Running back DeSean Bishop has been perhaps the most talked about Tennessee football player to not play in game over the past two years.

And considering he’s a walk-on, that’s really saying something.

But Bishop has been in the spotlight for two reasons. He was a local high school star at Karns, where he won two Mr. Football awards. And since arriving at UT in 2023, he has consistently impressed coaches in scrimmages.

The first earns high school headlines. The second earns respect.

Now the question is whether Bishop, a redshirt freshman, has done enough to crack the rotation in what would certainly be an underdog story. It’s becoming more believable as UT’s season approaches.

“Oh yeah,” said Bishop when asked if he’d be in the backfield rotation. “I’m confident in myself. I put in the work. I’ve proven myself that I’m ready enough to be on the field. It’s a matter of time before I get the opportunity.”

When UT opens the season against Chattanooga on Aug. 31 (12:45 p.m., SEC Network), its backfield likely will still be hampered by injuries and inexperience.

That may provide an opportunity for Bishop to make his Vols debut in a big way. And it would come at Neyland Stadium, less than 15 miles from where he burst onto the Knoxville football scene at Karns.

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How record-breaking DeSean Bishop got to Tennessee

Bishop, a 5-foot-10, 200-pounder, rushed for 8,347 yards and 102 touchdowns in his career at Karns. That ranked second and third, respectively in Tennessee high school history.

And he had 1,017 rushing attempts over his last three seasons at Karns.

“I took a lot of carries in high school, if any of y’all didn’t know,” Bishop told reporters with a smile after practice Wednesday.

But those stats didn’t guarantee attention in recruiting.

Bishop got 17 offers, including Purdue, Michigan State, Virginia Tech and plenty of mid-major schools. But no SEC schools showed sustained interest in the three-star prospect.

Bishop committed to Coastal Carolina before his 2022 senior season. And he said he would’ve gone there if coach Jamey Chadwell hadn’t left for Liberty that December.

Bishop then considered Appalachian State as signing day drew near.

Then UT gave Bishop a lifeline as a preferred walk-on and a chance to play in the SEC. But one year later, the Vols need Bishop just as much as he needs them.

“Tennessee creeped around the corner a little bit (late in recruiting),” Bishop said. “I took a shot here, and now I'm just making the most of my opportunity.”

Where DeSean Bishop fits in Tennessee running back competition

UT led the SEC in rushing last season averaging 204.9 yards per game, and it’s been among the nation’s leaders in three seasons under coach Josh Heupel.

This Vols backfield is talented but not at full strength.

Dylan Sampson is the undisputed starting running back. He had 604 yards rushing, 175 yards receiving and eight touchdowns last season despite sharing the backfield with All-SEC performer Jaylen Wright and veteran Jabari Small.

But Sampson’s backup is a question mark.

Sophomore Cam Seldon was the projected No. 2. But he had shoulder surgery in the spring, and he’s still limited in preseason practice.

That means Bishop is competing with freshman Peyton Lewis and sophomore Khalifa Keith for the backup spot, or at least until Seldon returns.

Lewis was limited in spring practice by a shoulder injury, and he’s still learning UT’s offense. Keith is a 6-1, 239-pound power back who played sparingly as a freshman.

Bishop did not play last season after suffering an injury in the preseason. But running backs coach De’Rail Sims has seen enough to believe Bishop is game ready.

“When he goes into scrimmage or practice situations, everybody trusts him because he knows what to do and he operates at a high level,” Sims said.

Is DeSean Bishop a gameday back or just a scrimmage star?

It’s hard to gauge just how good coaches think Bishop could be.

He’s praised in terms usually assigned to overachieving walk-ons, and that’s technically what he is.

Sims said Bishop has a tremendous work ethic and practice habits. He keeps detailed notes in meetings, does extra work in the weight room and practices as if his roster spot is on the line.

But Sims also sees Bishop as worthy of playing time at this level. Two years before coming to UT in February, Sims recruited Bishop as Louisville’s running backs coach.

“He’s really quick in between the tackles. He’s a got really good strain, quickness and acceleration,” Sims said. “I see him as an old-school throwback player – the guy that you keep hitting and hitting and hitting, and he just gets stronger as the game goes along.”

Heupel has been a broken record in praising Bishop after virtually every scrimmage in which he’s played over the past two years.

That was true in both spring scrimmages in 2023, when Bishop filled in for Wright and Small as they nursed injuries. And Bishop was praised again following a scrimmage in spring 2024, after he returned from his own injury.

In UT’s first scrimmage of this preseason, Bishop was the first player Heupel mentioned after walking off the field. He got extra reps because Sampson and Seldon sat out.

“DeSean Bishop had a really nice night,” Heupel said. “(He was) efficient, effective, ran hard.”

Of course, Bishop excelled in scrimmages while more accomplished running backs nursed injuries to be healthy for games. Now it appears he seized those opportunities well enough to earn playing time.

“Being hurt (last season) made me realize that I need football,” Bishop said. “This is what I love to do, and I’m not going to waste my opportunity. I’m going to make the most of it.”

Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee football may need walkon DeSean Bishop in Vols opener