SB Nation - Aaron Curry

Deacon Dump 10/21: Grobe ready to make some changes

MRickman84 — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:48:14 -0000

More photos » by Chuck Burton - AP

First off, I'd like to apologize for the lack of content lately. Last week I was traveling most of the week and Jake had to play student (not to discount that in any way, I doubt I'd pass any of the classes he is in, but that's the tale of an English degree). This week I've been, to steal a line from Weezy, sicker than the third floor in hospitals. But, I'm coming out of it a bit, so here are the links for today...

Grobe says Deacons need to look over their shoulders
"If you're a starter who didn't play well this last Saturday, you need to keep your head on a swivel because the guy behind you may be getting more snaps. It may not be a deal where we demote a starter, but it may be a situation where a guy behind a starter gets more playing time."

Wake's Riley Skinner Proves Jim Grobe Made The Right Choice | digtriad.com | Triad, NC | Sports News Article
A little video for your Wednesday...

FayObserver.com - Wake looks to rebound after lopsided loss at Clemson
"We're not hellbent on firing people or making wholesale changes, but we just want our players to realize that if they didn't play well, they need to be really careful because we've always been a staff that we're looking for the next guy all the time," Grobe said Tuesday. "If you're a starter who didn't play well on Saturday, you need to keep your head on a swivel because the guy behind you may get more snaps."

College Football Week 8 Rankings - ACC Power Poll — BetUS Locker Room
After seven weeks of the football betting season, it’s starting to become clear who the haves and the have-nots are in the ACC. Check out how BetUS stacks up the teams for football handicappers

Column: A melodic take on ACC football - Sports - TheSunNews.com
Deacon Blues, Wake Forest | After three consecutive outstanding seasons, it looks as if Wake Forest has returned to being the Wake Forest of old. Fans are singing the Deacon blues around Winston-Salem, despite a 4-3 record.

Dobbs' status undecided | Washington Examiner
What would happen to the Navy offense without quarterback Ricky Dobbs? The answer could come Saturday against visiting Wake Forest.

Schilawski Scores Twice in Wake's 3-0 Win at South Carolina
Senior forward Zack Schilawski scored a pair of goals to lead No. 3 Wake Forest to a 3-0 victory against South Carolina on Tuesday night at Stone Stadium. With the win, the Deacs improve to 10-2-2 on the season, while South Carolina drops to 7-5-2. Wake also runs its road record to a perfect 7-0 on the year.

CBNB: ACC Power Rankings
While it appeared as though Wake had overcome some of the problems that had plagued them at the start of the season, it is clear that there are still some issues in Winston-Salem.

Midseason report: Wake Forest - ACC - ESPN
Considering the Demon Deacons entered this season with eight new starters on defense and had to replace the best defenders to come through the program in Alphonso Smith and Aaron Curry, it’s impressive Wake Forest even had itself in a position to challenge for the Atlantic Division title.

Demon Deacons don't want to look back at ugly defeat | ugly, deacons, want - ACC Football - Burlington Times News
"I don’t necessarily think the questions are back," Grobe said Tuesday. "I don’t know if we have questions as much as the feeling that we’d better play better."

Skeen to make debut vs. Tulane
"Jamie's someone who definitely has the ability to help us win games. He's played at a very high level. He's had some success at that level. I'm really excited about him joining our team, and I'm excited about him pushing some of the other guys in practice the first semester."

Mids Play Host to Wake Forest on Homecoming Weekend

Deacon Dump 10/16: Predictions, Basketball begins & AC is a monster

WakeJake — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 19:38:48 -0000

Friday is finally here. I can't wait to see the Deacs in Death Valley tomorrow...

Seahawks | The two sides of Seahawks rookie linebacker Aaron Curry | Seattle Times Newspaper
"God made him the way he is, that's my only explanation," linebacker Lofa Tatupu said. "Every attribute, he's got it. Speed, athleticism, a nose for the ball just instinctively. "Usually when you see a guy his size and speed, they don't have the awareness of those good football players, but he does."

Quality 2009 class raising bar for rookies in MLS - Soccer America - SI.com
"It depends on who comes out early, like Gonzalez, but other guys, like Sam Cronin and O'Brian White, when you watched them in college, you could tell what they could do," says Seattle head coach Sigi Schmid, who took Zakuani with the No. 1 pick. "I remember seeing Rodney Wallace as a freshman and thinking, 'This guy can play.' None of them were a real surprise, at the end of the day.

"KNOW YOUR…" LIBERAL ARTS THIRD-LEGGERS · Block-C

WAKE FOREST OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE - Men's Basketball
2009-10 Wake Forest Men's Basketball Media Guide

Wake Forest (4-2, 2-1 ACC) at Clemson (2-3, 1-2 ACC)
Prediction: Demon Deacons 23, Tigers 20.

Rivals.com College Football - Midseason report: Freshman All-America team
CB Kenny Okoro, Wake Forest PARTICULARS: 6-0/190 HIGH SCHOOL: Greensboro (N.C.) Dudley BUZZ: Okoro has two interceptions, and they came in wins over Stanford and N.C. State. He also has 16 tackles, three pass breakups and a forced fumble.

WR Chris Givens, Wake Forest PARTICULARS: 6-0/200 HIGH SCHOOL: Wylie (Texas) High BUZZ: After suffering two torn anterior cruciate ligaments in high school and redshirting last season, Givens has emerged with 26 catches for 356 yards. He has five touchdown catches in his past four games.

ACC predictions: Week 7 - ACC - ESPN
Wake Forest 14, Clemson 13 -- If Clemson’s offense was going to show improvement, it would have done it by now. Dabo Swinney has had this team since the middle of the season last year. A bye week isn’t going to fix the problem, but the defense will keep this game close, as will the Death Valley crowd. The Deacs’ coaches and their offense will be the difference.

