NCAA Football Preview - Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Sports Network | August 18, 2008
With eight wins, Wake Forest earned its second straight bowl bid, this one to the Meineke Car Care Bowl, where it topped Connecticut, 24-10.
2008 ANALYSIS:
OFFENSE: The Demon Deacons were nothing special on the offensive side of the ball in 2007, ranking in the middle of the pack in most statistical categories, including total offense (sixth in the league at 340.4 ypg). The one area that Wake usually dominated, the ground game, ranked fourth in the ACC (143.2 ypg). There are five starters returning on this side of the football in 2008, including at quarterback and tailback.
Junior QB Riley Skinner led the nation in completion percentage as a sophomore, connecting on 72.4 percent of his passes. However, his 12 touchdowns were overshadowed by his 13 interceptions. Grobe's hope is that with another year under his belt, he will make better decisions downfield.
"What I've seen of Riley this past spring was a much more mature quarterback, a guy that is pretty focused on taking care of the football, making first downs."
Skinner will need to find new favorite targets with the loss of three of his top four outlets from last year, including standout Kenny Moore, who set an ACC record with 98 receptions. Senior WR Chip Brinkman is the top returner on the outside, pulling down 27 balls in 2007.
The ground game should be a strength once again, with sophomore Josh Adams getting the majority of the carries. He was outstanding as a freshman, earning Second-Team All-ACC honors and being tabbed the ACC Rookie of the Year, after rushing for 953 yards and 11 TDs in nine starts.
The team must replace several players along the offensive line, including All- ACC center Steve Justice and it remains to be seen just what Grobe has up front.
DEFENSE: The Demon Deacons return nine starters on the defensive side of the ball and is the ACC's most veteran unit, with as many as eight starters being seniors. Only sack leader Jeremy Thompson (6.5 sacks) is gone among the top nine tacklers from 2007.
The secondary is probably the strength of the unit, led by safety Chip Vaughn, who led the team in tackles (105) and PBUs (14) last year and cornerback Alphonso Smith (44 tackles, 10 PBUs), who earned Second-Team All-American honors after posting an impressive eight interceptions (school record).
The linebacking corps returns intact, made up of the senior trio of Aaron Curry (99 tackles, 10.5 TFLs, three sacks, four INTs), Stanley Arnoux (66 tackles 3.5 sacks, two INTs) and Chantz McClinic (45 tackles, 2.5 sacks). Curry is the top playmaker among the group, returning three INTs for TDs last season.
Who exactly will step up along the defensive front is still a real concern, although junior nose tackle Boo Robinson is a load (6-2, 326) and is coming off a 2007 season that saw him tally 26 tackles and three sacks.
SPECIAL TEAMS: Wake Forest may just have the best placekicker in the ACC in the form of senior Sam Swank. The 6-2 veteran has hit nine of his 12 opportunities from beyond 50 yards in his career and is coming off a 2007 season in which he was 18-of-21, with a long of 52 yards. He also handled the punting duties and averaged nearly 40 yards per attempt last season. He will once again resume both roles this year.
2008 OUTLOOK: The Demon Deacons will rely on a veteran-laden defense early on, until the offense gels, but this very well may be Grobe's best team to date, including the one that won the ACC title two years ago.
Grobe is quick to deflect any credit for what he has accomplished over the last couple of seasons.
"We've been able to bring in the right kids. It's what fosters that environment. I'd be lying to you if I told you that I thought it was me, it's not me, it's just having the right type of kids."
The non-conference slate includes the season-opener at Baylor and a trio of home games against Ole Miss, Navy and Vanderbilt (regular-season finale). Wake certainly has the talent to sweep those four games. ACC opponents that invade Winston-Salem include Clemson, Duke, Virginia and Boston College. The team must travel to Florida State, Maryland, Miami and NC State, but avoids Virginia Tech altogether.
The Demon Deacons have set a school record with 20 wins over the last two seasons. With a favorable schedule, posting a third straight winning season is almost a lock and it is not out of the question to think that Wake Forest could be playing for its second league title in the last three years.
