In maybe one of the largest oversights you’ll ever see, DeSean Bishop was left off the Doak Walker Award watchlist this week. The trophy is given to the top running back in the country every year, won by Notre Dame’s Jeremiah Love last season.
Bishop, who ran for over 1,000 yards and has returned for an expanded role this season, wasn’t one of the 60-player watchlist released on Tuesday. Making things more comical, Peyton Lewis, who transferred after playing behind Bishop last season in Knoxville,
was a part of the list. That’s nothing against Lewis, but more of an example of how ridiculous the omission is.
Bishop ran for 1,076 yards last season and 16 touchdowns, taking over for Dylan Sampson. The former walk-on grew into the role, transforming himself into an SEC workhorse back with an NFL future. He’s poised for more this season, set to run behind an offensive line that returns four starters. The Knoxville native, barring any injuries, is undoubtedly in for another huge season in Josh Heupel’s offense.
He’ll be backed up by some sort of rotation between Tulane transfer Javin Gordon, Daune Morris or Justin Baker. Each are currently making their claim to the RB2 role in fall camp, with Gordon seemingly leading the way.
At the end of the day, of course none of this matters. But what a ridiculous miss by the Doak Walker Award selection committee.
