by TomRob
Wake Forest Demon Deacons
2009 Record: 5-7 (3-5 ACC)
OFFENSE
Scheme: When Jim Grobe first arrived at Wake, the Deacons were expected to run an option offense since Grobe had cut his coaching teeth at Air Force and ran an option attack at Ohio. Instead, Grobe implemented a spread offense that utilized misdirection, wide receiver running plays, and motion. Once Riley Skinner took over at QB, however, Wake became more of a pass-oriented offense, finishing 26th in passing offense last season. With Skinner having graduated, expect Wake to revert back to an offense that features the option, misdirection, and lots of different players getting the ball on running plays.
Quarterbacks: Skinner leaves Wake Forest as the school’s winningest and most productive QB. A four-year starter, the Deacs will have a huge drop-off in experience as no other QB on the roster has even attempted a pass. However, the situation may not be as dire as it appears thanks to the fact that Wake will lean on the ground game. That would suit junior Skylar Jones just fine. Jones, who came out of spring leading to start, is a tremendous athlete who runs the 40 in the 4.3-4.4 range and played some WR last year. As a passer, Jones has a ways to go as he struggles with accuracy, but as a runner Jones could be one of the more exciting QBs in the country.
Jones has two guys nipping at his heels. Redshirt freshman Brendan Cross, the son of the NFL’s Randy Cross, was not heavily recruited, but has a nice mix of arm strength and athleticism and is a surprising leader for a guy in his second year in the program. Sophomore Ted Stachitas, who succeeded Tim Tebow in high school, is the best pure passer of the group, but nagging injuries have thwarted his development during his career. Stachitas has the athleticism to run the ball as well, but he is clearly the #3 now and needs to avoid injuries to climb up the depth chart.
Running Backs: Helping the new QB will be a nice one-two punch to hand off to. Senior Josh Adams was the 2007 ACC Rookie of the Year, but injuries have kept him from finding that form again. Grobe recently said that the coaching staff held Adams (541 yards, 4.8 average, 4 TDs, 28 receptions, 307 yds) back a bit last year due to concerns about injuries, but are going to cut him loose this year. That can only help the new QB as Adams is a slasher with great vision and the ability to make defenders miss. When Adams needs rest, junior Brandon Pendergrass is no slouch off the bench. Pendergrass (399 yds, 4.8 avg, 1 TD, 8 recs) isn’t the receiving threat that Adams is, but he has a better size-speed mix. He has also been more durable. Junior Willie Dixon will probably only see carries in mop-up duty or unless injuries occur, but he is possibly the strongest of the RBs and could be a short-yardage option.
When a fullback is used, Wake will turn to sophomore Tommy Bohanon. The departed Mike Rinfrette was a better blocker than Bohanon appears to be at this point. However, Bohanon has better running ability and might be utilized in that fashion as a change-of-pace.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends: Few people would probably guess it, but the Demon Deacons actually boast one of the better WR trios in the ACC in Devon Brown, Marshall Williams, and Chris Givens. Remember Kenneth Moore from a few years ago? Brown (61 recs, 671 yds, 6 TDs, 150 yds rushing, 1 TD) might be this year’s version as the WRs get utilized more in the running game. Brown will catch passes, be involved in the running game, and probably contend for postseason honors. Williams (60 recs, 867 yds, 6 TDs) needs to avoid untimely drops, but he has a great blend of playmaking skills and speed. Givens (45 recs, 629 yds, 8 TDs) has the best size-speed combo of the trio and the sophomore should only get better with experience. Wake can trot out at least one more wideout in senior Jordan Williams. While Williams (14 recs, 112 yds, 2 TDs) has never developed as expected, he brings experience, size, and blocking to the table.
Wake has another nice pass-catching option in TE Andrew Parker. Parker’s stats (9 recs, 2 TDs) belie his ability to catch the ball and be a factor in the passing game. The coaching staff wants to get Parker more involved and think he can be a security blanket for the QB. The coaching staff surely is hoping that Parker stays healthy too as the depth at TE is either undersized or inexperienced or both.
Offensive Line: With only two starters back, this unit is just as worrisome as the QB spot. The line was shaky last season, paving the way for the Deacs to finish 80th in rushing offense, average 3.7 yards per carry, and giving up over 2 sacks per game, finishing 83rd in that category. With several underclassmen with little experience in the two-deep, the line may not improve much over last year.