What to watch in the ACC: Week 7 - College Football Nation - ESPN
9. Wake Forest wide receiver Chris Givens. Quarterback Riley Skinner can’t rack up these numbers by himself. In last week’s win over Maryland, Givens caught five passes for 116 yards and two touchdowns. It was his first multiple touchdown game, and his second straight 100-yard receiving performance. Givens will face a better secondary in Death Valley this weekend.

WFU women pick up win
Allie Sadow scored two goals, and Coach Tony da Luz earned his 200th career women's soccer victory last night in Wake Forest's 2-0 victory over N.C. State.

Rising Again Wake Forest's Adams is looking a lot like he did when he was a freshman
"Josh, he's starting to run pretty hard," quarterback Riley Skinner said. "You can see it in his determination. "When I hand the ball off to him, he kind of jerks me a little bit every time. It seems like he's kinda grabbing that thing ready to roll. That's been good to see."

FRESH START: Juices flow as Deacs hit court
Oct. 15th changes the script. Gaudio expects to coach a conference contender, led by sophomore Al-Farouq Aminu and Smith. In his coach's eyes, Smith might emerge as the ACC's finest point guard. In Smith's eyes, the Deacons possess the fastest big men in the country and great shooters, fueled by the impulse to run like rabbits and finish the job.

Wake Forest, Still What She Used To Be

Akula Wolf — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 01:13:02 -0000

I should know better at this point, and if anyone's earned the benefit of the doubt, it's Jim Grobe. Wake Forest's recent success has at times felt like smoke and mirrors, more opportunism than skill, but whatever the case, they keep getting it done. Heading into 2009, it would have been prudent to assume the Deacs would be a solid team until they proved otherwise. I figured instead that their personnel losses were too significant to make avoiding a step backward possible. So far this season, they look very much like a team still capable of wreaking havoc in the ACC, and they'll probably get to 7 wins again, albeit in a very different way. God they're annoying. They've become one of those consistent programs that you wish could have one damn off year. It has to happen some time just give me one. Wake Forest! Wake Forest is one of those programs for me now. Jim Grobe deserves Presidential recognition and a large cash gift because can you believe this shit? Your incomprehensible genius is a national treasure, please take a billion dollars as a token of our wonder.

Anyway. The defense hasn't been able to withstand the loss of Aaron Curry, among others; they're allowing about 50 more yards per game in '09 than they did last season and opponent production on a per-play basis is up from 4.6 yards to 5.3. That drop has taken the unit from good to middling. None of this is surprising, and it was supposed to be the primary reason for a year of pain.

Making matters worse, forcing turnovers hasn't been as easy for the Deacs as it has in the past. They have a -4 margin through four games, they've had a negative margin in three of four games, and they're on a 12-takeaway pace. This after 30+ takeaways in 2006, 2007, and 2008.

Right, so they're lacking the two things recent history says Grobe's teams need in order to be successful. This is of no apparent consequence to the head coach/magic man.

Wake Offense	Yards/G	Yards/Play
2006	307.0	5.2
2007	340.5	4.7
2008	308.3	4.5
2009	412.3	6.1

Riley Skinner is completing nearly 69% of his passes this season and averaging 8.7 yards per attempt, he may have found a big play guy in receiver Marshall Williams (20 rec., 329 yds), and the running game is more effective than it has been in years. But how well will this offense hold up in conference play? Their 7.5 yards-per-play effort against BC is a fine start, but it's hard to trust this unit considering its track record.

See, there I go again. Jim Grobe finds a way, no matter how confusing or unfamiliar. (Besides, the football gods will grant Wake Forest five takeaways per game from here on. They regret the oversight, coach.)

Deacon Dump 9/18: ACC quarterbacks feeling the pressure, Jeff Teague says he's a YouTube legend

MRickman84 — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 13:52:04 -0000

After a slightly surprising game last night between Miami and GT, we follow up with a very diverse group of links today--definitely read the Peahead article, nice anecdote from Dan Collins about Barrett McMillan, who I can attest is one of the funniest guys I've ever met. Analysts are absolutely loving Aaron Curry right now. So, read up and get ready for Saturday.

Crabtree would do well to emulate Seahawks' Curry | PressDemocrat.com | The Press Democrat | Santa Rosa, CA
"I trusted him (Sullivan) to do what was right, and what was best for me and my family," Curry said in a conference call with Bay Area reporters. "It was hard for me to be out for those few days." The brief contract impasse was not a major setback for Curry, he said. It took him only several days to catch up to his teammates during training camp. He had the benefit of learning the defensive scheme while taking part in the Seahawks' organized team activities and minicamps during the offseason. "I don't think it set me back too much," Curry said. "The only hard thing is not getting the reps. When the X's and O's are moving, you learn faster."

Quarterbacks have been rattled by pressure - College Sports - News & Observer
But their roles were significantly elevated entering this season. Or as Skinner put it in the preseason: "The stakes are higher for all of us this season. We all want to be the go-to guy on our teams, which means taking on a lot of persoal responsibility." In sports, responsibility is just another word for pressure.

Men's soccer team to raise money for fight against cancer
■ The Wake Forest's men's soccer team has a key ACC match at 7 p.m. today against Virginia and also will be trying to raise money for the fight against breast cancer. The Deacons again will honor Genna Wiley, the wife of former trainer Steve Wiley. She died of breast cancer in 2007, three days after the Deacons won the NCAA Championship. Wake Forest players will wear pink game jerseys, and spectators will have the chance to bid on them. Wake Forest raised more than $13,000 last year from the jersey auction and fans' donations. Tickets cost $6.

