Everything DeSean Bishop Said Ahead of Tennessee vs. Arkansas

DeSean Bishop gave Tennessee plenty to celebrate against Auburn. By Monday, though, his attention had already shifted to the next challenge.

After rushing for a career-high 220 yards and three touchdowns on 34 carries in Tennessee’s 24–14 victory, Bishop explained how the Volunteers found their footing and why Arkansas deserves their full attention.

More Carries, More Rhythm

For Bishop, the running game’s breakthrough started with opportunities to settle in.

“I think the biggest thing was just letting us go out there and do what we do,” Bishop said. “Letting the run game actually find its rhythm.”

He also credited the offensive line for opening lanes. Once those opportunities arrived, Bishop turned them into the performance that helped Tennessee overcome a 7–3 halftime deficit. All three of his touchdowns came after halftime, on runs of 25, 44, and five yards.

Bishop singled out left guard Nic Moore when discussing the film, praising his readiness when called upon.

“A guy that got called up and was prepared for his opportunity,” Bishop said.

His appreciation extended to quarterback George MacIntyre. Bishop emphasized that staying hungry and prepared matters, even for players who initially miss out on a starting role.

A Big Workload, a Bigger Team Mindset

Thirty-four carries might sound like a demanding afternoon. Bishop’s approach is simple: give Tennessee whatever the game requires.

“Whatever it takes to get the win,” he said. “I’m going to make the most out of every carry I get.”

That mindset also shapes how he handles success. Bishop said his coach’s message was that “the next one matters,” with continued improvement taking priority over celebrating last week’s production.

“Monday, you know, we’re focused on Arkansas,” Bishop said.

No Overlooking the Razorbacks

Bishop pushed back against the idea that Arkansas’ difficult start makes the upcoming matchup any less challenging.

“It’s still a really good, talented team,” he said.

He described an opponent who competes hard and warned against overlooking the Razorbacks. He also expects Tennessee supporters, particularly those from West Tennessee, to make their presence felt.

On the field, Bishop wants the Volunteers to find their offensive rhythm earlier while maintaining the finishing strength they showed against Auburn.

“If we can do that earlier, man, we’d be a pretty hard team to stop offensively,” he said.

Bishop has shown what happens when Tennessee’s running game gets rolling. The next challenge is carrying that momentum into Arkansas.

Send your questions, comments, and hot takes to our email tennesseeonsi@gmail.com for the chance to be featured in an article!

Follow Our Social Media Accounts

• Follow Vols on SI on X (Click HERE)
• Follow Vols on SI on Facebook (Click HERE)
• Follow Vols on SI on Instagram (Click HERE)
• Subscribe to Vols on SI on YouTube (Click HERE)

Add us as a preferred source on Google