SB Nation - Sam Swank

September 5, 2009: Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs. Baylor Bears Football Preview

MRickman84 — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 16:00:39 -0000

The time has finally come. Jake and I finished up our first preview of the year, and it couldn't come at a better time. Finally, all of the preseason articles and predictions do not mean squat anymore--now the play on the field will dictate what means what. We're trying a format different from our basketball previews, so let us know if you like the layout. We are always looking for ways to evolve and change. So, without further ado, here is the preview for the Wake Forest-Baylor game this Saturday.

Breaking Down The Bears

Baylor is a funny team to analyze. They won just four games last year and had defensive troubles in the always dangerous Big 12. However, underneath the record are a number of extremely dangerous weapons. LB Joe Pawelek is a stud. FS Jordan Lake is extremely consistent. Robert Griffin has all of the tools to be one of the best quarterbacks in the nation and can only build off of his freshman campaign. Plus, he has a running back who had 865 yards and 5.8 YPC in Jay Finley and a star receiver in sophomore Kendall Wright (50 rec, 649 yards; 168 yards rushing).

This Baylor team has a lot of pieces in place but the question remains whether or not Art Briles can put together the puzzle and bring the Bears to a bowl game. Standing in their way will be the Demon Deacons, who won 41-13 last year and are playing this game in front of an extremely football-hungry home crowd. Will Baylor be able to start their season off right and use a win for momentum? Will a loss hurt the team’s morale and push them into a funk? Or, will that loss provide motivation to come back the next week and move forward? A lot of questions might be answered for both teams on Saturday.

Stopping RG3

That’s right. Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin has come so far since the last time we saw the Bears that he went from backup QB to starter to earning himself a nickname. And as well he deserved it. All the praise for a freshman phenom quarterback went to Terrelle Pryor last year, but Griffin had an eye-popping season too. Just for comparison:

Pryor: 1311 yards, 60.6 completion percentage, 12 TDs, 4 INTs, 631 yds rushing, 4.5 yds per carry.

Griffin: 2091 yards, 59.9 completion percentage, 15 TDs, 3 INTs, 846 yds rushing, 4.9 yds per carry.

It’s close, but the edge goes to Griffin in my opinion. What does that mean for the Deacs? Simple, the young defense will be tested early. The linebacker corps, without stars Stanley Arnoux and a guy by the name of Aaron Curry, will be asked to step up and fly to Griffin when he gets past the defensive line. The DEs will need to contain and stay disciplined. And the offense needs to sustain long drives to keep RG3 off the field. If those things happen, Wake Forest will be able to hold Griffin in check.

Ghee Leads Young Corners

Replacing a player like Alphonso Smith is never easy, but having an All-ACC caliber player such as senior Brandon Ghee certainly softens the blow. While most Wake fans are confident in his abilities, the other cornerbacks are unproven. Sophomore Michael Williams had a great spring and summer and was promoted to the other starting cornerback spot. At 6’1", he certainly has great size for the position as well as good hands, which he exhibited at the spring game by making a spectacular one-handed interception. Josh Bush, the only other returning defensive back with significant game experience, will likely see time at both safety and cornerback. Finally, make sure to look out for redshirt freshman Kenny Okoro on Saturday. Coach Grobe had great things to say about him during his redshirt season, so it will be interesting to see what kind of impact he makes in his debut. While it would likely be beneficial to give the corners a game or two to become comfortable on the field, this inexperienced unit will be tested instantly by the playmaking ability of Robert Griffin.

Weapons At Wideout

Before each Demon Deacon season it is tough to tell who will be the go-to guy at wide receiver. Last season Demir Boldin stepped up tremendously from his previous years and led the ACC in total receptions. This season is no different, as four guys look to step up and fill the void. The most experienced is Marshall Williams, who had a couple memorable touchdown receptions last season against Ole Miss and N.C. State.

Jordan Williams struggled to get playing time last season after earning snaps as a true freshman, but has improved his work ethic in an effort to make a big impact this season. Devon (Y’lou) Brown and freshman Chris Givens are both small, speedy receivers that will likely get some looks in the orbit as well. It will be intriguing to see if one guy stands out and becomes the primary receiver or if Wake has more of a receiver by committee approach.

