A pair of Tennessee football running backs have been named to the Doak Walker Award Watch List. Both incoming Duke transfer Star Thomas and returning Knoxville native DeSean Bishop were recognized on the preseason list.
The PwC SMU Athletic Forum annually presents the award to the nation’s most outstanding college running back. The award is named for SMU’s three-time All-America running back Doak Walker.
In November, the list will be whittled down to 10 semifinalists. Later in the month, it’ll be cut further down to just three finalists. The recipient of the 2025 Doak Walker Award will be announced live on The Home Depot College Football Awards on December 12, 2024.
Tennessee is one of five SEC teams to have a pair of players on the list. Georgia, Mississippi State, Texas A&M and Missouri are the other quartet of schools.
More From RTI: Current Tennessee Star Snubbed From ESPN’s 40 Most Important Players List
Thomas is in his first year with the program after spending a season at Duke. Prior to that, he played at New Mexico State and at the junior college level. In 40 career FBS games between Duke and New Mexico State, he has racked up 2,044 yards on 433 carries and 16 touchdowns. He has also caught 54 passes for 504 yards and six touchdowns.
247 ranked Thomas as a three-star transfer in this past cycle. He was the No. 692 overall player and No. 44 running back. He is from Homer, Louisiana, and was not ranked out of high school or junior college.
Bishop is a homegrown talent who went to Karns High School in Knoxville. After initially committing to Coastal Carolina, he decommitted and later chose to walk on at Tennessee. He was considered a three-star recruit and No. 107 running back in the 2023 high school class on 247.
Now, Bishop is on scholarship as of the spring of 2025. He played in nine games a year ago while posting 455 yards on 74 carries and punched it in for three touchdowns.