Givens is giving Deacons offense
"Some people they backed off, and came back, and backed off," Givens recalled. "But Wake never backed off. That's what really stood out to me at the time. "It's hard to find that kind of commitment, and once I found it, the decision became easy for me."

Peahead: Coach is tied to Elon, WFU

My Take on Wake - McMillin: Can’t Keep a Good Man Down | JournalNow.com
Coach Jim Grobe made a point in this week’s press conference of praising McMillin and the way he had dealt with his demotion. So it wasn’t a big surprise when the depth chart for the Elon game was released listing McMillin as the starting right guard. Griffin has bumped down to right tackle, and is expected to start in place of senior Joe Birdsong.

Jeff Teague interview - InsideHoops.com
Teague: I think I became a YouTube legend off my dunk against Maryland. I had a pretty good dunk against Maryland. I guess that's one of my highlights. But my biggest thing is probably the opportunity to play professional basketball.

Deacons’ win boosts confidence " Old Gold & Black
"Defensively, in the first half, we were playing pattycake," Head Coach, Jim Grobe said.

Week 3 predictions - ACC - ESPN
Wake Forest 24, Elon 17: This game will probably be a little too close for comfort until the second half, but if the Deacs are lucky, they won’t have to receive the wrath of Jim Grobe this weekend at halftime. The Phoenix will try to win with its passing game and disrupt a young secondary still coming together.

Introducing: Tom Walter " Old Gold & Black
"Originally I chose Wake because it was in the ACC, and the ACC, the past few years, has been the best baseball conference in the country," Walter said. "Once I started to look into the university and just find out what a great school it is, once I got on campus and saw what a great campus it is and what a family environment it is here, and what a unique and special place Wake Forest is, I became really excited about it."

Scouts' views: Beware of Curry; 49ers a dark horse - Dennis Dillon - NFL - Sporting News
2. If there's one rookie who could set the league on fire, it's Seahawks LB Aaron Curry. He plays hard, he plays fast and he plays with intensity. He's physical, and he's not intimidated by veteran players.

Deacon Dump 9/17: Losing Kyle Wilber, Aaron Curry is a beast

MRickman84 — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 13:28:24 -0000

Photo by Dean Shore

Light links today for you guys. Fits a Thursday pretty perfectly. Must-see matchup tonight between GT and Miami. Tech almost blew it last week and Miami beat FSU, so this could be a pretty good game and will set the tone in the Coastal (but not if VT has anything to do with it). So have a cup of coffee, and enjoy your morning.

ACC not living up to hype, once again - Salt Lake Tribune
I've seen a lot of nicknames for the Atlantic Coast Conference; probably the one I like best is "Almost a College Conference." That about sums up what the ACC is this year in football, at least judging from the first two weeks.

The Pendulum - ‘Prepare to win:’
"This is one of those games that you can't make a whole lot of mistakes," [Elon head coach Pete] Lembo said. "You can't turn the ball over, you can't have penalties. You've got to be very fundamentally sound [against Wake Forest]."

Wake Forest 'scrambling' to replace top pass rusher - ACC - ESPN
Wake Forest was leery about playing Elon on Saturday to begin with, but facing the Phoenix will just be the beginning of about a six-week stretch without the Deacs' top pass rusher, defensive end Kyle Wilbur.

ACC power poll | Jacksonville.com
6. WAKE FOREST Dramatic victory over Stanford keeps Demon Deacons unbeaten against Pac-10.

Curry in a hurry to spice up Seahawks' defense
"I understand everyone is going to want to see why I was picked fourth overall," said Curry. "Am I a bust? Is it all hype? Or am I really the real deal? My job every Sunday is not really to prove that, but to play within the team and show I'm here to contribute to the defense."

Hodges will start in front of family | floridatoday.com
"Yeah, it might be a little over-dramatic," the former Winter Springs High standout said. "But it is a cool thing. It's a cool thing to get the start and play in front of all my family and friends and everybody I've grown up with. But as far as I'm concerned, it's not going to change anything for me."

Elon icon has deep ties to Wake Forest | - Burlington Times News
So what do you do this week if you’re Dr. Alan White? "I really appreciate everything Wake Forest did for me," White said Wednesday. "But for 35 years, Elon paid me."

Orange Blossoming: Move to end gives sophomore chance to shine for Deacs
"The biggest problem with Gelo is that he played linebacker all last year. You talk about inexperience, and he's young. So being a young guy who goes from linebacker to defensive end, not only are you still a pretty young guy as far as maturity, and now you're playing a brand-new position. "We need him to play better quick." Orange said he would prefer to still be playing linebacker. He was moved to defensive end two days before August practices began. "Yeah I was kind of mad," Orange said. "But I said, ‘If I'm going to get on the field faster I have nothing to worry about.' So I didn't have to worry about it."

Deacon Dump 9/16: Preparing for Elon's offensive attack

MRickman84 — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 14:17:18 -0000

A bunch of links on Wake's opponent for Saturday, Elon. Elon is a good offensive team and this should be a nice test for the Demon Deacon defense to make adjustments and get ready for ACC play. I don't see the Deacs having any problems handing Elon, but there is a lot that Wake needs to work on. Onto the links...

Rookie helps Seahawks forget stench of '08
Since he brought it up, also surreal was linebacker Aaron Curry. For a rookie linebacker, he stirred it up like, well . . . Brian Bosworth. By the end of the game, the Rams wanted Curry chopped into bait and offered to the aquarium's shark tank. "He had everybody on their offense mad at him," said defensive teammate Patrick Kerney, smiling. "We had his back." Curry, the Seahawks' highest draft pick in a dozen years, didn't appear to need the help. He eschewed the usual rookie profile of seen-and-not-heard and came out woofing. "I was going to talk their heads off," he said. "I wasn't calling anybody dirty, or doing anything crazy. But I can talk all day."