Double-duty For Popham?

After being thrown into the fire last season after Sam Swank’s lingering injury, Shane Popham will look to prove that he belongs. After winning a tough battle against ex-soccer player Cline Beam and freshman Jimmy Newman, he should receive ample opportunity to demonstrate that he is a capable ACC-level kicker. The depth chart also reveals that he won the punting job over freshman Alex Wulfeck. It is also important to note that Popham will likely get a break from doing kickoffs, as Beam will likely serve this role after showing off his strong leg in practice thus far.

On the other side, Baylor does not appear to be any better off in this area. Bears sophomore kicker Ben Parks missed five extra point attempts last season and was only six of nine on field goals, with a long of 42.

The Battle In The Trenches

When Wake Forest is on the defensive side of the ball, one battle they must win is the one upfront. On paper, this is likely the Deacs’ biggest advantage in the game as emotional team leaders Boo Robinson and John Russell command attention against a Baylor offensive line with big holes to fill.

The Bears lost second overall NFL draft pick Jason Smith at left tackle as well as three year starter Dan Gay at right tackle. Looking to replace these losses are JuCo transfer Danny Watkins, who did not start playing football until junior college, and freshman Cameron Kaufhold. Baylor does, however, have experience at the interior positions, with three year starter James Barnard and talented center J.D. Walton leading the way, Mohawks and all.

For Wake, it will be important for the guys upfront to get pressure and try to minimize big play opportunities for Robert Griffin, especially young defensive ends Kyle Wilber and Tristan Dorty. As is the case in most games, the battle in the trenches will ultimately determine the outcome of Saturday’s showdown.

Not Just A Kid From Jacksonville

Riley Skinner has a mission this season: to bring another ACC Championship to Winston-Salem. That claim might seem outlandish, but not for a quarterback who in his freshman season took home the title and has led the team to two straight bowl wins since. Last season, despite the offensive line hiccups, Skinner still threw for 2,347 yards with a 65.8 completion percentage. His leadership will be the key to this season’s success.

With the team going back to the I-Formation this year, it is critical for Skinner to manage games the same way he has in the past by limiting mistakes and taking shots when he has the opportunity. As a quarterback goes, a team goes, and with Riley at the helm, the Demon Deacons should feel pretty good about getting to a fourth straight bowl game. All that stands in the way to a good start is the Baylor Bears, and don’t think for a second that Skinner isn’t ready for the challenge.

A Return To Smashmouth

The offensive line’s troubles last season have been well-documented. I’m not going to go into it. If you want proof, just look into the endless number of articles that have been written this summer about how the offensive line needs to step up after last season. That’s true. It is absolutely imperative that the Deacs go back to their strong point from seasons prior. With three completely capable running backs—Brandon Pendergrass, Josh Adams and White Lightning Kevin Harris—as well as two stud FBs in Rinfrette and freshman Tommy Bohanon, this team seems poised to break out in the running game in a big way.

They go up against a Baylor team that was 91st in the nation on the defensive line and lost three starters. But they do gain Phil Taylor, a player who has been maligned with all kinds of trouble, including being kicked off the Penn State team. Regardless, the kid is enormous at 6’4", 355 lbs. And that’s not a typo. Fortunately, the Deacs return their entire offensive line and all of the injuries and guys playing out of position last season should definitely help the depth and confidence of the unit. Having potential pro Chris DeGeare back from suspension certainly will not hurt either. I fully expect the Deacs to have a lot of success running the football this season.

Deacon Dump 8/24: Swank signed to Bengals, Riley getting some love

MRickman84 — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 13:16:27 -0000

It's a little sad seeing Wake players in injury news, but hopefully 'Zo and AC get back in it soon. Their injuries sound minor. Great news about Swank and all he needs is an opportunity--the guy can kick. I was at the Browns-Lions preseason game on Saturday and ran into DJ Boldin in the tunnel. Exchanged quick words with him and it is good to see him grinding out there. He caught two passes for about 25 yards in the game and hopefully he'll stick. Link time...

