Tennessee football has taken the stage at SEC Media Days to help get the event underway. One of the Vols’ player representatives during the day is star running back DeSean Bishop.
Coming off a 1,000-yard season as Tennessee’s feature back, Bishop was the center of attention in front of the mic. He was asked about his individual goals, past success, the atmosphere at Neyland Stadium and more.
Here’s what he said.
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DESEAN BISHOP: Before we begin, I want to give all glory to my Lord and savior, Jesus Christ. I can pretend like this day is about me, but it’s really about Him. Ultimately, I would not be up here without Him, and he’s been the difference in my life, I encourage anyone out there, if you’re seeking a relationship with him, go get it, because it does make the difference in everything you do. So all glory to Him.
Q. First of all, amen to that. Team goals are the most important, obviously. What individual goals are you aspiring to do to help the team get to that area?
DESEAN BISHOP: Obviously run the ball. There’s been some floats about breaking the all-time season rushing record. And doing that, I believe we ran the ball really well. So just trying to set the standard for the run game this year, and just chase that, because ultimately, if you can run the ball, you control the game. So I believe that’s going to help the team in a tremendous way.
Q. What were some of the reasons you were so successful rushing the football last year, individually and the team as well?
DESEAN BISHOP: First of all, my Lord and savior, obviously, giving me the ability to do what I do and just giving me the work ethic that I have. I came up from a lot of tribs and trials, just to get to the spot I am now. So gotta give the glory to Him.
And also my offensive line. I tell this all the time, I’m only as good as them. So those dudes are, they pave the way for me and we are returning a bunch of stars this year and a lot of the dudes from the transfer portal. I believe that will be a big contribute to my success as well.
Just the mindset that I have. I want to punish people when I run the ball. So I have the mindset of not getting tackled and just fighting for as much yards as I can every time I touch the ball, just utilizing every carry I get because it could be limited.
Q. When you’re standing in the tunnel at Neyland Stadium and there’s 110,000 people screaming and shouting and singing Rocky Top, is that a goosebump moment?
DESEAN BISHOP: It gives you chills. I remember my first time running through the tunnel, I wasn’t playing, but, man, it was anything I could ever imagine. Believe it or not, I often don’t really hear the crowd because I’m so locked into the game.
But I once was in the recruiting section watching it. It’s unlike anything you can imagine. Very grateful for our fans. I believe we have the best fan base in the world. If you get a chance to come to Neyland Stadium or a game in Neyland, I highly recommend it.
Q. What’s the potential for the Tennessee offense this year?
DESEAN BISHOP: I believe the sky’s the limit. Especially with a lot of returning guys, I know we’re pretty young at quarterback, but we’re going to do everything we can to sustain the run game.
Obviously this year we’re going to throw the ball as well. Looking back from last season, returning a 1,000-yard rusher is pretty good, I would say. Just going to continue that stride. We’ve ran the ball tremendously over the years, and just looking forward to getting back to where we left off at from last year.
Q. I know you’re a running back, and that’s your responsibility. But I was going to ask you if you can give a little scouting report on some of those young quarterbacks. You are a teammate. You do see them on the field?
DESEAN BISHOP: I believe they’re competing hard. They’re trying to step into that starting role. They’re competing to the best of their ability, being leaders on and off the field, continuing to just gain that edge over one another.
It’s been cool to see that. Obviously I’ve been helping them any ways they can. I’m a veteran guy. I’ve been in the system. I played a lot of football games and just doing my best so I can help them in any way I can.
Q. Talk about coming from Karns and being a non-scholarship player and making Second-Team All-SEC now on scholarship and the whole process?
DESEAN BISHOP: I’m very grateful for that process. I’m not going to lie. It really irritated me that I was a walk-on to begin my career. I didn’t really understand — I rushed for a lot of yards, scored a lot of touchdowns. And you would think I’d have every — I’d be picking what school I’d be going to.
