I wrote yesterday that Cooper Ranvier and Tyree Weathersby were the only two Vols to get honored for their performances in Tennessee’s 26-10 win over Alabama on Saturday and that others deserved kudos. In the words of the great Lee Corso, “not so fast, my friend.”
Star running back DeSean Bishop, who, in a sense, literally carried the Vols’ offense to victory, got his flowers on Tuesday. Bishop was named the Doak Walker National Running Back of the Week.
This award is particularly ironic, as Bishop was left off the preseason watch list for the award despite being a second-team All-SEC player last year.
But Bishop’s production this season has been completely impossible to ignore. Bishop delivered against the Crimson Tide, turning 32 carries into 159 yards with two touchdowns. He ran hard, moved the sticks, powered through tackles, drove piles, and protected the football, as Tennessee leaned on him to put together two long touchdown drives in the second half to salt the game away.
Bishop also had a career day two weeks before against the Auburn Tigers. He had a season-high 34 carries, and he churned out 220 yards with three touchdowns. It was the first Tennessee 200+ yard rushing performance since 2019.
For the season, through seven games, Bishop has 139 carries for 137 yards with 10 touchdowns.
Tennessee has clearly found a formula that works, and they will need to continue to ride Bishop over the next six weeks. And if the Vols can keep this pace up, Bishop could find himself as more than just a weekly Doak Walker once the regular season is over.
