Latest news with #OrangeandWhiteSpringGame
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
How DeSean Bishop bet on himself from Tennessee football walk-on to scholarship
DeSean Bishop was given a Tennessee football scholarship two years after joining the Vols as a walk-on running back and under-recruited Knoxville high school star. He could've accepted a scholarship at mid-major schools when he came out of nearby Karns High as a two-time Mr. Football winner. Instead, he bet on himself and came to UT with no promise of ever receiving a scholarship. Advertisement In January, Bishop got the good news that he was going on scholarship. But he talked candidly about it for the first time on Wednesday. 'It was a little bit of relief, that the hard work had paid off,' Bishop said. 'I'm blessed. A lot of kids in Knoxville would love to have the opportunity that I have. Not a lot of people from my city get this opportunity.' Bishop earned his scholarship by steadily climbing the depth chart over the past two seasons. Now he's competing with Peyton Lewis and Duke transfer Star Thomas for a starting job in the 2025 season. 'I ain't gonna lie. I can't even say that I did (expect to be competing to start as a redshirt sophomore),' Bishop said. 'That was especially (true) because of being hurt (in 2023 and 2024) and you've got a lot of good guys in front of you – guys with more stars (in recruit ratings) and stuff like that. Advertisement 'But I just trusted in God, and it deepened my faith. If he didn't think I could handle what's ahead of me this year, then he wouldn't have put me in it.' DeSean Bishop pushed higher-rated backs into transfer portal Bishop took a redshirt in 2023 after suffering a preseason injury. In 2024, he outplayed scholarship players with higher recruit ratings to earn the backup spot behind Dylan Sampson, the SEC Offensive Player of the Year. Bishop rushed for 455 yards and three TDs, missing three games due to injury. And Lewis rushed for 339 yards and three TDs. Their ascension, in part, pushed running backs Cam Seldon and Khalifa Keith into the transfer portal. Advertisement With UT's Orange and White Spring Game on Saturday, it appears Bishop and Lewis are the co-starters at running back. Thomas is in the mix after transferring to UT in January and learning the finer points of the playbook in spring practice. Bishop earned his scholarship, but he intends to keep his underdog edge. 'I know there's an opportunity to be that guy,' Bishop said. 'I feel like I'm embracing that. I feel like I've worked to deserve that spot, but I'm not going to get complacent. I'm living in the moment, and I know I'll reap the benefits when the season comes around.' Running backs coach De'Rail Sims said Bishop is playing like the record-breaking back he was in high school but still working like a walk-on. Advertisement 'You don't just have that production (in high school) if you're not a really good player,' Sims said. 'He always has that chip on his shoulder. He always has a point to prove. But he carries himself where he's not arrogant. He has confidence, but he's still humble.' Bishop ignored advice, choosing Tennessee over scholarships elsewhere Bishop was committed to Coastal Carolina for his entire 2022 senior season. He hoped for a scholarship offer from a Power Four conference school that never came. Bishop had eye-popping stats. He rushed for 8,347 yards and 102 touchdowns in his career at Karns. That ranked second and third, respectively, in Tennessee high school history. Advertisement But college coaches questioned his skill, speed and long-term potential. He was rated a three-star recruit and the No. 36 player in the state of Tennessee by 247Sports Composite. Two weeks before signing day, he decommitted from Coastal Carolina and ultimately announced he'd enroll at Tennessee as a preferred walk-on. 'I feel like people were trying to persuade me to go to Coastal (Carolina) and stay there,' Bishop said. 'But there was something in me that always thought I was bigger than that, and that's not taking anything away from Coastal. But I've always thought I could play at this level. 'And I feel like I've been doubted ever since I came here. And people are still doubting me, but it doesn't really bother me.' Tennessee running back DeSean Bishop (25) during a game between Tennessee and Chattanooga, Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024. 'Now it's time to perform' Granted, Tennessee coaches knew Bishop wasn't a typical walk-on. And, presumably, he received some financial assistance for his name, image and likeness from a collective associated with UT athletes. Advertisement But a scholarship changes Bishop's status on the roster, even if he doesn't dwell on it. 'Obviously, it helps financially. Scholarship or not, I've been proving myself every day and I feel like I've got to earn it every day,' Bishop said. 'I keep remembering (as motivation), 'They just now put you on (scholarship).' 'So I've got to keep going. It's the next step. I earned a scholarship, now it's time to perform.' Where Bishop factors into Tennessee backfield in 2025 Last season, Tennessee featured Sampson, who broke the program's single-season rushing record. Bishop and Lewis took turns as Sampson's sidekick, but rarely in the same game. Advertisement However, the backfield may expand from a duo to a trio in the 2025 season. Bishop and Lewis were already in a close competition. Thomas is a veteran running back and an all-purpose producer with more than 2,500 yards from scrimmage and 22 TDs in his Division I college career, which spans from New Mexico State to Duke. DAVID SANDERS: Why 5-star freshman's success matters to Vols, Glen Elarbee Freshman running backs Daune Morris and Justin Baker also debuted in spring practice as early enrollees. That backfield battle will play out in the fall. But Bishop undoubtedly will be in the mix, which is quite a feat for a former walk-on. Advertisement 'I look around, and it's just crazy that I'm here with an opportunity to start for the Tennessee Volunteers (in) my home city,' Bishop said. 'In high school, I never thought of this at all. I never would think that it would turn out this way, so I'm very blessed to be where I'm at now.' Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at Get the latest news and insight on SEC football by subscribing to the SEC Unfiltered newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox. This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: How DeSean Bishop went from Tennessee football walk-on to scholarship
