2008 Senior Day Tribute: Arian Foster

Arian Foster

Why.

There were two good things about The Season of Which We Do Not Speak: (1) the Rally in the Valley, and (2) Arian Foster taking over the role of starting running back halfway through the season. Foster played in 11 games and started the last five after fellow RB Gerald Riggs suffered an ankle injury against Alabama. In each those five games he started, he rushed for at least 100 yards (and averaged 148.4), the first back to do that since Chuck Webb in 1989. He finished the season as a first-team Freshman All-SEC.

In 2006, Foster was injured for much of the season, and while he played in 11 games, he started only four. After rushing for 879 yards as a freshman, he netted only 322 the following year.

In 2007, Foster announced early that he was back to form against Cal, rushing for 89 yards on 13 carries, catching three passes for 20 yards, and returning three kickoffs for 117 yards, including a 68-yarder to set up Tennessee's second score. By the time the season was over, Foster had started all 14 games on his way to 1193 yards rushing and another 340 receiving. His 12 rushing touchdowns were the most by any Tennessee running back since Jay Graham in 1995. Foster was named All-SEC in 2007 by the AP and Rivals.

This season, Foster started every game up until Wyoming and played but did not start against Vanderbilt. Like most of the offense in 2008, Foster's numbers have been off. It's really unfortunate that Foster's fumbles have come at such inopportune times, because they cast a cloud over an otherwise solid career.