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Vol Club Confidential: DeSean Bishop

On3 imageby:Austin Price•09/23/24•

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Knoxville native DeSean Bishop has burst onto the scene as a redshirt freshman this fall. He has established himself as backup to Dylan Sampson and he joined Vol Club Confidential sponsored by Knoxville Smiles this week to talk about his path after an ankle injury sidelined him last season.

“I’d say it’s been tough coming off that injury,” Bishop said. “Not having a lot of experience playing at this level but I’d say it’s been fun though. Getting to put in the work and see it pay off. It’s a blessing. Where I was with the injury, you never know how you are going to come back with stuff like that. Just keeping my faith in God and he has put me on the path where I’m going to perform on Saturday’s at a high level.

“Glad I got to go through that process. It made me who I am today and made me the hard worker I am.”

In high school, Bishop ran for roughly 5500 yards his final two seasons. He was committed to Coastal Carolina on full scholarship, but flipped after a coaching change when he decided to walk-on at Tennessee. Having shown what he can do early in the season, fans often ask why he didn’t have more interest coming out of Karns.

“I kind of wonder myself a little bit,” Bishop said. “I try not to worry about that stuff no more or really worry about it at all to be honest. I guess it was probably more work load. I couldn’t answer it. I kind of want to ask sometimes. It is what it is. I think there are bigger opportunities down the road.”

He bet on himself and walked into a room with highly touted players. He never saw scholarship versus non scholarship. He just went to work.

“You approach it every day, I’m by far one of the hardest workers on the program right now,” Bishop said. “I believe in my self whole heartedly. If I didn’t think I could play here I wouldn’t have came here. I didn’t really know the situation I was getting into but God has a plan. I believe he has brought me here for a reason. And that’s to show people I can play at this level.”

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