Bishop a quick study for Wolfpack

RALEIGH -- After Brandan Bishop committed to N.C. State in December, he put his goal on paper and posted it on a bulletin board in his bedroom in Boca Raton, Fla.

N.C. State defensive coordinator Mike Archer had told Bishop that he could play early in the Wolfpack secondary as a freshman if he worked hard.

Archer believed Bishop was smart enough to play immediately and just needed to show he could handle the physical part of the job. So Bishop set his goal.

He wanted to get playing time in the season-opener against South Carolina. He failed in that quest, but pursuing that goal set him up to become a key contributor on defense for the Wolfpack (3-1, 0-0 ACC), which visits Wake Forest (2-2, 0-1) at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Last week Bishop made a tackle on the NCSU 8-yard line and a pass breakup in the end zone against tight end Dorin Dickerson in the closing minutes to preserve a 38-31 win over Pittsburgh.

"Once you kind of make some plays, you get into a rhythm," Bishop said. "It helps you when we're going into these next few games against meaningful opponents, especially in the ACC. It was definitely exciting."

Bishop learned sports at an early age from his father, Bart Bishop, who coached him in football, baseball and basketball. As a senior at Sunset High in Miami, Bart was selected in the 29th round of the 1981 major league baseball draft by the Baltimore Orioles.

A right-handed pitcher, he elected to play baseball at Stetson University instead of turning pro. His baseball career ended there, but his advice -- to work hard and stay humble -- helped Brandan become an outstanding athlete.

As a senior at Boca Raton High, Brandan made 108 tackles and five interceptions as a safety. He also played wide receiver, catching 45 passes for 600 yards and eight touchdowns. He received some advice on footwork and on N.C. State from another defensive back with Wolfpack ties.

Jimmie Sutton, a Boca Raton alumnus who lettered at cornerback for the Wolfpack from 2005-07, assisted the Boca Raton staff. Sutton helped Bishop refine his stance and his backpedal fundamentals, and told him what to expect from N.C. State coach Tom O'Brien.

"He told me he's big on discipline, he runs the program well," Bishop said. "He said he'd be a coach I'd like to play for because he runs a tight ship and keeps his guys in order but he knows how to win."

Bishop quickly made an impact at N.C. State. After not playing against the Gamecocks, Bishop played as a reserve against Murray State.

He moved into the starting lineup against Gardner-Webb when starting free safety Clem Johnson suffered a thigh injury. Johnson was cleared to play last week against Pittsburgh, but Bishop held onto the starting spot.

Then he made two of the most important defensive plays of the game.

"He's still a freshman and he still makes mistakes, but two out of the last three plays, he made the biggest plays," Archer said. "And that's not coaching. That's just doing what you're supposed to do and having instincts."

Bishop remains at the top of the depth chart this week, but the entire secondary faces one of its biggest challenges of the season against the Deacons.

Wake Forest quarterback Riley Skinner is on pace to set an ACC record with a career completion percentage mark of .675. Deacons wide receiver Marshall Williams is tied for the ACC lead in receptions.

O'Brien said N.C. State's coaches will be holding their breath Saturday because their inexperienced secondary is facing Wake Forest's passing attack. But Archer is encouraged by Bishop's progress.

"He's done a good job for a freshman," Archer said. "And freshmen are freshmen. They're going to make mistakes. You've got to just be patient with him. The thing that I see with him is his confidence each week has gotten better and better."

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