Senior Russell Nenon will have to lead by example from center. The only senior on the two-deep, Nenon will be a third-year starter. Nenon is a solid leader and solid blocker and should be an anchor for the younger guys. Lining up next to him will likely be LG Joe Looney and RG Gabe Irby. Looney, a junior, is probably the best blocker other than Nenon. Physical and athletic, Looney started 11 games last year and was a top recruit in 2008. Irby, a sophomore, has not seen the field yet and has marginal athleticism and footwork. The youngster makes up for that, though, with strength and is a great drive blocker once he gets his hands on a defender.
The tackles appear to be the weakness of the line. Redshirt freshman Steven Chase emerged from spring ball leading at LT. A former defensive lineman, Chase has a combo of light feet and long arms that gives him serious potential. At RT, junior Doug Weaver played in all 12 games last year (with no starts) and has nice size and reach.The tackles, though, are a worry spot as neither have starting experience and could be weak in protecting the passer.
There doesn’t appear to be great depth behind the starters, but Wake does have two juniors they might be able to rely upon. Dennis Godfrey played in 6 games last year before being lost for the year due to injury. While built (6-3, 335) more like a guard, he came out of spring as the backup at LT. Michael Hoag appeared in all 12 games last season, largely on special teams, and has the strength to be a decent run blocker. He is pushing for playing time at RG as of now.
DEFENSE
Scheme: Wake runs a pretty traditional 4-3. The Deacons don’t take too many chances and figure that the offense will make a mistake eventually if they are forced to drive the length of the field. That didn’t work out so well last season as the Deacs finished 75th in total defense and 65th in scoring defense. Without NFL talent like Aaron Curry and Alphonso Smith, Wake struggled and will likely continue to do so this season.
Defensive Line: This unit was pushed around a lot last year as Wake finished 82nd in rushing defense, gave up 4.5 yards per carry, and only racked up 24 sacks. The ends have potential, but Wake must replace both starting tackles and the prospects are young and inexperienced. It’s hard to believe much progress will be made against the run after losing two decent, experienced tackles.
At end, Wake has three good options in juniors Tristan Dorty, Kyle Wilber, and Gelo Orange. Dorty (41 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 3 sacks) is the biggest of the trio (6-2, 250) and has great quickness and speed. He has been working hard to get better against the run as the strongside end. Wilber (18 tackles, 3 tfl, 1 sack) is oozing with potential. After a solid freshman campaign, Wilber broke his leg last year and only appeared in 5 games. A great athlete, Wilber is able to compensate for his lack of size (6-5, 230) and talent by playing hard each and every down. Orange (32 tackles, 4 tfl, 3 sacks) is more of a situational pass rusher due to his size (6-1, 225). With great speed, Orange won’t be asked to play every down now that Wilber is healthy and could flourish. Sophomore Kevin Smith will be another option off the bench and has potential.
The tackle spots are the big worry. The coaching staff hopes that sophomores Ramon Booi and Frank Souza grow up quick. Booi, who will line up at NG, was one of the gems of the 2008 recruiting class and is a classic space-eater who got his feet wet last year. The coaches hope he can turn into a run-stuffer. The coaches think Souza might actually have more potential. A smart, tough kid with a great work ethic and a non-stop motor, Souza won’t be outworked or outhustled and could be productive. Depth is almost non-existent. It’s so bad that junior Will Wright, who goes just 6-4, 230, is the top backup to Souza at DT. While Wright (14 tackles) does have some experience, it’s hard to believe he won’t be pushed around. Depth is so shaky that potential starting LT Steven Chase is still listed as a backup at NG.
Linebackers: Two starters return to man what should be a decent corps of linebackers, but Wake still doesn’t appear to have a difference-maker amongst the group to take up the reins of Aaron Curry.
The best LB of the bunch is probably senior MLB Hunter Haynes. Haynes (41 tackles, 1.5 tfl) started a handful of games at WLB last year, but failed to live up to expectations. The coaching staff thinks he has the strength and instincts to excel more at MLB and hope his production doubles. Replacing Haynes at WLB will be his brother, Riley. A sophomore, Riley Haynes is not as big or as talented as his brother, but he has good instincts and is fundamentally sound. He won’t wow anyone, but he won’t miss many tackles either.
Perhaps the best overall talent of the starters is SLB Joey Ehrmann. A sophomore, Ehrmann (25 tackles, 5.5 tfl, 3.5 sacks) forced the coaches to play him, and then won the starting job midway through the year. While he could still stand to pack on some pounds, Ehrmann has the best combo of athleticism, range, and instincts of the group. He could be an all-star down the road. That being said, expect opposing teams to run right at Riley Haynes and Ehrmann, as both are undersized.
