#19 Wake Forest Preview

#19 Wake Forest Preview

 This was a team that wanted to show that winning the ACC title in 2006 and going to the Orange Bowl was not a fluke last season. Early on we heard the grumbles from the experts who started to say that Wake Forest was a flash in the pan after an 0-2 start. But the Demon Decons rebounded and finished 9-4. DJ Boyer looks at what 2008 has in store for Wake Forest.

#19 Wake Forest Demon Decons
Head Coach – Jim Grobe
2007 Record – 9-4

2007 Review

This was a team that wanted to show that winning the ACC title in 2006 and going to the Orange Bowl was not a fluke. Early on we heard the grumbles from the experts who started to say that Wake Forest was a flash in the pan. After starting 0-2 with losses against Nebraska and Boston College the Demon Decons reeled off six straight wins. Wake Forest then dropped a pair of road games against Virginia and Clemson but then won two more games and defeated Connecticut in their bowl game to finish a very respectable 9-4.


Team MVP
It all comes down to Aaron Curry as he is the leader for a defense that was 27^th in the nation a season ago and they lost some very important pieces due to graduation. Curry may not have the you are going to see but he is first or second round talent at the next level due to his versatility and speed. Curry will also be looked to provide a consistent pass rush since Wake Forest was 9^th in the conference in sacks in 2007 and their best defensive lineman (Jeremy Thompson) was lost to the NFL. Wake Forest has an offense capable of putting points on the board but they rely on the defense to set the tone and it goes through Curry.

Offense

Quarterback

Riley Skinner was a big part of Wake Forest success in 2006 when he burst upon the scene as an unheralded freshman. Riley didn’t have the numbers he posted in 2006 and his 13 interceptions caused some concern but Skinner was forced to throw the ball more and many of his picks came during a couple of lousy games. Skinner has completed an amazing 69% of his passes during his first two seasons and he himself is mobile enough to tuck the ball and run with it when he needs to. Brett Hodges is his backup and he has had problems staying healthy in the past so keeping Skinner on the field is essential.

Running Back

Josh Adams was a magnificent find as the freshman gained nearly 1,000 yards as a true freshman but he is by far not the only option the Demon Decons have. If Kevin Harris can show the same speed he had before his knee problems then Adams will have someone capable of spelling him for long periods at a time. Adams essentially has the starting job because of his receiving ability and the fact that he can slip out of the backfield undetected and gives Skinner a nice dump off option when his receivers are covered. Rich Belton is also back from his injury problems and the fullback will likely be second on the team in rushing behind Adams.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends     

With Kenny Moore and Kevin Marion both gone it shows the lack of wide receiver depth this team has. Wake Forest hasn’t had a star receiver in some time but they have relied upon being 4-5 deep at the position and having multiple options for defenses to worry about, a luxury they don’t look like they will have this season. Ben Wooster at tight end may be the most reliable target that Skinner has that isn’t a running bacvk. I look for the fullback Belton and Adams to get the majority of the pass receptions as both of them could top the 40 reception mark on the season. One thing that I like about the Wake Forest wide receivers is they can block downfield.

Offensive Line

Much like at wide receiver the offensive line is going through an overhaul but there seems to be more here for Wake Forest to work with. The athletes are here the question is if this line has a leader, they lost that with center Steve Justice who is now in the NFL. Barrett McMillin and Jeff Griffin are the only returning starters and they like the rest of the line specialize in run blocking. It seems like Wake Forest is going to rely on the instincts of Skinner to know when the protection breaks down and allow him to use his legs to get out of trouble. Guard Russell Nenon has been impressive in the spring and could help ease the pain of losing huge Chris DeGeare at guard. It looks like Wake Forest has the potential to field another solid line but the depth is a question mark, especially at center and tackle.

Defense

Defensive Line

We’ve already detailed the loss of Jeremy Thompson and what it means to this team to try and replace him. Curry will be providing some pass rush at the linebacker position and will line up on the end in some pass rushing situations. Matthew Robinson returns at defensive end where he started the last half of the season. Boo Robinson looks like he will be playing about 25 pounds heavier than last year at around 315 pounds. Aside from Anthony Davis coming off the bench and rotating in the defensive line is filled with sophomore and freshman who haven’t seen a lot of game experience. This looks to be the weakest portion of the defense and the team overall.

Linebackers

While the defensive line is the place where the Decons have the most concern, linebacker is where they feel the most secure. All of the starters in the back seven are back, linebackers and the entire secondary. Curry is playing at just under 220 pounds and that is about the normal weight or even a little heavier than many of the linebackers who are undersized. Middle linebacker Stanley Arnoux plays at 225 pounds and is the heaviest of the bunch. We talked about Curry and his versatility and the fact that he can drop into coverage like an extra safety makes him hard to scheme against and his four interceptions show he does more than just drop back when he has the opportunity. Matt Woodlief is a bigger middle linebacker at 250 pounds, look for him to get some time, especially in short yardage situations.

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