ACC Power Rankings, week 2 | North Carolina
7) Wake Forest (1-1, 0-0 ACC, defeated Stanford 24-17): Another week, another close game vs. a perennial bottom-feeder from a BCS conference. This week, the Deacs took care of business on the strength of 251 rushing yards against Stanford. Among the mediocre teams I mentioned in the opening paragraph, look for the Deacons to remain between 6 and 9 all year long.

ACC mailblog - ACC - ESPN
Shawn in Elon, N.C., writes: Could Elon be a trap game for Wake, am I just stupid, or a little of column A and a lot more of column B? I want pain in WS this year after my beloved Noles lost to Wake 3 years in a row. FSU plays there later, but Elon plays there Saturday. And Elon is Nole backwards--an omen?, yes, I think so :) Heather Dinich: Clever, I like it. And, yes, absolutely this could be a trap game. I know the staff is taking it seriously enough that it thinks it could be, too. Elon enters the game 2-0 and quarterback Scott Riddle is coming off a record-setting performance in which the Phoenix racked up 614 total yards. That being said, there's no excuse for Wake to lose that game.

ACC INSIDER: ACC must face its inconvenient truth – ACC Insider - Wilmington Star News - Wilmington, NC - Archive
But let’s face it, folks. No matter how you spin it, the cruel, harsh fact of the matter is that the Mountain West Conference has significantly more national relevance than the ACC. And it’s been that way for several years now.

Demon Deacons know Elon wants to invade secondary | salem, deacons, secondary - Sports - Gaston Gazette
"So far, we’ve had a little bit of trouble (with that)," Haynes said. "We haven’t done a great job. … When it comes down to it, (Elon has) great players and they know how to use them."

Charlotte News, Weather, Sports | WCNC.com | North Carolina News
"It's given us a little bit of a different dimension," coach Jim Grobe said Tuesday. "We're not always having to hand the ball to the tailback or always having to throw to the split end."

[knocking sound] Who is it?….Landshark | Tech
Defying Gravity: Wake Forest and coach Jim Grobe. He’s turned one of the worst programs in the country into a respectable team (FSU can vouch for that). How long will he stay there? How long can he keep winning?

Stanford vs Wake Forest report card
Let’s face it, Stanford had the better game plan in the first half, but Wake Forest was the team that made the halftime adjustments. The Cardinal could not seem to recover.

With roles reversed and WRs taking handoffs, Wake Forest offense finds its rhythm - WGHP
Givens said Tuesday "the more dimensions of our offense we have, the better."

Slow starts concern Grobe: Coach says Deacons might start taking the ball first after coin flip
"Probably we need to receive," Grobe said yesterday. "We haven't been too stout on defense deferring the first two times. "That might be the easiest solution, just receive and then you can't give up the opening drive."

Injury on Deacs' D forces adjustment : News-Record.com : Greensboro & the Triad's most trusted source for local news and analysis
"Kyle gave people problems," Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe said Tuesday. "Just his mere lining up across from the (offensive) tackle was enough to make that tackle nervous because (Wilber) could run right past you. It's a big loss for us."

Harbaugh not happy with officiating at Wake Forest - Pac-10 - ESPN
"It was, in our opinion, a ridiculous call -- one of the worst I've ever seen," he said. "But we have moved on. We're not blaming the game on that. We've got some problems to fix."

Wake Forest not taking Elon lightly - ACC - ESPN
"It's been awhile since I've seen him like that," Griffin said. "He wasn't as mad as he was when we played Vanderbilt back in 2005 and Jay Cutler beat us up a little bit. But he was pretty upset. I think it was good, it got us fired up. We came back and beat Stanford so I'm sure he was excited about that."

Role reversal helps Wake offense shine | NewsChief.com
"The fun thing for us is, we've got some speed guys again in the slot position that we used so well those first few years we were here," Grobe said. "We kind of lost that a little bit after Kenny left, and now we're back to having a couple of guys that can go a little bit. And with Lovell Jackson, if we can get Lovell coached up, that gives us three of those guys that have pretty good foot speed. So that gives us some new things to do, not only throwing the football, but running it."

BT Game Balls: Broncos 12 – Bengals 7 - BroncoTalk
Alphonso Smith – Looked good in coverage for a rookie and came up with some nice tackles. Expect this trend to continue as he grows over his NFL Career. This kid will be a star. - Christopher D. Hart I really like the rookie. Wonder why no one gave up a first round next season to jump forward to get this guy. - Ian Henson

Deacon Dump 9/10: Wake working out the kinks

MRickman84 — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:09:16 -0000

The Wake Forest Demon Deacons are obviously upset about the loss. That much was clear when Jim Grobe abandoned his normally genial attitude for one in which he flat out said the team blew it. In comes Stanford, coming off a big win and looking to turn things around from last year with Jim Harbaugh in his second year as head coach. This will be a big game to determine where each team is really going. The links represent this today, and here goes... And if you haven't checked out the new SB Nation homepage, please do--they brought on Eamonn Brennan from the Dagger, Spencer Hall from Every Day Should Be Saturday, Andrew Sharp and Chris Mottram from Mr. Irrelevant to be editors and completely redesigned their homepage.

ACC notes: Groh not in favor of strict celebration rules - NCAA Football - CBSSports.com
"I don't think it was over the top for my personal sensitivities," Groh said of both gestures. "Obviously that's not the sensitivities of the rule-makers, so you have to know what the rules are, and the rules say, virtually, there is no room for celebration."

Two ACC teams crack the 'Bottom 10' - ACC - ESPN
Rob Daniels, a longtime ACC reporter based in the Greensboro area, dug up a great note on that this week. It's the first time since at least 1995 that any BCS conference has lost twice to the FCS in a season.

