When Spencer Bishop started at quarterback for Pinecrest against Southern Lee in September of 2006, the sophomore was listed on the roster at 5-foot-11 and 157 pounds.

That was at the nadir of the Patriot football program. They lost the game 63-0 amid talk of dropping the varsity team because of a shortage of players. Two years later, Bishop was a part of a receiving trio that included James Baldwin III and Jarrin Wooten that then-second year coach Chris Metzger called the best set of high school receivers in the state.

Bishop caught 20 passes as a tight end in that turnaround season that included the monumental 31-28 upset win at Richmond Senior. The next summer he walked on at Wake Forest.

Last Saturday, the now 6- 2, 240 pound redshirt freshman tight end caught one pass for 16 yards in the Demon Deacons’ spring scrimmage and received praise from head coach Jim Grobe for his efforts.

Bishop saw all of his action last fall as a member of the kick-off return unit. Injuries at the tight end position helped move him up the depth chart and he has apparently taken advantage of the opportunity.

“I’m just trying to get on the field any way I can,” the communications major said by phone from Winston-Salem on Thursday. “Hopefully with our using more two and three tight end sets I’ll get more tight end action.”

The Demon Deacons, 3-9 a year ago, open at Syracuse on September 3. An interesting home schedule includes dates with N.C. State, Florida State, Virginia Tech and Notre Dame.

“Our home schedule is brutal, but I feel a lot better about this year’s team than last year’s,” he said.

Contact Charlie Bergmann at cbergmann@nc.rr.com.