KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee expects to have its top runner in Knoxville when the Vols come off their open date. Head coach Josh Heupel said Wednesday that running back DeSean Bishop should be in good shape to face No. 9 Kentucky at Neyland Stadium.
Bishop hurt his right ankle late in the 27-24 loss at South Carolina and did not return for the final fourth-down try or the closing two-minute drive. Heupel said the staff held him back some in Wednesday work, partly for the ankle and partly because of the heavy workload he has carried through SEC play. He logged 34 carries against Auburn, 19 against Arkansas and 32 apiece against Alabama and South Carolina.
The senior has been the engine of the offense. He enters the break with 957 rushing yards, 11 rushing touchdowns and 171 carries, and his yardage ranks second in the FBS. He has topped 100 yards five times, including in each of the last four games, and his best day was 220 yards and three scores against Auburn.
Bishop is also chasing school history. At his current rate, the 1,491-yard season record set by former teammate Dylan Sampson in 2024 is within reach.
His path to that point was not smooth. The Karns graduate arrived as a walk-on who was buried on the depth chart before the 2023 season, and Heupel on Wednesday pointed to his faith, accountability and work ethic as the base of his turnaround.
Behind Bishop, Daune Morris has run for 349 yards and two touchdowns and Javin Gordon has 120 yards. Kentucky comes to Knoxville at 7-1 overall and 5-1 in the SEC, and the Vols have 10 days before kickoff.
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