Beanie Bishop has been playing college football since 2018. That experience will help West Virginia in more ways than one.
Bishop is entering year six after spending four seasons at Western Kentucky and last season at Minnesota. The cornerback will be a valuable piece to WVU on defense as well as in the return game.
“Just wanted a bigger role and being able to have the ability to make more plays in the passing game,” Bishop said on his decision to transfer from Minnesota. “I wanted to be able to showcase my abilities on defense and the return game. The role is just kind of different here.”
Bishop was an All-Conference First Team selection in 2021 at Western Kentucky prior to his departure to Minnesota. At Minnesota, he played in 13 games, before deciding to transfer for his final year of eligibility.
With only having one year left, Bishop will surely be used. The ways he is used though will help the Mountaineers.
Bishop has flashed on kick return this fall, a place WVU needs to improve upon after finishing 103rd in the country in that category a year ago.
“We’re growing in that,” head coach Neal Brown said of WVU’s kick return game. “We made a big step last year in that unit, we got to continue to grow there.”
“Being able to bring some of that defensive physicality to the offensive side in (kick) return,” Bishop said. “Just being able to help us in whatever way I can.”
Bishop’s ability and physicality that he brings to the return game, he also brings to WVU’s secondary which is hoping to take a major step forward this year. WVU ranked ninth in the Big 12 in passing defense, and there has been an increased emphasis on turnovers and finishing tackles.
“Coach says just be an aggressive. Our motto is effort, aggression, together,” Bishop said. “Don’t be scared to miss tackles because you’re going to have 10 other guys pursuing to the ball because guys are flying around.”
Bishop’s experience will help lead a young WVU secondary, an ability he says is natural.
“I kind of think it’s my personality,” Bishop said of his leadership. “It’s just kind of been instilled in me from just like growing up to be a leader. Instead of being one of the guys that’s in the back of the line, be one of the guys that’s in the front of the line.”
Overall for WVU, Bishop is aiding two places they want to improve on the field, and also helping guide a group who is set to improve from where they ended up last season.
“I don’t just hold information that I learned for myself because that’s not beneficial for everyone. I’d like to be able to help the next person try to at least give them the information I got along the way.”
