Bishop Signs To Play Football At Cornell College In Iowa

Wednesday, June 22, 2022
Doniphan Don Dawson Bishop (middle) with head football coach Jeremy Stout (right) and Assistant coach Jason Lance as he signs his commitment to Cornell College.
P-N staff photo

After being a part of football returning to Doniphan, Dawson Bishop will continue his career on the gridiron as he signed with Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, Iowa.

"This is great not just for me, but for Doniphan as well," Bishop said. "It's been a long time since Doniphan has had someone play college football and knowing that the program here can continue moving forward because it helped me get to where I am."

Bishop has put on the pads all of his life and he didn't take a single day for granted.

Doniphan Don Dawson Bishop is joined by his family as he signs to play football at Cornell College. His parents are seated next to him, Elizabeth Bishop and David and Rhonda Bishop. Also pictured in the front row, far left, grandmother Juanita Bishop and on the far right is grandmother Sheila Terrell. His siblings in the back include Grace Bishop, Cody Bishop and Preston Bishop.
P-N File Photo

"I started out playing in pee wee football here in Doniphan," Bishop said. "We'd go to Poplar Bluff and other places to play. Then Doniphan started middle school football so I played in that and eventually got the high school team started back up and I got to play all four years in high school. I still remember being out there picking up rocks off of the field, putting in the new sod and helping unload the scoreboard off the truck.”

Bishop was a staple in the trenches playing in the offensive and defensive lines. Last season, the Dons went 2-8.

"Dawson was a pretty good offensive lineman for his size," former Doniphan football coach Jeremy Stout said. "But he actually ended up becoming one of our best defensive linemen that we had."

Stout already has an idea of where Cornell College will put the 6-foot-1, 260 pound lineman.

"I think that he'll be best suited for nose tackle for them on defense," Stout said. "For a Division III football player, he's got a pretty good size to him, but probably not big enough for the offensive line."

Just like the select few that get to play college football, Bishop is excited to get started.

"I sent them my film and they liked what they saw," Bishop said. "I went to visit the campus and they just opened a brand new athletic complex so I'm excited to get started with them."

Cornell also had what Bishop was looking for academically.

"I'm going to be studying sports medicine and history," Bishop said. "After college I'm planning on coaching football. They also have a block program where I can just take one class and play football."

Stout said that Bishop has the work ethic to make it in college.

"I've never had anything negative from him," Stout said. "He was a vocal leader on the field for us and he carried that leadership into the hallways at Doniphan High School. At the college level, playing football is like a full time job and the coaches up there will push him and he'll get pushed in the classroom, but I know he's capable of handling it."

Cornell College plays NCAA Division III level athletics in the Midwest Conference. The Rams went 4-6 in 2021.

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