Bishop Fitzgerald: "We Push Each Other to Be Great"
NC State safety Bishop Fitzgerald met with the media ahead of the Wolfpack's upcoming matchup with Miami.
NOTE: Click on the video in the player above to watch Fitzgerald’s interview.
On how he feels now, compared to the beginning of the season…
I feel way more comfortable. I kind of got slung in there really fast. That was kind of like a change of pace for everything, coming out of JUCO. I feel like we're in that late push of the season of kind of getting the hang of it and getting the guys to trust me. That’s the biggest thing: gaining the guys’ trust.
On when he became comfortable being on the field…
I would say it was at UVa when [Devan] Boykin went down and Cecil Powell went down. I got slung in there, and it just felt comfortable. We made plays down the stretch, and then the next week, [we played] Louisville, and everything just started clicking.
On Sean Brown…
Sean’s great. He dropped a few picks, and that’s why he’s a pass rusher. That’s what I’ve been telling him. No, he’s great. He and I battle every day, and we push each other to be great.
On Brown playing linebacker on Clemson’s final drive…
Honestly, we expected it. We kind of joked with him, saying he is a linebacker and is just playing safety right now. We expect that out of Sean. He’s a great dude and a great player. He’s really physical. You can put him anywhere, and he’ll be great.
On the leaders on defense helping him grow…
They were huge. Payton [Wilson], Davin [Vann], C.J. [Clark], and honestly all the older guys came into fall camp, and in those first few practices and made me feel comfortable and made a few plays. Now, those guys are riding for you. Your job is easier with guys like Payton and Davin rushing the passer, putting some pressures on them, and making those balls float for you. Everything’s just easier with those guys.
On what he learned playing at the JUCO level…
Honestly, you've just got to be a dog. At JUCO, everyone's still pushing to go to DI. Not everyone wants to go to the NFL, playing in college. With JUCO, everyone has a goal. In JUCO, everyone’s more hungry. Here, everyone has the talent. In JUCO, some teams might not have talent, but here everyone has talent, so I just feel like being hungry [has carried over from JUCO to NC State].
On the confidence at being able to intercept passes with this defense…
Yeah, especially when we're up, getting stops on early downs, making it third-and-long. Coach [Tony Gibson] is going to dial it up with the pressure. That's kind of what the dime package is for: to get some picks, get some pressures, and give the offense back the ball.
On the difference between the level of play he faced last year to this year…
I actually told Robert Kennedy: I was on the way to my Dodge City game, and I was watching him play Virginia Tech when he was at ODU. I saw him scoop and score, and a year later, that’s my teammate I'm playing with. It's crazy. It was just a great moment.
On keeping his level of intensity up…
Being at two right now — I love Boykin; he taught me so many things — I feel like it's always good to have twos that, if the guy goes out in front of them, they could be a one, not just two. I’m embracing the role of the two. I feel like I'm pushing Boykin, making him play better. He just had a great game. It’s just friendly competition.
On Jakeen Harris…
Oh, Coach Harris? Yeah, Jakeen's great. He's dealing with his rehab for shoulder, but he's out there coaching us in the meetings. He’s telling us his input. He's played every position in this defense for a long time, so he kind of sees things and helps the new guys like me and Sean. He and [Rakeim Ashford] have been great for us.