QB comes close to even better stats - The Denver Post
Rookie cornerback and returner Alphonso Smith had a big ice pack wrapped around his right knee. Defensive tackle Marcus Thomas went down with a right shoulder injury.

Seahawks Insider - " Curry sits out The News Tribune Blogs, Tacoma, WA
Curry suffered a strained groin at the team’s Tuesday night practice at the University of Washington and did not practice the rest of the week. Head coach Jim Mora had been concerned about Curry’s legs with him only practicing a little over a week and the possibility of Curry injuring the leg further, so it appears the team is taking a cautious approach to the injury. With Curry not starting D.D. Lewis likely will get the start in his place.

N.C. stocked with experienced, talented quarterbacks - CharlotteObserver.com
N.C. State's Russell Wilson, North Carolina's T.J. Yates, Duke's Thad Lewis, Wake Forest's Riley Skinner, East Carolina's Patrick Pinkney and Appalachian State's Armanti Edwards might not light up the draft boards of NFL scouts, or Heisman Trophy ballots, but they're good college players and as a group, they might be the best this state has ever seen.

Deacons ride Skinner's aim - CharlotteObserver.com
"His accuracy is one of the main things that gets this offense going," Wake Forest junior Devon Brown said. "I know if I run the route, if I get where I need to be, I know Riley is going to get me the ball."

Wake Forest Rallies for 2-1 Victory at UNCG | digtriad.com | Triad, NC | Sports News Article
Wake Forest rallied from an early one-goal deficit to defeat UNC Greensboro 2-1 on Sunday night at UNCG Soccer Stadium. With the win, the Demon Deacons improved to 2-0 on the season, while UNC Greensboro fell to 0-1 on the year.

Wake Forest's Friday Football Practice Report | ACC Football News
"We're kind of in that mode where we're getting tired of going against each other right now," said Grobe. "But I told the guys we still have two weeks left to go. It's not like we play tomorrow. We have to keep working and getting better. Mentally, we're getting a lot better, there's no question. But I think we've just got to keep pushing through being a little bit tired. We've been banging heads for a while so we've got to be tough and work our way through it."

Cincinnati.Com | Cincinnati Enquirer | Bengals Blog " 8/23: Carson, tickets and kickers
With Shayne Graham still hampered by a groin injury, rookie Sam Swank was signed. Swank, who played at Wake Forest the last four years, holds the school records as leading scorer (337 points) and in field goals (71). He was signed by Philadelphia after the draft but was released on May 27.

The High Point Enterprise
Haas, 27, continues to plug along on the PGA Tour in his fourth full season. He has a couple of third-place finishes, including in May at the Valero Texas Open. He also has missed the cut 11 times this season and stands No. 92 on the FedExCup standings. He has won $4.1 million on the PGA Tour. He surpassed $1 million in earnings in 2008 for the first time. Haas is a good PGA Tour player. He's still hoping to be great.

Campbell aids Spartans in exhibition soccer win : News-Record.com
WAKE FOREST 2, LIBERTY 0: Freshman forward Andy Lubahn scored a goal and assist in his first collegiate game as Wake Forest downed Liberty in an exhibition match on Saturday night in front of 2,341 fans at Spry Stadium. Wake Forest closes out its exhibition schedule on Thursday at 8 p.m. against Furman.

PARTY LINE: Deacons need linemen to play big
"I just like the attitude of this group. This is a better attitude this year than we had last year," Grobe said. "Last year I thought our guys were too cool for school. This year we've got a good work ethic and we've got a group of guys that know there's a lot of responsibility on them for us to be better on offense. "Anytime you've got your offensive linemen wearing wrist bands and being cute and thinking they're wide receivers, you've got problems."

