‘That whole week I can barely walk’ – DeSean Bishop reveals the pain he endured to play against Alabama and it’s giving Vols fans chills
Tennessee Volunteers running back DeSean Bishop battled through a week of pain before one of the best games of his career, and it came against the Alabama Crimson Tide last season.
One of Tennessee Vols running back DeSean Bishop’s best games of his career came on the road last season against the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Bishop rushed for 123 yards and two touchdowns — which included a 44-yard touchdown run — in Tennessee’s loss to Alabama.
Rushing for 100 yards in Tuscaloosa is an impressive game for any running back.
But Bishop’s performance is even more impressive when you find out that he could barely walk in the days leading up to the game.
DeSean Bishop reveals what he went through the week before playing Alabama
Bishop joined The PatteFacts this week for an excellent interview and detailed what he went through to be able to play against Alabama last season.
The former Karns High School standout suffered an injury in Tennessee’s win over Arkansas the week before the Alabama game that put his status for the Third Saturday in October in question.
Bishop suffered a leg injury in the third quarter against Arkansas on what appeared to be a hip-drop tackle. He did not return after leaving the game.
“That whole week (before the Alabama game) was interesting,” said Bishop. “I remember when I went down in the (Arkansas) game — and, man, I was cooking, I ain’t gonna lie — it was tough to not be able to go. But I felt like they could seal the game without me. We had Bama the next week. And that whole week, I barely can walk, honestly. They’re trying to get me to practice and I am really not going for it. I’m just thinking to myself, ‘There’s no way I can play.’ I’m praying, like, ‘God, can you help me to just play this week?’ And shout out to my girlfriend — she helped me out with a lot of stuff, like giving me Epsom salt, and she helped me with the recovery piece.
“It comes to that Thursday where they have to release if you’re playing or not, and I’ll never forget my auntie texting me out of nowhere. She was like, ‘God put something on my mind, and He wants me to tell you this.’ It was Philippians 4:13: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. And she said, ‘Say that for the entire rest of the day and tomorrow before the game.’ And so I did. I kept saying it. And we got up to Alabama that day, and I was feeling just better and better as the day went on. And before you know it, we get out to the game, and I’m warming up and I’m hesitant a little bit. But I’m like, ‘You know what, Lord, I’m going to lean on you, and I’m going to trust you.’ And I was able to play that game. And honestly, it was one of my better games. I had one of my favorite runs that I had all of last year.”
“The devil is a deceiver,” added Bishop. “He is all the time trying to mess with us believers. I feel like he was trying to not get me to play that game. He was throwing everything he could at me and putting doubt in my head, like, ‘You’re gonna make the injury worse and once it’s over, you probably won’t even have a spot.’ And all this other stuff. I just calmed myself down and remembered who I serve, and that’s the Lord. He guided me through that game, but I’m sad we didn’t come out with the win.”
What an incredible story. Vols fans already knew that Bishop is a player who competes with a lot of heart while leaning on his faith, but this story gives an inside look at what it was like to battle through a tough injury and get on the field when it looked unlikely that he’d be able to play against Alabama.