Tennessee updates DeSean Bishop's status on Thursday night SEC Injury Report

Tennessee Football running back DeSean Bishop remained probable on the SEC Injury Report Thursday night, as the 11th-ranked Vols prepare to play at No. 6 Alabama (5-1, 3-0) Saturday night (7:30 p.m. Eastern Time, ABC) at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa.

Bishop, who appeared to injure his right leg in the 34-31 win over Arkansas Saturday in Knoxville, was also listed as probable on Wednesday night’s injury report, the first of the week.

Cornerback Jermod McCoy was ruled out Wednesday night. He has been out since tearing his ACL in January and Bishop left the 34-31 win over Arkansas Saturday night with what appeared to be a right leg injury.

Tennessee Football Injury Report: Thursday

Player	Position	Wednesday	Thursday
Jermod McCoy	CB	Out	Out
Radarious Jackson	WR	Out	Out
Rickey Gibson III	CB	Out	Out
Travis Smith	WR	Out	Out
Ethan Davis	TE	Questionable	Questionable
DeSean Bishop	RB	Probable	Probable

Josh Heupel: ‘Feel like DeSean will be ready to go’

Bishop was slow to get up after a 26-yard run in the third quarter Saturday night against Arkansas, leaving the game with 146 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries. He left the field under his own power and didn’t have a noticeable limp while returning to the Tennessee bench.

Josh Heupel said after the game Saturday night that he wasn’t concerned with the status of Bishop — “I don’t think it’s a long-term deal at all,” he said during his postgame press conference —  then updated the situation again on during his weekly press conference on Monday.

“Feel like DeSean will be ready to go in this one,” Heupel said of the Alabama game.

Bishop is Tennessee’s leading rusher this season with 481 yards and six touchdowns on 63 carries. Star Thomas has 62 attempts for 328 yards and four touchdowns. Sophomore Peyton Lewis has 43 rushes for 200 yards and five touchdowns, including two he scored against Arkansas after Bishop left the game.

What Josh Heupel said this week about Jermod McCoy

Heupel updated the uncertain timeline for Jermod McCoy early last week. He suffered a torn ACL during offseason training in January but has yet to make his debut this season

“Jermod continues to do a great job in his rehab with our medical staff, our strength staff,” Heupel said on October 7. “Somebody told me there was a report out there of a certain ball game that he’s focused in on as far as returning.

“I think that’s unfair. Whoever put that out there, I don’t think truly understands Jermod and the situation. He’s done a really good job. He’s got more to go.”

McCoy returned to the practice field to do individual work during fall camp, but as of Monday had yet to take part in team activities in practice.

“I think it’s all about him being prepared to go play,” Heupel said last week. “There’s a lot of things that go into that. You look at the position he plays, all the reactionary work that you have to have in so you’re always balancing his ability to be prepared and short-term, long-term health as well.”