This is probably the deepest position on the entire team. Junior Kyle Jarrett (17 tackles, 2 sacks) has good size and pass-rushing ability and is pushing Ehrmann at SLB. At minimum, he could be a situational-type who comes in and makes a few plays.
Sophomore Scott Betros (15 tackles) made such an impression last year and during the spring that he vaulted over senior Matt Woodlief, who has starting experience, to #2 on the depth chart at MLB. Betros isn’t overly athletic, but reads the game well and reacts in a hurry. Woodlief (52 tackles, 1.5 tfl) has plenty of experience, but it doesn’t appear his demotion is a motivational ploy. The senior is the biggest LB on the roster, but struggles getting off blocks and may not see much time. Classmate Lee Malchow (22 tackles) is in a similar situation, as he has fallen to #3 at SLB despite starting experience.
Secondary: Wake returns three starters here, but the one missing cog could be a key one. Brandon Ghee, who was drafted in the 3rd round of the NFL Draft, is the one guy who graduated and Wake may struggle to replace his playmaking and cover ability. Wake may not be able to improve on their 68th place finish in pass efficiency defense last year.
At corner, the coaches hope junior Josh Bush turns into the next NFL-bound Deacon defender. Bush (25 tackles, 1 int.) spent most of last year at free safety before a collarbone injury knocked him out. Bush then suffered a blood clot in the hospital and was lucky to participate at all in the spring. Bush has the talent, but it is mostly just potential at the moment. Classmate Michael Williams will join Bush as the other starting CB. Williams (16 tackles, 1 int.) has great speed, but still needs to improve his cover skills. He has great upside though. Sophomore Kenny Okoro (38 tackles, 3 ints., 11 pass breakups) exceeded expectations as a sophomore, but will probably be the first corner off the bench rather than a starter due to his propensity for getting beat. Still, Okoro has a bright future and will feature in nickel packages.
Just as at corner, Wake has three decent options at safety. Junior SS Cyhl Quarles is probably one of the best players Wake has on defense. Quarles (62 tackles, 1 int.) finished 2nd on the team in tackles last year and has a great size-speed combo. While still a bit raw, he could be a postseason honors candidate. At FS, senior Alex Frye has been in and out of the starting lineup, but leads to start after spring ball. A former WR, Frye (32 tackles, 2.5 tfl, 1 int.) has tremendous physical ability and the potential to be the playmaker Wake has been lacking since Smith graduated, but is just as raw as Quarles and needs to keep working. If Frye doesn’t put it together, junior John Stamper is hot on his heels. Stamper has played mostly special teams thus far, but has the athleticism and toughness to be solid.
Special Teams: Much like a lot of other positions, this unit has potential, but currently looks average at best. Sophomore Jimmy Newman has a big leg, but has struggled with accuracy as both a punter and placekicker. Newman hit 11 of 17 field goals as a true freshman last year, but was just 5 of 11 from 30+ yards. He has the leg strength and the coaches aren’t too worried. They are more worried, though, about the punting situation. Newman leads to start there because junior Shane Popham (39.2 avg) missed spring ball with an injury and fell behind. Not as talented as Newman, Popham may not win the job back, especially since he was just average last season anyway.
The return units look awful on paper after finishing 53rd in kickoff returns and 110th in punt returns. Sophomore Lovell Jackson, Devon Brown, and Chris Givens will all take turns trying to provide a spark.
Schedule: The opening games against Presbyterian and Duke should allow Wake to get some of kinks out before road trips to Stanford and FSU, which should surely be losses. The next three games (GA Tech and Navy at home, at VA Tech) are all dicey. Home dates with Clemson and Boston College look tough, but at least road trips to Maryland, NC State, and Vanderbilt are winnable.
Overall: Bowl eligibility should be the goal as Wake missed out on a bowl for the first time in three years in 2009. With Skinner gone, a rebuilding offensive line, and a lack of depth along the d-line, this Wake team appears average at best. To be sure, Grobe and his assistants coach up marginal talent as good as any coaching staff in the country. The schedule makes 6 wins a possibility, but thinking about playing for the ACC title is a pipe dream. Yeah, Grobe and the Deacs have made preseason prognosticators look foolish in the past, but the 2010 Demon Deacons appear weak in too many spots (QB, OL, DT, run defense, special teams) to make a serious push for the division crown. The Deacs might pull an upset or play a few teams close that they shouldn’t, but don’t expect anything better than 7-5 and don’t be surprised if it’s another 5-7 year.
Comments? Questions? Kudos?