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
REPORT: Tennessee ‘moving on' from quarterback Nico Iamaleava
Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK Tennessee is reportedly 'moving on' from starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava. Days after a reports involving Iamaleava and NIL negotiations surfaced and one day after Iamaleava no-showed at the Vols' final spring practice, ESPN's Pete Thamel reported Saturday that Josh Heupel informed the team that Iamaleava was no longer part of the program. Advertisement TALK ABOUT IT IN THE ROCKY TOP FORUM Iamaleava is expected to enter the transfer portal when the spring window opens on Wednesday. Tennessee is set to play its annual Orange and White Spring Game at Neyland Stadium at 2 p.m. ET. Initially, Thursday saw a report from Pete Nakos claiming that Iamaleava was in 'active contract negotiations' regarding his NIL deal. The post breaking the news also said it was 'unclear if the negotiations will impact whether he enters the spring transfer portal.' Then, Iamaleava's father, Nic, took to his Twitter/X to claim he 'had no idea on what he's talking about.' Advertisement On Friday, Pete Thamel reported that Iamaleava was absent from Tennessee's practice on Friday morning. Iamaleava is coming off his second season with Tennessee and first as the starter. He led the Vols to a College Football Playoff berth before falling on the road to Ohio State in the opening round. It was the second double-digit win season under Josh Heupel. Iamaleava finished the year with 2,616 passing yards on 64% completion. He threw for 19 touchdowns and five interceptions. He also ran for 364 yards and three touchdowns. He was the first Tennessee true or redshirt freshman quarterback to lead the Vols to 10 regular season wins. He also notched a Tennessee record by being named SEC Freshman of the Week four times, breaking Tyler Bray's old record of three Advertisement As a true freshman, Iamaleava started in the Citrus Bowl. He led the Vols to a dominant win over Iowa. On the year, he threw for 314 yards and two touchdowns while scampering for 71 yards and three scores. He did not throw an interception. Iamaleava was a five-star recruit and No. 2 overall player in the 2023 class. He was the top player out of California and No. 2 at his position. The only player in front of him was Arch Manning, the current Texas signal caller. – TALK ABOUT IT IN THE ROCKY TOP FORUM. – ENJOY VOLREPORT WITH A PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTION. – SUBSCRIBE TO THE VOLREPORT YOUTUBE CHANNEL. – FOLLOW VOLREPORT ON TWITTER: @TennesseeRivals, @ByNoahTaylor, @RyanTSylvia, @Dale_Dowden, @ShayneP_Media.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former Tennessee RB Jabari Davis only wanted '$500, a cold orange Gatorade' after games
Tennessee football is at the forefront of headlines in college football on Friday as starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava did not show up at practice amid reports he is looking for a new NIL deal. As the situation plays out in Knoxville, one former player, running back Jabari Davis, has taken to social media, presumably sharing his opinion on the matter. "And all I ever wanted after a game was $500, a cold orange Gatorade and some thunder road wings from Copper Cellar!" Davis wrote in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Friday. REQUIRED READING: Nico Iamaleava misses Tennessee football practice amid reports of NIL negotiation | Source Iamaleava's absence from the Vols practice on Friday comes after a Thursday report he wants to renegotiate his NIL contract with Tennessee, per On3's Pete Nakos. As previously noted by Knox News, neither Spyre Sports Group, the NIL collective that pays Iamaleava, nor Iamaleava's father, Nic Iamaleava, have responded to multiple requests for comment. As noted by Knox News' Adam Sparks, Iamaleava's status for Tennessee's spring game on Saturday remains up in the air, both as a participant and an attendee. Nic Iamaleava wrote on X late Thursday night that he did not know about Nakos' report and that people "can ask" Tennessee what's going on as it isn't his son or him spreading the report the 6-foot-6 quarterback wants to renegotiate his NIL deal. In four seasons with the Vols, Davis ran for 1,228 career rushing yards and 22 rushing touchdowns on 278 carries, according to his College Football Reference page. Tennessee is set to play its Orange and White Spring Game on Saturday, April 12 at 2 p.m. ET at Neyland Stadium with or without Iamaleava. This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Jabari Davis only wanted '$500, a cold orange Gatorade' after games
USA Today
11-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Tennessee QB Nico Iamaleava a no-show at practice amid NIL renegotiation report
