t want anyone questioning my character.”
Hurd rushed for 1,288 yards and 12 TDs in 2015 to lead the Vols. He had a team-leading 451 yards with three TDs in the seven games in which he played this season, but his per-carry average was down a full yard from his first two seasons at Tennessee.
