The Tennessee Volunteers football team is 11 practices into 2018 fall camp and head coach Jeremy Pruitt sees his running back unit bonding in the midst of competing every day.
Pruitt said Tennessee's tailbacks are all working hard following Wednesday's practice at Haslam Field.
"All of these guys at running back, they've really done a good job kind of bonding together," Pruitt said.
"I see them competing out there every day and I see a closeness in that group that I like…they're trying to perfect their craft and they're doing a good job with ball security and a good job in protections — all of them."
Tennessee's running back unit features returning sophomores Ty Chandler, Tim Jordan and Trey Coleman as well as newcomers Madre London, a graduate transfer from Michigan State, and true freshman Jeremy Banks.
Redshirt freshman Princeton Fant has also seen time at running back this fall in addition to practicing with the tight ends this week.
Chandler is the Vols' leading returning rusher after totaling 305 yards and two touchdowns on the ground last fall. He captured SEC Freshman of the Week honors after taking the opening kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown against Indiana State. Chandler rushed for 120 yards and two touchdowns against Kentucky, as well.
Jordan played in all 12 games a year ago, showing he could excel on the ground (11 carries, 52 yards) and as a pass catcher (eight receptions for 65 yards). Coleman played in four games.
London brings the most experience to the unit after four years with the Spartans. Following a redshirt season in 2014, the Little Rock, Ark., native rushed for 924 yards and eight touchdowns on 230 carries from 2015-17.
"Madre is very mature," Pruitt said. "He really fits in nicely with these guys.
"When you see guys that are new in the program that weren't here in the spring that are picking things up, you know that they've had help from some of the guys that have been here before, and I think that's a good sign."
Another newcomer expected to help contribute in a unit filled with solid options is junior tight end Dominick Wood-Anderson. The Spring Valley, Calif., native was the nation's No. 1 junior college tight end prospect at Arizona Western Community College. He joins veterans Eli Wolf and Austin Pope in the tight end room.
"Dom is a bigger body than the other guys we've got," Pruitt said. "He's got soft hands. He's learning what's going on. He's learning how to practice, how we want to do things, so he's doing a good job."