FayObserver.com - Several coaches courting Harris
Harris' rapid rise is nothing short of striking. A year ago at this time, he was barely on anyone's radar as an elite recruit. Now he's ranked 40th among seniors by Scout and 56th by Rivals. His emergence at Trinity Christian has been thanks in part to his standout performances against other elite big men - guys like Flora MacDonald's Luke Cothron and Word of God's C.J. Leslie and Ryan Kelly, the former Ravenscroft star now at Duke. Harris' summer, most notably a trip to the NBAPA Top 100 camp in June, also gave him a confidence boost. "He understands now how good he can be," Vandevender said. "You put that together with his work ethic and his passion for the game, all that has come together now."

Summer Ball: Former Deac Achilles Added to Wake Forest Baseball Staff
Former Wake Forest baseball player Grant Achilles has been added to the Demon Deacon coaching staff as a volunteer assistant, as announced by head coach Tom Walter on Wednesday.

Observations from the 50-yard Line: Skinner, receivers working out kinks
Grobe said he has confidence that Wake Forest's veteran offensive line will protect Skinner better. But the Deacons' inexperienced receivers include redshirt freshman Chris Givens at wideout and sophomore Andrew Parker at tight end. It might take more experience for them to eliminate their mistakes and give their decorated quarterback better targets. "They can be corrected, there's no question about that," Grobe said. "But a couple of these kids are really young receivers."

Pack QB Glennon could see action - CharlotteObserver.com
"I don't know whether he felt too much pressure, thought he had to kind of be the guy Saturday," Grobe said Wednesday during the ACC coaches' teleconference. "But he didn't play his best football, and in several instances. . .we had receivers not run the right routes. Or in some cases, they're all young. So in some cases they weren't quite sure where they needed to be so they weren't getting there as fast as he needed to."

New Orleans Hornets trade Antonio Daniels to T-Wolves for Darius Songaila and Bobby Brown - NOLA.com
Antonio Daniels was traded by the New Orleans Hornets to the Minnesota Timberwolves. The New Orleans Hornets Wednesday traded backup point guard Antonio Daniels and a 2014 second-round draft choice to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Darius Songaila and Bobby Brown. Songaila, a 6 foot 9 forward, and Brown, a 6-2 guard who played with the Hornets' summer league team in 2008, provide more depth for the Hornets.

Wilner: Bigger weekend than it might appear for Bay Area teams - San Jose Mercury News
No local team has more on the line this week than Stanford. A victory at Wake Forest would put the Cardinal in superb position for its first postseason appearance in eight years. At 2-0, Stanford would need to win five of its final 10 games to secure a bowl bid. But the huge supply (68 slots for 120 teams) means that four more victories probably would be enough. The Cardinal figures to be favored in at least that many, including the next two: at home against San Jose State and Washington. So with a win Saturday, Stanford could — and probably should — be 4-0 when UCLA visits Oct. 3.

Pac-10 picks I Vince Grippi | Spokesman.com | Sep 10, 2009
Stanford at Wake Forest (Wake by 2.5): Let’s see, the Cardinal won by 26 on the road. Wake Forest lost by three at home. Right, Stanford was in Pullman; Wake played Baylor. Now we understand the line. Still, Stanford 24-22.

Scout.com: Stanley Arnoux Profile
The New Orleans Saints have placed fourth-round pick LB Stanley Arnoux on injured reserve, Scout.com has confirmed through a league source. The former Wake Forest University defender signed a four-year deal worth roughly $2.13 million that includes a signing bonus worth just under $472,000. Arnoux suffered a torn Achilles tendon during an OTA workout in May

One Entertainment: 2010 Highlight Player Rankings (Updated 8/11/09)
3. JT Terrell - 6’3"/170 | Burlington Cummings (Burlington, NC) Last year it seemed JT was strictly an outside shooter but this summer he proved us wrong. He started attacking the rim with authority and continued hitting shots. With a shooter as strong as JT defenders have no choice but to play up, which allows a dribble move and drive for dunk... after dunk... after dunk. This video is a highlighthoops exclusive. It can't be found anywhere else but this site and will be appearing in our Vol 1 DVD coming this fall. Enjoy.

College Football Predictions Week 2 | Sports Odds
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons host the Stanford Cardinals Saturday at 12 Noon EST. Wake, coming off a tough loss to Baylor 24-21 against the 1-0 Cardinals who easily beat Washington State 39-13, looks for a rebound win. Great coaching matchup as previous NCAA coach of the year and my linebacker coach Jim Grobe take on NFL star Jim Harbaugh’s Cardinals. The Week 2 College Football Predictions experts at Sportsbook.com have the Wake Forest Demon Deacons -2.5 points against the Stanford Cardinals .

Short stature doesn't deter Deacons' Woodlief
Woodlief made his first start Saturday against Baylor. He played well enough to contribute six tackles -- including a sack -- and force a fumble. But both Woodlief and Lambert said he will play better. "He played pretty well from a mental and schematic standpoint," Lambert said. "He didn't tackle as well as he would like or I would like. "That's the one thing that disappointed us."

For Entertainment Purposes Only- Week 2 Letdowns, Lookaheads, & Overreactions - Tomahawk Nation
Speaking of ACC disappointments, Wake Forest qualifies here as the Deacons lost at home to Baylor. Still, I like playing teams hosting cross-country flyers, so I am going with Stanford @ Wake Forest -3 and Stanford/ Wake Forest Over 43.5. Riley Skinner must play better if Wake is going to be any good, and I expect a 30-24 type game.

Stanford will get up early at Wake Forest - Pac-10 - ESPN
Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh didn't seem terribly excited with his game's noon kickoff, which translates to 9 a.m. PDT. "Seems like that's the new trend in college football: If you're playing a team from the opposite coast, let's see if we can screw them on the time of kickoff," he said. "If it's a West Coast team playing on the East Coast, you play as early as possible and if it's an East Coast team playing on the West Coast, you play as late as possible."

