Lots of links today and it sure is getting me excited for football. The Baylor game will be a good test and we should have a game preview up in the next week to kick off our football coverage for the year. Onto the links...
OSG Sports: OSG College Football 2009 Predictions: The ACC
Wilkie: What does Wake Forest need to do to earn respect? The Deacs have proven they can win on a consistent basis in the ACC and Jim Grobe hasn’t bolted for a big time job (and Grobe has had his opportunities.) Yes the defense suffered key losses but should get better game by game. The offense rarely makes mistakes and has some playmakers. Do I think Wake Forest will win the Atlantic Division? Probably not, but they will be in the mix.
Dwyer delivers the goods for Georgia Tech - USATODAY.com
Though Dwyer was laughing when he said it, there is nothing funny about his credentials for national recognition. He was the 2008 ACC player of the year, not Spiller. And Dwyer is the player most national scouting reports list as the league's top professional prospect.
Diamondback Blogs | Terrapin Trail Preseason ACC Power Rankings
8. Wake Forest: Although the defense is shaky heading into the season, Riley Skinner has the most wins by a quarterback in school history. - Jakob Engelke
ACC Insider: You've got questions, he's got answers | StarNewsOnline.com | Star News | Wilmington, NC
Q: When will Wake Forest stop flying under the radar and get the respect it has earned these past three years? A: Probably never. Some per ceptions just can’t be broken, no matter how many games the Deacons win.
Online Casino News : 2009 College Football’s Top 1-40
27. Wake Forest: Run-oriented Wake Forest has always been competitive under 9th-year Demon Deacons Head Coach Jim Grobe. The last three years they have been sensational, at 28-12 SU, 24-15 ATS. QB Riley Skinner (13 TDs, 7 picks) is back for a fourth season to pilot the offense. The running game by committee is loaded, as usual, with junior RB Josh Adams, sophomore RB Brandon Pendergrass (528 yards, 3.5 ypc) and senior Kevin Harris. The swarming defense has been great, allowing just 18.3 ppg. The defense is an attacking unit, though Wake is 16-9 over the total the last two years and loses LB Aaron Curry to the NFL. Wake is 7-4 ATS as a dog the last two years, 8-4 over the total their last 10 road games and 11-3 SU, 10-2 ATS their last 14 home games.
ACC Football Commitment Lists: Atlantic Division, August 25 Articles
Jim Grobe and company were the only movers and shakers this week. The Demon Deacons raided the Jacksonville area for a three-star pledge – at least according to Rivals – in Neil Basford. The tight end hauled in 21 passes for 226 yards and five touchdowns this past season.
Deacons Hold Third Preseason Scrimmage | digtriad.com | Triad, NC | Sports News Article
"The good news is our defense got a lot of pressure on the quarterbacks," said head coach Jim Grobe. "The bad news is that our offensive line didn't perform well. I thought we just looked really soft and not very motivated to do anything on offense. For whatever reason, our offense looked flat today."
Deacs have a listless attack: Grobe says offense 'got rear ends kicked'
In addressing his team afterward, Grobe said the scrimmage reminded him of the game at College Park, a performance so dismal that the Deacons spent the next week retooling their offense in preparation for their trip to Miami. Yesterday the Deacons' offense was equally uninspired and equally inefficient, and as a consequence the defense led 7-0 the first 45 minutes, thanks to a 61-yard fumble return for a touchdown by cornerback Michael Williams.
Wake Forest Releases 2009-10 Basketball Schedule | digtriad.com | Triad, NC | Sports News Article
The 2009-10 schedule is highlighted by 15 home games at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum, 12 appearances on national television and a number of intriguing non-conference matchups. The Demon Deacons, who will be led by third-year head coach Dino Gaudio, will face 12 teams that participated in postseason play in 2008-09, including eight that made the NCAA Tournament. Wake Forest will appear on television 19 times, including all 16 ACC games.
Three-point stance: 'Change,' arms race, fans - College Football Nation - ESPN
3. Wake Forest's victory total has shrunk from 11 to nine to eight over the last two seasons. You wouldn't think that Wake fans, starved for success in the 30-odd years before coach Jim Grobe arrived in 2001, are about to turn on him. But fans eventually turn on every coach. Ask Phil Fulmer. The Demon Deacons' first two home games against wannabes Baylor and Stanford will reveal a lot about all three teams. -- Not sure I agree with him here
Five ACC Players who will be missed the most | Mr. College Football
Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest: Head coach Jim Grobe has never been one to overhype his players. But for a couple of years Grobe tried to tell anybody who would listen that he had something special in Aaron Curry. On NFL Draft day the whole world became convinced as Curry was the No. 4 overall pick by Seattle. Curry, who won the 2008 Butkus Award which goes to the nation’s best linebacker, had 49 career starts for Wake Forest. In his final three seasons the Deacons posted a record of 28-12, the best three-year stretch in school history. Last season he had 105 tackles. Wake Forest lost seven starters on defense. They will miss Curry the most.
Quick look at ACC basketball schedule details
(Wake Forest's) David Weaver : Commitment Is The Key | Howsmyrolling.net
Fantastic two-part audio interview with David Weaver. You should definitely check it out.
The 2009-10 ACC Hoops Schedule Is Out Jim Young
Wake Forest at Purdue, Dec. 1 I’m really not sure what to make of the Deacs next season. I’ll have a much better idea after I see how they fair in Mackey Arena.
Wake Forest Men's Soccer Notebook: August 25 - WAKE FOREST OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE
Rivals.com Basketball Recruiting - No. 1 class in 2010 gets even stronger
Wake Forest continues its high-level recruiting on a national scale with a strong four-man class that includes a trio of four-star prospects. McKie and Tabb are versatile combo forwards. Terrell is a smooth-shooting wing who is capable of scoring buckets in bunches. Chenault is a tough Philly guard who loves to attack the rim.
Real Grind: Former Deac finds 1st year as pro tough
While Simpson, a former All-America at Wake Forest, missed his 11th cut in 23 tournaments, at least he can look ahead to this week's first FedEx Cup playoff tournament. Because he's accumulated enough points and is inside the 125, he'll get a chance to keep his season going.