Mike Organ

morgan@tennessean.com

Jalen Hurd hasn't been heard from since it was announced Monday that the 1,000-yard rusher had decided to transfer from Tennessee, but his mother has weighed in on the situation.

Tara Smotherman posted a comment on her Facebook page defending her son's decision to leave the Vols and finish his career at another school.

"While it was not my choice for Jalen to leave Tennessee (and we were adamant about this), this is a decision that he put a lot of thought into and certainly did not take lightly. It is not my place to discuss his business and the reasons that he’s decided to transfer, but at the end of the day, he believed that it was best for everyone. People are mad, hurt and very upset, and I understand that. Yet, the reality is if you don’t know what he has been through or what he is going through now, then it is very easy to speculate & judge, make up lies & rumors, or heaven forbid, actually believe them.

Jalen has chosen a different path. We don’t always agree with our children’s decisions, but nevertheless, you love and support them through it all no matter what. Thank you to all of our family, friends and Vol supporters that were so kind to us today. We are so thankful and appreciative to the University of Tennessee, the coaching staff and the wonderful fans for all the love and support throughout the years. Many blessings and much success to you all."

Hurd's stepfather Arthur Smotherman also weighed in on the matter in a Facebook Live post where he offered more specific details about Hurd's decision to transfer.

Arthur Smotherman said he wanted to "expel" the rumor that Hurd had been benched because coach Butch Jones was upset after he celebrated scoring a touchdown against Georgia. Hurd did not play running back for the rest of the game.

"The truth of the matter is Jalen Hurd had a concussion at the Georgia game," Arthur Smotherman said. "It didn't happen on the end zone play, it happened in the beginning of the third quarter when he fell on his head. He didn't think he was hurt. He went back in the game and realized he was hurting more than he thought so they didn't put him back in for the rest of the game as part of the concussion protocol ... The whole week after the Georgia game everyone was saying, 'Jalen Hurd was showboating, he got sat down. Him and coach Jones got into it.' Newsflash, Jalen Hurd has never been benched for attitude nor for lack of production, OK? Remember that. He never has."

Arthur Smotherman said the concussion, which neither Jones or Hurd ever mentioned publicly, was the reason Hurd did not travel with the Vols to play at Texas A&M.

Arthur Smotherman also blamed the media for igniting rumors when reporting on why Hurd decided to leave the team.

"The problem with the media is this, they assume something is going on and they don't know the truth so they begin a rumor," Arthur Smotherman said. "And the problem with fans are, they don't get the truth, so they just take off with it. So, half of you on here have been saying, 'Jalen needed to quit anyway because he got benched by the coaches, nobody wanted him there.' That's not true."

Arthur Smotherman said Hurd will speak when he is ready.

"At this moment, you guys need to know Jalen was never benched," Arthur Smotherman said. "If you need to ask anybody on the inside resources, ask (Tennessee running backs) coach (Robert) Gillespie ... him and coach Gillespie had a great relationship all the way til the day that Jalen decided he was leaving ... coach Gllespie will tell you that Jalen was always a warrior and always gave his all on the field. So you can say what you want about him, that's fine. But that rumor that he was benched and he's just mad because (Alvin) Kamara and (John) Kelly had taken over, that's not true."

MORE ON JALEN HURD

Hurd, a junior from Beech High, rushed for 1,288 yards as a sophomore at UT and had 451 yards and three touchdowns this season. He requested to transfer on Monday, two days after the Vols lost to South Carolina 24-21.

Hurd did not play in the second half of the South Carolina game. He rushed for 16 yards on eight carries in the first half.

Jones said Hurd did not go back into the game because of an undisclosed injury.

Reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 and on Twitter @MikeOrganWriter.