Better Ride, Devin Hester or Josh Howard? | The Big Lead

Eagles Notes: Demps drawing praise, Weaver excited, and Jim Johnson's condition

JasonB — Sun, 03 May 2009 15:08:36 -0000

More photos » by Bradley C Bower - AP

7 months ago: Philadelphia Eagles Defensive Coordinator Jim Johnson, right, runs defensive drills from his wheelchair as the team conducts the first mini-camp of the season for all rookies and veterans at the team's Nova-Care Complex Friday, May 1, 2009, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Bradley C Bower)

Browse more photos »

The last game Quintin Demps was pretty rough for him, the NFC title game. Not only did he slip and fall which allowed Larry Fitzgerald to catch a long TD, he also hurt the team with a blatant late hit on Kurt on Warner. He finally addressed that game this weekend.

"I was going through it for a month,’’ said Demps, talking about forgetting the last game he played. "But it happens to the best of us. (Fitzgerald) is the best receiver in the league. I was there, but there’s no excuses in this league. I got burned.’’

As for the hit on Warner, Demps was even more forthcoming.

"After thinking about that, I didn’t feel good about it,’’ Demps said. "You know, at the end of the day, we’re all as one in the NFL. It was a cheap shot. But I was frustrated at the time. I got burned for a touchdown. They weren’t kicking me the ball on kick returns. I got stiff armed.’’

It's good to hear that Demps seems to have taken that game as a learning experience. That's the important thing. All rookies make mistakes, but how they learn from them is what really determines what kind of players they'll develop into. Jim Johnson singled Demps out for praise in his first press conference.

"I like Quintin Demps a lot, I really do,” Johnson said. "And you know how I feel about Dawkins. We miss a big part of our stuff. But I do like Demps. I think the guy loves to play football. He’s got the same enthusiasm Dawk does. I feel pretty good right now as far as safety is concerned.”

Speaking of Jim Johnson, he is still battling cancer and gave us a bit of an update on his condition.

"It’s something you have to deal with every day,” Johnson said. "I’m still going through treatment, hoping to get it done. Sure, it affects your life. You think about it every day, no question, as far as the pain a little bit here and there. But the thing about when I come here to work is that it feels good. It’s not going to be like this all the time. Hopefully we’ll get that injury back so I’m walking on the field.”

Gotta love that the guy is such a football coach that refers to cancer as an "injury."

Remember when Sheldon Brown said that he expected a whole bunch of other Eagles to express displeasure with their contracts? Well, Bob Brookover went around asking everyone if they were satisfied with their deals and didn't find any upset players.

Finally, new fullback Leonard Weaver just seems like an all around happy guy.

"It's been quite an adjustment," Weaver said. "It's been kind of fun. (I've) been able to (fit) right into the offense because it's pretty much the same. (I've) been able to allow my talent to kind of shine a little bit, kind of go through that veteran move. But it's been great being with Westbrook, seeing him out there, Donovan and all the guys out there, watching that big offensive line we got. It's been awesome."

"I'm like, 'my gosh, we have a huge offensive line,'" Weaver said. "I definitely look forward to it. I'm definitely excited playing in this division (with) this team. I'm just excited to get things going."

Other small notes...

Former Eagles safety Mike Zordich has returned as a coaching intern for the summer. K/P Sam Swank has been drawing praise for his punts. Marty Morninwheg singled out Reggie Brown for praise.

Eagles sign undrafted free agents

JasonB — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 03:37:05 -0000

When the draft ends, all eligible players who weren't picked in the draft become fair game and teams scramble to snap up guys they may have interest in. The Eagles especially have done a great job with their undrafted free agent signings in the past with guys like Quintin Mikell, Joselio Hanson, & Jamal Jackson.

So far, these are the guys that have agreed to terms with the Eagles.

RB Marcus Thigpen, Indiana - Scouting report - Small, very fast running back. Good return man.

DE Josh Gaines, Penn State - Bio - Big run stopping defensive end.

WR Brandon Robinson, Boston College - Bio - Went from the Eagles to the Eagles!

S Reshard Langford, Vanderbilt - Langford is a strong safety. His coach had this to say Reshard will make a huge impression on the Philadelphia coaches with his talent, effort and desire to help anyway he can,” VU coach Bobby Johnson said. “He was tremendous here, both on and off the field. Reshard Langford is one of those guys you build winning teams around."

