Alden Hill took the handoff from the student assistant turned quarterback and accelerated towards the defense, which in this case was two reserve players waiting to knock him around with large pads.

“More violent, Alden,” shouted crouched and scowling running backs coach Robert Gillespie, who was sporting a backwards Tennessee baseball cap.

Veterans Marlin Lane and Raijon Neal took their turns in the drill at practice on Tuesday and drew relatively docile reaction from Gillespie. The reserve backs did the same.

Then it was Hill’s turn again. He doesn’t quite fit into either the veteran or reserves category.

He led the team in rushing during the Orange and White game, was listed as the number two running back on the pre-fall camp depth chart and is one of just four scholarship running backs on UT’s 2013 roster.

He’s also a redshirt freshman who has never played in an actual game.

“Alden, that’s terrible,” admonished Gillespie once more as Hill completed another rep with less explosiveness than his coach preferred.

“Don’t reach for the ball,” Gillespie yelled one time.

“Don’t let the ball leave the body,” he shouted another.

Gillespie isn’t hard on Hill just for kicks, though. He sees the 6-foot-2, 215-pound former three-star prospect fulfilling a specific duty within the UT offense.

“Trying to get him to understand that his role is going to be as the bigger back,” Gillespie said after Tuesday’s practice. “So I’m really pushing him to have great pad level, finish his runs and be great in protection.”

Hill may also find himself on the field in an unrelated role as Lane seeks to reclaim playing time following his spring suspension – a scenario that Gillespie sounded optimistic about.

“I’ve really been challenging Alden to become a really good special teams player,” Gillespie said. “A lot of your better backs in this league start out and gain experience by playing special teams.”

“I’m always going to be tough on him,” Gillespie added. “And so far he’s responding well.”

Though Jones said there may be enough carries to go around for the trio, the starting running back in his three seasons at Cincinnati averaged four and a half times the number of carries that the backup did.

“We will use all three,” Jones said Wednesday, before mentioning that linebacker A.J. Johnson may also get carries in short-yardage situations. “But we have three really capable running backs, and they’ve done a great job in our goal line sets.”

Neal, a senior, and Lane, a junior, split carries in 2012. Lane started the final six games after Neal injured his ankle and was gimpy down the stretch. Neal finished the year with 156 carries while Lane registered 120.

But Lane’s suspension during spring practice and Hill’s 18-carry, 101-yard spring game was enough for Hill to get the nod behind Neal at No. 2 on the depth chart entering fall camp.

Gillespie acknowledged the setbacks of Lane missing spring practice but was not hesitant to list him as a standout in the running backs competition.

“Raijon and Marlin, both of those guys are really competing right now,” Gillespie said.

“There is no depth chart right now,” he continued. “And I think that’s what’s making the guys hungry right now and competing.”

For Lane, part of the hunger comes from just being on the field following his suspension.

He spoke with the media on Wednesday for the first time since returning to the team.

“Just missing football, not being able to be with my team,” said Lane of what he learned during his time out. “I sat out and I thought about it each and every day. But all that is behind me and I’m ready to play ball.”

“I’ve really been challenging Alden to become a really good special teams player,” Gillespie said. “A lot of your better backs in this league start out and gain experience by playing special teams.

“I’m always going to be tough on him, and so far he’s responding well.”

Though Jones said there may be enough carries to go around for the trio, the starting running back in his three seasons at Cincinnati averaged four and a half times the number of carries that the backup did.

“We will use all three,” Jones said Wednesday, before mentioning that linebacker A.J. Johnson may also get carries in short-yardage situations. “But we have three really capable running backs, and they’ve done a great job in our goal line sets.”

Neal, a senior, and Lane, a junior, split carries in 2012. Lane started the final six games after Neal injured his ankle and was gimpy down the stretch. Neal finished the year with 156 carries while Lane registered 120.

But Lane’s suspension during spring practice and Hill’s 18-carry, 101-yard spring game was enough for Hill to get the nod behind Neal at No. 2 on the depth chart entering fall camp.

Gillespie acknowledged the setbacks of Lane missing spring practice but was not hesitant to list him as a standout in the running backs competition.

“Rajion and Marlin, both of those guys are really competing right now,” Gillespie said.

“There is no depth chart right now. And I think that’s what’s making the guys hungry right now and competing.”

For Lane, part of the hunger comes from just being on the field following his suspension.

He spoke with the media on Wednesday for the first time since returning to the team.

“Just missing football, not being able to be with my team,” said Lane of what he learned during his time out. “I sat out and I thought about it each and every day. But all that is behind me and I’m ready to play ball.”