|
QB
Riley Skinner |
|
|
2006
Statistics |
Coach:
Jim Grobe
37-35,
6 years |
2006
Record: 11-3 |
|
SYRACUSE |
WON
20-10 |
DUKE |
WON
14-13 |
at
Connecticut |
WON
24-13 |
at
Mississippi |
WON
27-3 |
LIBERTY |
WON
34-14 |
CLEMSON |
LOST
17-27 |
at
NC State |
WON
25-23 |
at
North Carolina |
WON
24-17 |
BOSTON
COLLEGE |
WON
21-14 |
at
Florida State |
WON
30-0 |
VIRGINIA
TECH |
LOST
6-27 |
at
Maryland |
WON
38-24 |
ACC
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME |
vs.
Georgia Tech |
WON
9-6 |
ORANGE
BOWL |
Louisville |
LOST
13-24 |
|
2006
Final Rankings
AP-18, Coaches-17, BCS-14
|
2007
Outlook |
ACC
Coach of the Year Jim Grobe finally
broke through in his sixth year and
set the school win record with 11
and gave them only their second league
title ever. The big question is whether
this was a one season fluke or truly
the beginning of the Demon Deacons
taking their program to the next level.
The jury will be out until December
on clearing up this issue due to the
combination of their stacked talent
on offense but vacated defense. See,
it was through their defense that
Wake rose to the top of the Atlantic
division. Issues at end and safety
will dictate most how well the defense
rebounds from their major losses.
It is amazing how well Grobe has developed
the modest talent this smaller “big”
school attracts – one can never
discount any group that has come together
as well as Wake Forest has. The defense
will have to be tuned up right away
with a trip to Boston to start the
slate and then a home biggie against
Nebraska the very next week. No Miami
and no Virginia Tech make the rest
of the schedule manageable –
only FSU and (at) Clemson look like
serious challengers. Skinner has a
year under his belt and almost his
entire offensive line back, so expect
him and his cache of huge backs to
carry the Demon Deacons to another
banner season and back somewhere near
the top of its division.
Projected
2007 record: 8-4
|
|
WAKE
FOREST
*POWER RATINGS |
Offense |
Defense |
QB
- 4 |
DL
- 3.5 |
RB
- 4 |
LB
- 3.5 |
WR
- 2.5 |
DB
- 2.5 |
OL
- 4 |
.. |
|
RETURNING
LEADERS |
Passing:
Riley Skinner, 171-260-5, 2051 yds.,
9 TD
Rushing: Kenneth Moore, 105
att., 507 yds., 2 TD
Receiving: Kenneth Moore, 32
rec., 314 yds., 1 TD
Scoring: Sam Swank, 23-31 FG,
33-33 PAT, 102 pts.
Punting: Sam Swank, 70 punts,
41.2 avg.
Kicking: Sam Swank, 23-31 FG,
33-33 PAT, 102 pts.
Tackles: Aaron Curry, 83 tot.,
52 solo
Sacks: Alphonso Smith, 4 sacks
Interceptions: Alphonso Smith,
3 for 23 yds.
Kickoff Returns: Kevin Marion,
22 ret., 22.3 avg., 0 TD
Punt Returns: Kenneth Moore,
10 ret., 13.0 avg., 0 TD
|
|
|
K/P
Sam Swank |
|
|
|
WAKE
FOREST |
|
|
OFFENSE
- 9 |
----RETURNING
STARTERS---- |
DEFENSE
- 5 |
|
KEY
LOSSES |
OFFENSE:
Nate Morton-WR, Willie Idlette-WR, Steve
Vallos-OT, Arby Jones-OT |
DEFENSE:
Jyles
Tucker-DE, Jamil Smith-NG, Bryan Andrews-DE,
Riley Swanson-CB, Patrick Ghee-SS, Josh
Gattis-FS, Jon Abbate-MLB (NFL) |
|
|
2007
OFFENSE |
All-ACC
QB Riley Skinner (also ACC Rookie of the
Year) is the game manager that coach Jim
Grobe needs for this ball-control offense.
The Jacksonville-native can drop back and
deliver when needed (WF passes about a third
of the time), but as only a freshman he
proved he can read defenses well and make
the proper adjustments at the line of scrimmage
through audibles and/or check-offs. What
the offense lacks in flash, it makes up
for in consistency. The Demon Deacon backs
rotate with maximum effect. Senior Kenneth
Moore gets the start at tailback due to
his initial burst of speed and mobility.
But De’Angelo Bryant and Kevin Harris
are two big men who both move exceptionally
well for their size and therefore garner
nearly as many carries as Moore. Factor
in oft-used junior fullback Rich Belton
and you get a bruising backfield that will
churn for even more yards thanks to Skinner
becoming an even better passer to distract
safeties. This will be important with the
new faces at receiver. Senior Kevin Marion
will be the only snarler with much experience
for Skinner, and though recruiting efforts
have not dripped with highly touted receivers,
this program’s ability to make something
worthwhile out of seemingly nothing means
new faces will emerge on the outside. From
the line, two senior tight ends who like
to go downfield will also help establish
the other snarlers. After the spring, Joe
Birdsong looks like he’s ready to
take over at left tackle. Otherwise, the
entire starting line returns. Guys like
first team all-ACC center Steve Justice
guarantee improvements in both running and
passing. Opponents should know what is coming
with Wake’s basic run-first approach,
but it doesn’t mean they can stop
them.