OL Dallas Reynolds, Brigham Young - Profile

RB Walter Mendenhall, Illinois State - A "big" back. 6'0 225. Brother of Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall, who was a 1st round pick last year.

FB Marcus Mailei, Weber State - 248 pound fullback that can catch.

K/P Sam Swank, Wake Forest - Scouting report - Primarily a kicker that has punted... Has 50+ range.

I'll update this when/if any more news comes in.

Demon Deacons Discover NFL Destinations

WakeJake — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 17:29:17 -0000

Aaron Curry - 4th overall to the Seattle Seahawks

Alphonso Smith - 37th overall to the Denver Broncos

Chip Vaughn - 116th overall to the New Orleans Saints

Stanley Arnoux - 118th overall to the New Orleans Saints

** Update: Free agent signings:

Sam Swank - Philadelphia Eagles

Kevin Patterson - Jacksonville Jaguars

DJ Boldin - Detroit Lions

Congratulations guys!

NFL Draft Profile: Sam Swank, K - Wake Forest

Brian Burke — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 01:49:43 -0000

Wake Forest kicker Sam Swank will probably sit through the 2009 NFL Draft with his usual care-free smile and laidback demeanor, but don't think his fingers won't be crossed.

The draft status of an NFL kicker is almost as unpredictable as a Ryan Lindell 46 yarder into 60 MPH winds. And that unpredictability is magnified by Swank's recent injury woes which contributed to his most recent season being the worst of his four-year Demon Deacon career. Still, for his career Swank was 71/93 on field goal attempts (76%) including an astounding 9/13 (69%) from beyond 50 yards. Swank only missed one of the 125 extra point attempts he had as a Deacon...

At any other position Swank would be a sure bet to get drafted given his position rank, but kickers are in large stock and low demand these days. Over the past 15 years there is only an average of two kickers taken per draft, and no kicker has been drafted earlier than the fourth round since 2005 (Mike Nugent):

Year	# of Kickers Drafted	Highest Round (OVR)
2008	2	6 (178)
2007	3	5 (150)
2006	2	4 (118)
2005	3	2 (47)
2004	3	3 (65)
2003	1	7 (222)
2002	3	4 (102)
2001	3	4 (98)
2000	3	1 (17)*
1999	3	3 (80)
1998	0	N/A
1997	1	3 (90)
1996	0	N/A
1995	2	3 (82)
1994	1	3 (85)

*Sebastian Janikowski

And in this year's draft I'm not sure if Swank is in the top two. ESPN has him ranked as the fifth best kicker in the draft, although there is not much separation between fifth and first, Patrick McAfee (WVU). If teams get a sense that Swank can return to the player he was before his injury, he could easily be a top two kicker.

Normally when discussing a player entering the draft, you discuss which teams are most likely to pick him up based on who needs that kind of player. Again, the kicker is the exception to the rule. In the NFL, kickers are picked up and dropped faster than Austin Croshere. The teams with the statistically worst kicking last year were the Redskins, Chiefs, Broncos, and Jaguars.

Even if Swank doesn't get drafted, it isn't uncommon for kickers to get a second look in team workouts and training camps. Let's keep our fingers crossed for #38 anyway, although I wouldn't tell him to break a leg.

Signing Day Breakdown

MRickman84 — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 18:14:54 -0000

Meet the new Deacs:

via www.fayobserver.com

Notes and quotes after the jump...

This class just might be the best class Jim Grobe has ever brought into Wake Forest and that is not an overly hyperbolic statement.

Top to bottom it is easy to see that with success, the talent Grobe and his staff are recruiting have improved as the Deacs have started making bowl games and winning them. This effect means that recruits are not only "Wake-bound." As Grobe indicated, every player now is not just a diamond in the rough, rather they all have another offer--usually from at least one other ACC school.

