Three Up, Three Down: Wake Forest vs. Indiana

The Ups

The Comeback That Wasn't. Seriously, that whole fourth quarter was so good, from everyone on the entire team.  They showed so much determination, and everything from the offense clicking to a successful onside kick almost led to a shot at overtime when it really seemed like we were dead in the water.  That kind of fight is something I haven't seen from a Wake team in several years.

Kendall Hinton. He had some bad plays for sure, and a surprisingly low QBR, but Kendall had 302 all-purpose yards and accounted for three touchdowns, two on the ground and one through the air (which involved a SICK catch from Tabari Hines on the other end, granted).  If Kendall can minimize bad decisions and get in the flow of things earlier in games, his case for possibly becoming a starter for good will, in my opinion, can become quite strong indeed.

#KinalKount!!! He's gonna do it.  Alex Kinal punted seven times this game.  He'll almost surely break the ACC record next game given that we're facing Florida State, and well, there's nothing to suggest he won't eventually break the overall record.  That's cool.

The Downs

The Pick Six. I mean, this is obvious, but woof.  Just painful, can't happen.

That Fake Punt. That was quite possibly the worst coaching decision I've seen Coach Clawson make.  Just baffling, and not only did it not work, it failed in spectacular fashion.

Still No Forced Turnovers. C'mon, defense.  We need some turnovers.  And you keep coming so close, too!  One of these days the dam will break though, and it'll feel great once it does.

The Bottom Line

It hurts, and hurts badly that we couldn't finish the job.  The fact remains, however, that the team continues to improve, almost to a man, and the steps in the right direction are obvious.  We're the sixth youngest team in the nation, and we have the fewest seniors out of anyone, and it shows.  That being said, I'd say this might be some of the purest raw athletic talent a Wake squad has ever had, or certainly since the Grobe glory days, and I still firmly believe the future is bright.  I'm not sure it'll brighten as quickly as some do, but Coach Clawson continues to recruit well, coach well, and clearly instill a culture of Deacon Tough.

On to the next.  Go Deacs.

--SF