Wake Forest Moves into Top 10 in National Polls
On the strength of six straight wins to start the season, the Wake Forest women's soccer team has jumped into the top 10 in all of the major national women's soccer polls. The Demon Deacons moved up nine spots to eighth in the latest National Soccer Coaches Association of America poll. Wake Forest is ranked 10th by Soccer America, while Top Drawer Soccer places the Deacs at No. 6.

Fitzgerald Named to College Soccer News National Team of the Week
Senior goalkeeper Akira Fitzgerald was named to the College Soccer News National Team of the Week after his performance in the first week of the regular season

PGATOUR.COM - The King turns 80: Images and impact of Arnold Palmer
Sep 09, 2009: Arnold Palmer has spent over 50 years in the public eye, posed for thousands of pictures and authored some of the most memorable moments in golf history. On Sept. 10, 2009, the King turns 80 and, in honor of his big celebration, we've picked 18 of our favorite Palmer pictures and put together a photo timeline of his career. Definitely check this out.

Will Barton and Reggie Bullock lead ESPNU 100 shooting guards - ESPN
Sleeper J.T. Terrell, 6-3, 165 Charlotte, N.C./ West Charlotte College: Wake Forest Terrell is a scoring machine. He can create his shot at will and can score in bunches from behind the arc with NBA range. He has all the tools to be a special scorer and take over games. He must continue to add to his game, but he'll be a great fit for the open-court, spread offensive attack of the Demon Deacons.

Preseason All-Americans for 2009-10 - CBK News - FOX Sports on MSN
Al-Farouq Aminu, Wake Forest: SF, 6-8, 218, Soph. 2008-09 stats: 12.9 ppg, 8.2 rpg Jeff Teague and James Johnson left early for the NBA, so now Aminu becomes the go-to guy. He's versatile and athletic but still needs to become a more consistent perimeter shooter.

Al-Farouq Aminu Named Preseason All-American
Wake Forest sophomore forward Al-Farouq Aminu was selected as a preseason second team All-American by FoxSports.com on Wednesday.

Wake's young LBs prepare for next test: Stanford - San Jose Mercury News
"You could tell there were three new linebackers out there," one of them, Matt Woodlief, said Tuesday. "It wasn't Stanley, it wasn't Aaron Curry, it wasn't Chantz McClintic. ... We did good, but we had a lot of mistakes. We made some bad reads as a unit, and we weren't lined up right a few times."

National Hoops Report: Answering your NHR Mailbag questions
Wake Forest has Damontre Harris and Carson Desrosiers on campus next weekend (Sept 12th). While the Deacs have made the final cut for both players, do you think they can wrap one of them up? Which one do you feel is a better fit for Wake? I think Wake Forest has a legitimate shot to land both players. Both were big-time summer risers and Wake Forest was involved with the two of them prior to the July evaluation period. Harris might make the most sense to commit to the Deacons first. Wake is relatively close to his home (two and a half hours away) and he fits the bill for the type of player that Wake has landed and successfully developed in the past. That being said, Wake has landed and developed guys like Desrosiers quite well in the past, too. Call it a push for which one is the better fit. Both would be well served in Winston-Salem.

Deacon Dump 9/4: One more day.

MRickman84 — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 13:18:23 -0000

There are a ton of predictions today--and going right along with a certain message board's poll skew, most predictions are going Baylor's way. It does say something about how far Wake football has come that this game is being viewed as a statement game for an opponent. So enjoy the links on the day before your labor day weekend, and feel free to continue to vote on the poll and leave your predictions in the comments. Welcome Baylor fans--aside from this game, I'll be pulling for you guys the rest of the year.

2009 NFL draft class making impact | detnews.com | The Detroit News
• No. 4 Aaron Curry, OLB, Seahawks: Curry, who'll start at outside linebacker, lost 12 pounds since mini-camp. He's a pass-rushing beast.

Sports - Newsday
Baylor at Wake Forest (-2) Rose: This will be the breakout season for Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin, and possibly the Bears. I like Wake Forest quarterback Riley Skinner, but the Demon Deacons have to replace a lot on defense. So I’ll take Griffin in this one. Bears win 24-20. Abramson: I think Robert Griffin is going to start off the season with a bang. The Bears will have to control the clock against a team that's been very fundamental the last few years, but I think they win on the road, 27-20.

Golden Years: Deacons who know what it takes to win charged with leading younger teammates
"We came in with the Orange Bowl," Robinson said. "It would be good to leave with the Orange Bowl again. But if we don't, it will be good to go bowling for a fourth straight year and be the first class to ever do that. "I really want that. That's a personal goal I strive for, and I'm pretty sure all the other seniors want to go to a fourth straight bowl and end our senior season right."

Wake Forest QB dotes on the details
"It’s pretty funny. His locker looks like the dadgummed Nike department store, with the way everything is neat and folded," said Wake Forest defensive tackle John Russell, a teammate of Skinner’s since high school. "That’s just how he is — he’s a very meticulous person. We definitely give him a lot of grief about it."

What to watch in the Big 12 this week - College Football Nation - ESPN
3. Does Baylor deserve its early hype? The Bears started last season with a 28-point home loss to Wake Forest. This season, they are a slight underdog on the road against the Demon Deacons. Can Robert Griffin continue his mercurial development and lead the Bears to an upset against the Demon Deacons, who have qualified for three straight bowl games? The Bears have lost 13 of their last 14 road games and have never won away from Waco with Art Briles coaching them. Does an improved, senior-laden team have what it takes to win -- especially with two new tackles protecting Griffin’s flanks?

