When one thinks of Tennessee football's 2007 running game, names such as Arian Foster and Montario Hardesty are probably the first to come to mind. However, Vol fans were also treated to a glimpse of the future of the Volunteers' rushing attack last season.

Lennon Creer made his debut in a home game against Southern Mississippi, accumulating 56 yards on six attempts. Although he was used sparingly for the remainder of the season, Creer still managed to average 5.9 yards per carry in gaining 214 yards on the ground for the Vols.

The best performance of Creer's freshman campaign came when he went for 109 yards and scored his only touchdown of the season against Louisiana-Lafayette in early November. It was the fact that Creer's performance came on only seven carries that turned heads, though.

Creer also showed a flare for the big play in the return-game. The running back tied for second on the team with 13 kickoff returns, including a 50-yard burst in the SEC Championship Game against LSU.

The Volunteer rushing attack heads into 2008 with a new face in charge. Stan Drayton has taken over as running backs coach for Tennessee after spending the past three seasons as a coach with the Florida Gators. Drayton replaces Kurt Roper who followed David Cutcliffe to Duke following 2007.

"With coach he's mostly working on perfecting our skills, being more physical," Creer said.

The Tatum, Texas native has had plenty of time to display his physicality this spring as injuries to Hardesty and Foster have led to more reps for the sophomore. Creer has carried the ball a team-high 26 times in the Vols' three spring scrimmages.

"In the spring they don't want the veterans to get a lot of work," Creer said. "Arian has been working on his sprain, so I'm getting a lot of chances."

Foster was the main workhorse for the 2007 Volunteer rushing attack, racking up 1,193 yards, while Hardesty finished second on the team with 373 yards.

However, with this being Foster's senior season and Hardesty yet to finish a season without injury, it may not be long before Lennon Creer is the leading man in the Tennessee backfield.