From Walk-On to Breakout Star: Tennessee Running Back DeSean Bishop Earns Scholarship After Electrifying and Historic 2024 Season Performance
DeSean Bishop’s story is the kind of tale that college football fans cherish, one that embodies resilience, belief, and unrelenting work ethic. The Tennessee Volunteers running back went from walk-on to one of the program’s most electrifying offensive weapons in the 2024 season, earning a well-deserved scholarship and cementing his name in the lore of Volunteer football. In a sport increasingly dominated by star ratings, NIL deals, and transfer portal headlines, Bishop’s journey serves as a refreshing reminder that raw talent, heart, and determination can still take center stage.
Coming out of Karns High School in Knoxville, Bishop was a local legend. He rushed for more than 6,000 yards in his high school career, shattering records and leading his team deep into the state playoffs. But despite his production, major college offers were slow to come. Recruiting services labeled him undersized, not fast enough, not strong enough to compete at the SEC level. Power Five programs looked elsewhere. Tennessee liked him, respected him—but didn’t offer him a scholarship out of high school. Bishop didn’t complain. He didn’t pout. He accepted a preferred walk-on spot with his hometown Volunteers, determined to prove the doubters wrong.
In 2022 and 2023, Bishop redshirted and saw minimal action, buried behind veteran backs on the depth chart. He used the time wisely—studying the playbook, bulking up in the weight room, and learning the nuances of college football. Coaches noticed his consistency in practice, his attention to detail, and the maturity with which he approached every rep. By the time spring camp rolled around ahead of the 2024 season, Bishop was no longer just another walk-on body. He was competing.
Injuries and roster movement opened the door for opportunity, but it was Bishop’s performance that blew the door off its hinges. By Week 3 of the 2024 season, he was Tennessee’s starting running back—and he never looked back. Bishop burst onto the scene with a 142-yard, two-touchdown performance against Florida in The Swamp, putting the SEC on notice. That breakout game was only the beginning of a remarkable campaign that saw Bishop finish the year with 1,204 rushing yards, 12 touchdowns, and over 300 receiving yards as a dual-threat weapon.
Fans quickly rallied around him, recognizing not just the homegrown storyline, but the sheer electricity he brought to the field. His running style—low to the ground, deceptively quick, and relentlessly physical—evoked memories of classic SEC backs. He had an uncanny ability to slip out of arm tackles, bounce off hits, and find daylight where none seemed to exist. More than once during the season, he was asked if the game had “slowed down” for him. His response was always the same: “I’ve been ready.”
Head coach Josh Heupel took notice early in the season, praising Bishop’s commitment and consistency.
“DeSean is a competitor,” Heupel said following the Florida game. “He’s earned everything he’s getting. He’s taken advantage of every opportunity, and he’s proven he belongs at this level.”
By midseason, Bishop was being mentioned as one of the best backs in the SEC. In a thrilling overtime win against Kentucky, he rushed for 178 yards and caught the game-winning touchdown on a wheel route. Against Alabama, he put up 123 tough yards and kept the chains moving all night, helping the Vols control time of possession in what was nearly a program-defining upset.
Off the field, Bishop remained the same soft-spoken, team-first guy who walked onto the team just two years earlier. His work ethic in the film room and weight room didn’t change. He continued to attend extra position meetings, often mentoring younger players despite still being an underclassman himself. His teammates rallied around him—not out of sympathy for his journey, but out of respect for the example he set every single day.
In November, after Tennessee’s senior night win over Vanderbilt, Heupel called the team together in the locker room for what many assumed would be a standard post-game speech. Instead, in front of the entire team, coaching staff, and a few cameras, he turned to Bishop and made the moment official.
“DeSean Bishop, you’re on scholarship,” Heupel said, prompting an explosion of cheers, hugs, and raw emotion.
The locker room erupted. Bishop, caught completely off guard, teared up and buried his face in his hands. Teammates hoisted him on their shoulders, celebrating a victory far more personal and profound than any final score. That moment went viral, capturing the hearts of college football fans across the country and further solidifying Bishop as a fan favorite.
Heupel later elaborated on the decision, noting that Bishop’s story was more than just sentimental—it was earned through consistent excellence.
“He’s one of the best players on our football team. Period,” Heupel said. “It doesn’t matter how you got here. What matters is what you do once you are here. And DeSean has done everything right.”
By season’s end, Bishop was named Second-Team All-SEC, earned the team’s Most Improved Player award, and received an invitation to the Doak Walker Award ceremony in recognition of his breakout year. Not bad for a guy who didn’t have a scholarship offer out of high school.
Tennessee fans, already enamored with his story, began showing up in Bishop jerseys, holding signs with messages like “From Walk-On to Weapon” and “DeSean Belongs.” He became a symbol of the Volunteers’ blue-collar identity—scrappy, overlooked, but dangerous. He also became an inspiration to countless young athletes in Tennessee and beyond, showing that heart and hard work can overcome almost any obstacle.
NIL opportunities soon followed. Local businesses lined up to endorse the homegrown star. Bishop partnered with several Knoxville-based charities and used his rising platform to speak at local schools, urging kids to believe in themselves even when others don’t.
“Bet on yourself,” he told one middle school crowd. “You don’t need everyone to believe in you. You just need to believe in you.”
Now heading into the 2025 season as Tennessee’s unquestioned lead back, Bishop enters a new phase of his football journey. With expectations high, he’s spent the offseason sharpening his vision, refining his pass-blocking, and continuing to build chemistry with the offense. NFL scouts are now paying close attention, and Bishop is well aware that his story is far from finished.
“I’m not satisfied,” he said during spring practice. “I’m grateful, but I’m still climbing. There’s more I want to do—for myself, for this team, for this state.”
Coaches have discussed expanding Bishop’s role in the offense even more in 2025, incorporating more swing passes, screen plays, and motion packages to take advantage of his elusiveness in space. Offensive coordinator Joey Halzle believes Bishop is just scratching the surface of his potential.
“He’s a complete back,” Halzle said. “People see the highlights and the numbers, but it’s his football IQ, his instincts, that separate him. He’s going to be special.”
Tennessee enters the 2025 season with renewed confidence, bolstered by a strong recruiting class and veteran leadership. But make no mistake—Bishop is the emotional heartbeat of the offense. His presence on the field gives the team a sense of belief, knowing that any play could be a game-changer.
As fans pour into Neyland Stadium this fall, many will do so not just to watch a football game, but to witness a story—a walk-on who defied the odds, earned a scholarship, and became a star. DeSean Bishop is no longer just a feel-good story. He’s a force. A threat. A Volunteer legend in the making.
And while the doubters may have defined his start, it’s DeSean Bishop who’s defining his finish.