|
|
C
Steve Justice
|
|
|
WAKE
FOREST 2007 DEPTH CHART
Returning Starters/Key
Players |
OFFENSE |
QB |
Riley
Skinner-So (6-1, 200) |
Brett
Hodges-So (6-1, 180) |
FB |
Rich
Belton-Jr (6-1, 259) |
Mike
Rinfrette-So (6-1, 259) |
RB |
Micah
Andrews-Sr (5-10, 212) |
Kevin
Harris-So (6-1, 230)
De'Angelo Bryant-Sr (6-0, 239) |
WR |
Kenneth
Moore-Sr (6-0, 204) |
Chip
Brinkman-Jr (6-1, 210) |
WR |
Kevin
Marion-Sr (5-10, 168) |
Demir
Boldin-Jr (5-11, 220) |
TE |
Zac
Selmon-Sr (6-5, 250) |
John
Tereshinski-Sr (6-3, 240) |
OT |
Louis
Frazier-Sr (6-4, 315) |
Joe
Birdsong-So (6-4, 290) |
OG |
Matthew
Brim-Sr (6-4, 294) |
Barrett
McMillin-So (6-3, 288) |
C |
Steve
Justice-Sr (6-4, 284) |
Trey
Bailey-So (6-2, 289) |
OG |
Chris
DeGeare-Jr (6-4, 362) |
Gage
Crews-So (6-4, 305) |
OT |
Jeff
Griffin-So (6-3, 298) |
Boomer
Peterson-So (6-5, 303) |
K |
Sam
Swank-Jr (6-2, 206) |
.. |
|
|
2007
DEFENSE |
This
side of the ball was how WF rose to the
top of its division. But the No.25 run defense
and No.12 scoring defense have to rebound
from some major losses (line, secondary,
MLB) before Wake can prove 2006 wasn’t
just a one year fluke. Boo Robinson adds
girth inside to bolster senior starter Zach
Stukes, who plays more like an end due to
his quickness. Robinson should have a breakout
year as a sophomore, as should John Russell.
Ends Jeremy Thompson and Anthony Davis are
the lone building blocks outside for the
line. The developments of junior outside
linebackers Stanley Arnoux and Aaron Curry
mean there will be little drop off from
the corps. Eric Berry is the new starter
in the middle. His size-speed combination
is typical of the entire front seven, and
his overachieving style works well with
their gang-tackling mentality. Junior corners
Kevin Patterson and Alphonso Smith will
be one of the league’s best tandems.
Smith was tied for first on the team in
TFLs (8.5), third in sacks (four) as well
as tied for third in INTs (three)…as
just a reserve. Reserve Chip Vaughn is the
lone safety with any significant real game
reps, so coordinator and secondary coach
Dean Hood has his work cut out if Wake is
to again have a quality bend-but-don’t-break
set of DBs. RS frosh Alex Frye will be a
name soon to be known in the deep middle.
Developments here will go a long way toward
defining the DD’s season. This was
one of only 16 defenses that had 30 or more
takeaways, and it will again be predicated
on an opportunistic approach that makes
the whole of the stopping efforts worth
much more than the sum of its parts.
|
|
LB
Aaron Curry
|
|
|
WAKE
FOREST 2007 DEPTH CHART
Returning Starters/Key
Players |
DEFENSE |
DE |
Anthony
Davis-Jr (6-5, 251) |
Antonio
Wilson-Jr (6-1, 255) |
NG |
Boo
Robinson-So (6-2, 326) |
Michael
Carter-Fr (6-3, 317) |
DT |
Zach
Stukes-Sr (6-2, 274) |
John
Russell-So (6-3, 250) |
DE |
Jeremy
Thompson-Sr (6-5, 264) |
Matt
Robinson-Sr (6-2, 248) |
OLB |
Aaron
Curry-Jr (6-3, 240) |
Mike
Simmons-Jr (6-1, 219) |
MLB |
Eric
Berry-Jr (6-1, 288) |
Dominique
Midgett-So (6-2, 242) |
OLB |
Stanley
Arnoux-Jr (6-1, 245) |
Chantz
McClinic-Jr (5-10, 225) |
CB |
Alphonso
Smith-Jr (5-9, 191) |
Brandon
Ghee-So (6-0, 182) |
CB |
Kerry
Major-Jr (5-11, 179) |
Channing
Schofield-So (5-11, 193) |
SS |
Kevin
Patterson-Jr (5-10, 185) |
Aaron
Mason-Sr (5-9, 199) |
FS |
Chip
Vaughn-Jr (6-2, 220) |
Alex
Frye-Fr (6-3, 190) |
P |
Sam
Swank-Jr (6-2, 206) |
.. |
|
|
|
2007
SPECIAL TEAMS |
Though
punter/kicker Sam Swank’s misses against
Duke nearly kept WF from its ACC title, he was
the hero against N.C. State with three conversions
from 50+ that helped earn him all-conference status
(at both positions). His efforts help Wake earn
their top 10 status in net punting results. Marion
(kicks) and Moore (punts) as return men will keep
working well.
|
|
|
|
|