Before bowl encore, Baylor football plans strong opening act against Wake Forest
"For our team and our program, this is a huge game for us," Baylor linebacker Joe Pawelek said. "We’ve made a point of trying to start strong, and there’s the extra incentive of playing a team that’s made three straight bowl games. We’ve been through so much, and we’re going to be ready to go out there Saturday and play."

Deacons' party line steps out: WFU linemen put on a show before practices
Grobe is referring to the pre-practice hijinks the linemen come up with each day, be it a skit, a re-enactment of a scene from a movie or something somebody saw on YouTube. It always entails a lot of hollering and yelling, and usually some choreography, to use the term loosely.

Eight of Palm Beach County's Super 11 prospects verbally committed before senior year began -- South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com
"Coach Grobe didn't shake my hand," Sullivan said. "He hugged me and said, 'Welcome to Wake Forest.' Coach Grobe and Wake Forest made me feel the most comfortable."

Webb Simpson Continues Impressive Run -- Golf FanHouse
"Mindset-wise, I want to make it to the Tout Championship, so I'm not really thinking whether or not I'll be in next week regardless of how I play this week,'' Simpson said before teeing off at TPC Boston. "I'm trying to think of it as keep playing well and that will kind of take care of itself like it did last week. We'll see what happens. Tour Championship, I'm 11 spots out now with two events, so anything can happen. But if I play well I'll move up and hopefully I'll get in.''

Big 12 predictions for this week - Big 12 - ESPN
Baylor 31, Wake Forest 28: The Bears learned their lesson last season in Waco, falling into an early 17-0 deficit before losing a 41-13 blowout. Art Briles decided not to start Robert Griffin in that game, but he’s been in the Bears’ starting lineup ever since. The key will be the performance of new Baylor tackles Danny Watkins and Phillip Blake, who will protect Griffin from Wake Forest’s pass rush. Wake Forest starting defensive ends Tristan Dorty and Kyle Wilber have accounted for only seven career starts and will be outweighed by more than 50 pounds per man by the Baylor tackles. The Bears rushed for at least 200 yards in four of the last five games last season. If they can maintain that balance with Griffin’s passing on Saturday, they can steal an upset victory.

UK Women's Soccer Takes on Ninth Ranked Wake Forest - KENTUCKY OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE
"I have had the pleasure of coaching against Wake Forest in the past," said Lipsitz. "They are technical, fun to watch and play great attacking soccer. We have a great challenge ahead of us as I know (Wake Forest head) Coach (Tony) da Luz will have his team ready.

How they stack up-Wake Forest v. Baylor " Old Gold & Black
This meeting with Baylor provides an interesting early season matchup for the Deacons. It will be interesting to see how a fresh Deacon defense will handle a player like Robert Griffin, and this contest could be a good measuring stick to judge how ready they are for players like N.C. State’s Russell Wilson, Clemson’s CJ Spiller and Georgia Tech’s Jonathan Dwyer later on this season. In this instance, though, the Deacon defense will be too much for Baylor to handle. Robert Griffin will single-handedly keep Baylor in the game for the first half of play, but he will be shut down by Robinson and Russell after half time adjustments are made. Once Griffin is out of the picture, the Deacon offense will blow the game open and cruise to a sound victory over Baylor, 35-17.

Baylor University || The Lariat Online || News
While Baylor and Wake Forest University clash on the field Saturday afternoon, the two teams will share a common bond: replacing top-five NFL Draft picks.

Sports Briefs: Wake Forest men set to play ranked soccer teams from Big Ten
The third-ranked Wake Forest men's soccer team is scheduled to play two ranked opponents this weekend, taking on No. 12 Notre Dame and No. 7 Indiana at the adidas/IU Credit Union Classic in Bloomington, Ind.

Baylor vs. Wake Forest: How they match up
It will be difficult for Baylor to win on the road against a Wake Forest team that has established a winning tradition. The Deacons feature the most seniors in the ACC with 22, and they’ve fashioned a 28-12 record in the last three seasons. But after last year’s 41-13 thrashing by the Demon Deacons at Floyd Casey Stadium, the Bears should have plenty of incentive. They will also have more confidence and experience as coach Art Briles starts his second season.

Scout.com: Carson Desrosiers Profile
The 6-foot-10 big man will begin with Wake Forest during the weekend of the 12th. The next weekend he'll be at Arizona State and his final visit will be the last weekend of September at Marquette.

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 9/3: "Countdown unless you're juvenile, let's go!"

MRickman84 — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 13:18:48 -0000

First day of the season unofficially (the real start is Saturday), but at least we have it again. I've been working in the Browns gameday staff, and I can't even begin to explain how giddy I was just watching the first play at Browns Stadium of the preseason--and I can only imagine what it's going to feel like at BB&T Field on Saturday. Hopefully some more links and lead up articles will tie us all over until Saturday, so here are the links for today.

Full Speed: High-octane Russell is now bigger, set for big season
In the first practice of the season, Russell put on a show. Then the curtain fell, and Russell fell with it. "So we get out to our first morning practice, and we're going through our warm-ups," Skinner recalled. "And I'd never seen somebody do more intense warm-ups than John Russell -- in terms of high knees, shuffling, back-pedaling. It was the most intense thing I've ever seen. It caught everybody's eye. (We said), ‘This kid's going to be a force.'

Heather Dinich's ACC Predictions - ESPN
Wake Forest 24, Baylor 21: Yes, the Bears will be a better team than they were a year ago now that versatile quarterback Robert Griffin is more seasoned and in the second year under coach Art Briles. But Jim Grobe and his staff will have his players prepared. Wake’s offense could be one of the best in the ACC, and if the defensive players stick to their roles, a group effort will get the job done.