But opportunities were limited. I was fortunate to have two schools that really gave me offers, which was Coastal and App State. And Tennessee came knocking on the door, gave me the opportunity to walk on there. And honestly, it’s funny because I didn’t even realize I was a walk-on when I got there.
But it was all part of the plan, you know, all part of God’s plan. Just to be up here right now, just looking back at all that I’m, like, dang, man.
I mean, if I can do it, anybody can do that. So just the inspiration it brings to other people, and just the opportunity that I have, and you can’t always control the opportunity you get but you can control the outcome of it.
And I just believe that if you work hard, you can get to anywhere you can. Obviously trusting in the Lord. He’s worked wonders in my life. So I’m just very grateful for all that.
Q. How much is Peyton Manning around the program? How much do you guys see him?
DESEAN BISHOP: We see him quite a bit. I mean, he comes around often. Obviously he has his own room in the facility, for those who don’t know that. It’s been cool to see him, just follow his history. And it’s funny, he wore 18 and, I believe, in the NFL. And now I wear 18. So I’m sure there’s a little coolness behind that.
Q. Want to ask about one of your former teammates, Rickey Gibson, transferred out. What kind of a player was he, what does he bring to the football team?
DESEAN BISHOP: Shout out Rickey. My dawg, man. I miss you, man. He’s a good competitor, good guy. I believe he’s going to make tons of plays over there at Texas A&M. They’re really getting a good guy.
It hurt to see him go. I wish the best of luck for him, though, this season.
Q. Running back may be a misnomer now. You’ve got to be a catching back, a blocking back and a running back if you’re going to be on there, all three downs. I asked an NFL running back, I said, what’s it like blocking. He said it’s a 5-second street fight. Is that pretty much it?
DESEAN BISHOP: It’s true. You’ve got to protect the quarterback, especially in today’s game, especially in the NFL. They throw the ball a little more. They are paying those guys a lot of money.
Especially at that level, you gotta protect. You want to be a three-down back. Those are guys that get paid honestly and those are guys that get drafted in the high rounds so you don’t want to be taken off the field. So catching, blocking, running the ball, it’s all got to be in your arsenal.
Q. You mentioned quarterbacks before, some newness at that position this year. How have you seen that room improve throughout the offseason? And is anybody standing out so far?
DESEAN BISHOP: I say they embrace the competition. I do believe that whoever wins that spot has truly earned it. It’s been cool not to see — it’s been cool to see that it hasn’t altered our relationship either. All those guys get along very well. They’re competing at a very high level.
I couldn’t tell you which one stood out more. They’re both getting after it, honestly. It’s been cool to see.
Q. A devout guy like you is probably a team player more than an individual guy, but what did it feel like to top 1,000 rushing yards last year?
DESEAN BISHOP: Shoot, man, all glory to God, man. It’s truly remarkable, especially not many people would think of a walk-on from Karns would probably ever reach 1,000 yards. If anybody I came into a class where if anybody thought was supposed to transfer, man, it was probably supposed to be me.
And just all the hard work has paid off. And it feels like I haven’t even scratched the surface, honestly of what I’m capable of. So I’m just continuing to just praise Him. Obviously he’s telling me to get back to work because there’s a lot of work to be done this season.
Q. Everybody talks about running backs having vision. How important is it to have vision as a running back and be patient to trust that?
DESEAN BISHOP: Oh, it’s everything — vision, to see the holes that people may not see, holes that are not even developed yet. I think that’s something that’s been handed to me from above. I’ve always had good patience during high school, and my vision just continues to improve day in and day out.
Just seeing the whole field. Someone told me, do you use the whole field. And that’s something I’ve admired and chose to do in my game.
It comes from film study as well, just seeing how blocking schemes, just seeing how stuff gets blocked and how it gets moved, with guys pulling and whatnot. So it goes into a lot of stuff.
But the vision is definitely something that makes a difference in your game. You’ve got to have it, especially when there’s guys coming at you, trying to take your head off as well. You’ve got to see them and make them miss as well.