Tennessee QB Nico Iamaleava a no-show at practice amid NIL renegotiation report Show Caption Hide Caption Notre Dame fan Mike Golic Sr. gushes over Marcus Freeman's coaching style Nobody knows Notre Dame better than Mike Golic Sr. He talks to Lorenzo Reyes about the exciting college football season, and his partnership with Dexcom. Tennessee football starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava was a no-show at the Volunteers' final practice on Friday morning ahead of their spring game this weekend, per Adam Sparks of Knox News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Sparks reported on Friday that Iamaleava's absence, which comes after reported NIL contract negotiations with the Volunteers, "was a surprise to coaches and players." REQUIRED READING: Nico Iamaleava enjoys some leverage on Tennessee Volunteers, but don't overplay the hand Iamaleava's absence comes after a Thursday report he wants to renegotiate his NIL contract with Tennessee, per On3's Pete Nakos. According to Nakos, Iamaleava — who went 10-3 in his first season as the Vols' starting quarterback last year — is searching for a new multimillion-dollar NIL deal. The spring window of the NCAA's transfer portal opens on April 16. Sparks noted that Iamaleava's current NIL deal with Tennessee is reportedly more than $2 million per year, and was signed ahead of him signing his NLI with the Volunteers in 2022. Neither Spyre Sports Group, the NIL collective that pays Iamaleava, nor Iamaleava's father, Nic Iamaleava, have responded to multiple requests for comment from Knox News and Sparks. According to ESPN's Chris Low, Iamaleava's representatives denied Nakos' report on Thursday. However, the Tennessee quarterback's father, Nic Iamaleava, did go on X (formerly Twitter) last Thursday night to say that he "had no idea" of Nakos' report that his son was looking for a new NIL deal at Tennessee. "More games being played off the field than on the field. Bi7ch Nakos from @On3sports called and asked me directly, I told him I had no idea on what he's talking about. He said his 'close source' that he trusts with his life from the University of Tennessee staff gave him this information," Nic Iamaleava said in the post. He added: "So y'all can ask them what's going on, cuz (sic) it ain't from us!" Iamaleava is coming off a season in which he threw for 2,616 yards and 19 touchdowns while leading Tennessee to the program's first appearance in the College Football Playoff. Tennessee is set to play its Orange and White Spring Game on Saturday, April 12 at 2 p.m. ET at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Nico Iamaleava's father denies pushing Tennessee football NIL negotiation
The father of Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava said he "had no idea" about reported negotiations over his son's NIL contract. On Thursday, Pete Nakos reported that Iamaleava is negotiating a new multimillion-dollar NIL deal just ahead of the transfer portal opening on April 16. Advertisement Late Thursday night, Iamaleava's father, Nic, responded to the report on social media. He claimed ignorance of any negotiations and pointed to an unnamed UT staffer for feeding the story to Nakos. "More games being played off the field than on the field," Nic Iamaleava wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. "... Nakos from @On3sports called and asked me directly, I told him I had no idea on what he's talking about. He said his "close source" that he trusts with his life from the University of Tennessee staff gave him this information. So y'all can ask them what's going on, cuz it ain't from us!" Nic Iamaleava did not respond to a Knox News request for comment. Spyre Sports Group, the NIL collective that pays Iamaleava, also did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Advertisement Nico Iamaleava's next media appearance is expected after Tennessee's Orange and White Spring Game on Saturday (2 p.m. ET) at Neyland Stadium, if UT makes him available. Nico Iamaleava NIL discussion has many sides There are layers to the NIL saga surrounding Iamaleava, which encapsulates the uncertainty and division over the direction of college football. In 2022, Iamaleava signed a blockbuster NIL contract, which reportedly paid him more than $2 million per year and paved the way for the five-star recruit to sign with Tennessee. Some fans feel like that's enough pay, especially since Iamaleava has played effectively but not to an elite level. Advertisement Iamaleava passed for 2,616 yards, 19 TDs and five interceptions in 2024. The Vols offense struggled at times, but Iamaleava improved late in the season en route to a 10-3 record and UT's first appearance in the College Football Playoff. Plus, UT defended Iamaleava against an NCAA investigation that could've affected his eligibility and NIL contract. TOPPMEYER: Nico Iamaleava enjoys leverage, but don't overplay your hand On the contrary, Iamaleava's market value may have risen since signing his initial NIL deal. Miami's Carson Beck and Duke's Darian Mensah got close to $4 million, CBS Sports reported, but they had to go into the transfer portal to get those deals. Advertisement The transfer portal opens April 16, which provides players an opportunity to exercise their leverage and seek new NIL deals. Social media posts and leaks to traditional media are among the ways that players can push for more NIL money. That's the current system, and players at virtually every Power Four program explore those options. It's very common in this climate of college football. Whether Iamaleava seeks or receives a new NIL deal, both he and Tennessee would like to put the issue to rest soon. Nervous UT fans would like the same, so they can turn their attention to the 2025 season. Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at Advertisement Get the latest news and insight on SEC football by subscribing to the SEC Unfiltered newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox. This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Nico Iamaleava's dad denies pushing Tennessee football NIL negotiation