Big 12 predictions for this week - College Football Nation - ESPN
Baylor 31, Wake Forest 28: The Bears learned their lesson last season in Waco, falling into an early 17-0 deficit before losing a 41-13 blowout. Art Briles decided not to start Robert Griffin in that game, but he’s been in the Bears’ starting lineup ever since. The key will be the performance of new Baylor tackles Danny Watkins and Phillip Blake, who will protect Griffin from Wake Forest’s pass rush. Wake Forest starting defensive ends Tristan Dorty and Kyle Wilber have accounted for only seven career starts and will be outweighed by more than 50 pounds per man by the Baylor tackles. The Bears rushed for at least 200 yards in four of the last five games last season. If they can maintain that balance with Griffin’s passing on Saturday, they can steal an upset victory.

BulldogBlitz.com - Eulls saves 22 lives from armed student
Not Wake related, but a must-read story about a heroic 4-star Miss. St. recruit.

My Take on Wake - Bracing for the Storm | JournalNow.com
I know, I know. I’m inviting all kinds of grief down on my head with the prediction. The easy move would be to go ahead and pick the Deacons. And I do think the Deacons will be better this season than Duke. Wake, by my crystal ball, will go 8-4 and make a bowl for the fourth straight year. I really thought Duke will be bowl eligible until I was reminded the Blue Devils play two games this season against Bowl Championship Series teams (Richmond and N.C. Central) and can only count one toward bowl eligibility. So they’ll have to really hustle to get to six wins, especially now that Kansas—whom the Devils play in Lawrence on Se[t. 19—is no longer a Big 12 stepchild.

Demon Deacons sort out running backs | Burlington Times News
“I’m fully motivated,” Harris said when preseason practice began. “We have so much competition in that room. There’s deep competition in that room. It’s healthy competition. I’m ready to compete for a job.”

Golden Years: Deacons who know what it takes to win charged with leading younger teammates
"You've got a guy in Riley Skinner who can get the job done, and we need 10 other guys," Grobe said. "I thought last year the only guy that we had that really supported Riley the way he needed to be supported was D.J. Boldin. "So it's important to us to make sure we've not only got the old guy, Riley, playing good but have 10 other guys supporting him. "I feel as good about this offensive line as I've felt in a long time. I think this is a good group. I don't know how well we're going to play. I just like the attitude. The attitude of these guys is that ‘We're going to be better and we're going to play better and do our part' -- which I don't think we did last year."

College fantasy football week 1 tight end rankings
Ben Wooster Wake Forest vs. Baylor - Could have a good game against Baylor but the offense will rely on the run even with Skinner returning

ACC announces 2009 Football Championship Game Legends Class
the 1956 ACC Player of the Year from Wake Forest, Jim Bakhtiar (Charlestown, W. Va.) of Virginia, who earned first-team All-America honors in 1957

Wake Forest vs. Baylor: Preview | Wake Forest
The entire senior class is hungry for another ACC Championship. Our Wake experience would then come full-circle. If nothing else, the excitement at BB&T Field should make for a Deacon win at home. More than likely, however, the Demon Deacons will clearly showcase their talent and send the Bears on a long trip back to Texas.

Up Again: Dukes vs. Demon Deacons : The Breeze
Wake Forest is a three-time NCAA champion with all three titles coming earlier this decade. The Demon Deacons, led by six-time Atlantic Coast Conference coach of the year Jennifer Averill, come to Harrisonburg ranked second in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association poll. With two returning All-Americans in Raisa Schiller and Aileen Davis Wake Forest was picked fourth by ACC coaches in the competitive league. The Deacons will also return seniors Melissa Martin and Hilary Moore who scored the tying and game-winning goal, last year against JMU.

Work Hangover: College Football Preview
The Wake Forest pick is a bit of a flyer since I really just don't want to pick FSU. Wake Forest consistenly gets overlooked because they don't have high profile players or coaches, but yet Jim Grobe is arguably the best actual coach in the ACC. Maybe not the best recruiter, but to get Wake Forest to the point that they compete for the ACC title every year is pretty remarkable.

ACC Notebook: First Coast QBs in spotlight | Jacksonville.com
"The goal for us would be for the offense to spend more time on the field than the defense," Wake coach Jim Grobe said. "We have a young defense, and while we have kids who will fly around and chase the ball, they will make mistakes. The number of mistakes will be limited if they don't have to spend too much time on the field. I hate to put too much on Riley, because we did that last year. He has enough ability and experience to move the ball. The other guys need to do their part."

ACC INSIDER: Football preview, Wake Forest - ACC Insider - Wilmington Star News - Wilmington, NC - Archive
While you probably haven’t heard of the likes of Jonathan Jones, Matt Woodleif, Hunter Haynes, Cyhl Quarles and Josh Bush, just wait a few weeks. You will. They won’t make Wake fans forget about Aaron Curry, Alphonso Smith or any of the other graduated stars, but they will form a unit that – combined with a veteran offense – should put together yet another eight-win season … if not better.

ACC Preview: Top players, games to watch - Sports - The News Herald
Riley Skinner, Wake Forest quarterback The ACC returns a bevy of starting quarterbacks this season and none may be better than Skinner. The 6-1, 210-pound senior is the school’s career leader in completion percentage (.673), passing efficiency (132.33) and wins (26). He also is the ACC career leader in completion percentage and should collect loads more school records this season.

Softies? Wake offensive line plans reversal : News-Record.com : Greensboro & the Triad's most trusted source for local news and analysis
"The perception most people got of us last year was of being soft," junior center Russell Nenon said. "I kind of took it personally, hearing the (media) and the coaches saying we had such a great defense last year and our offense kind of sputtered. It's very frustrating to know you're the reason some of the games went the wrong way. So we made it our mission to turn it around and become the strength of our team."