The Deacs have become such good talent evaluators that Grobe joked about how he has to be careful about offering too early:

We have to slow our offer down. If we offer, other offers are going to start to come in. [...] In football, when a kid commits, that starts the recruiting process

The key is that Grobe sticks to his system of developing players--guys who will redshirt, who have potential--and he is willing to take a guy who is a little smaller, a little slower, and a little shorter, as long as they have on-field intelligence, a great work ethic, and one heck of a motor.

The redshirting works in two ways: it gives guys a year to build strength and conditioning, which there-in transforms freshmen in eligibility into sophomore bodies. In addition, it gives guys a year to fit into the system, to find their position if they were playing out of position in high school, and a chance to learn the playbook.

This year's class has a few standouts that Demon Deacon fans should keep an eye on:

Steven Chase grey-shirted last year, which has allowed him to come in during the spring up almost 50 pounds from last year. Grobe isn't sure where he's going to play, but he is practicing this spring and Grobe has shown that he shows preference to players who get that extra semester of practice time. (See Joe Looney from last season).

Frank Souza was the gem of the Deacon class. He is tough, strong and physical and one of the better DL prospects in the 2009 class. John Gallagher, his partner at Nease High School (which is quickly becoming Wake Forest South), isn't too shabby himself.

Devin Bolling is a beast. He has a terrific frame and he just tears through people. Again, he's a guy that could play on either side of the ball, but he should play on the DL. He's too strong not to. He was all-state at OT and had 25 pancakes last season.

Michael Campanaro is just one of those guys who could take it to the house every time he touches the football. He had over 2,000 yards in receiving and rushing yards and had nine interceptions on defense. He had 38 touchdowns last year. And he's one heck of a punt/kick returner.

Josh Harris missed most of the season with an ACL injury, but he has game-breaking speed, running a 4.34 40. He's another playmaker and it's not entirely sure if he's going to play RB or a slot receiver, but wherever he plays he will be a playmaker.

Duran Lowe could be the next Chip Vaughn. He is a hard-nosed safety who absolutely crushes people. Another of the Deacs' players who was hampered by injuries, just like a lot of those other guys a year of conditioning and strength without losing a year of eligibility should really help him.

Nikita Whitlock is going to be a guy Wake Forest fans will love to watch. One of the latest signees, Whitlock did not pick up a lot of attention because he is 5-11 and was on the defensive line. Still, he won 5A defensive player of the year in TEXAS. This kid can flat out play. He had 165 tackles his senior season and 15 sacks. Playing at LB will use his speed and strength--he benches over 400 lbs. Grobe had this to say about the kid:

We see Nikita as a mike LB--an Arnoux-type. Because of his height--he's not very tall--but on film he's as good a player as anybody. We think we got a steal there.

Jimmy Newman is coming in as a kicker/punter and the kid has a leg. He had 37 touchbacks--in high school! He also averaged 38 yards per punt and was 7 of 10 for a long of 47 yards with 30 of 31 PATs. Keep in mind, kickers in high school have a really rough go of it because teams don't know how to use kickers at all. It is not a dynamic part of the high school game. Grobe and his staff know what they're doing with the kicking unit and Newman should be a big part of the Demon Deacons in the future.

This class is well-rounded with very good talent--with 10 three-star recruits according to Scout, the most they've ever had. The only thing I would have liked to see were more OL, but Grobe has said that this will be a point of emphasis next season.

Grobe got the guys he wanted. He doesn't go for the guys playing the recruiting game for attention, lining up 30 offers and making teams wait till the last minute. Grobe said:

Some guys treat recruiting like its Baskin-Robbins. Pick a number and it might be the number today, but it might not be the number tomorrow. These aren't the kinds of kids we want in our program.

The kids that will be freshmen at Wake Forest in the fall of '09 are Grobe's guys, and if they play as well as Grobe is hoping they'll play, they could have the chance to be a better class than this year's senior class--with Aaron Curry, Alphonso Smith, Stanley Arnoux, Chip Vaughn, Kevin Patterson and Sam Swank. Signing Day sure gets me excited for football, and I don't know if I've been excited about any class more than this one.