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With the bye week out of the way, the Deacs will be back on the field this Saturday taking on the Army Black Knights. At 5-2, Wake Forest is just 1 win away from becoming bowl eligible for the first time since 2011. To get that coveted 6th win this week, the Deacs will have to stop a tough Army rushing attack and score on an equally tough defense. Here are a couple of players for the Black Knights that you should watch to have a big impact on Saturday’s contest.
Offense: Andy Davidson, Soph. RB #40
During the off-season, Davidson made the switch from linebacker to running back for the Black Knights. While that may seem like a strange switch, at 6-2 220 lbs, he is a perfect back for Army’s triple option system. As the B-back in the option, Davidson is running right into the gut of the defense pretty much every play, whether he gets the ball or not. The goal for Davidson is to hammer out 4-5 yards when he gets the ball to wear out the defense and eventually get some huge chunks of yards late in the game. This is where his strength and physicality is a huge bonus. This switch has worked out well for Army; Davidson currently leads the team in rushing with 113 carries for 615 yards (5.4 avg) and 7 TDs. He has also rushed for over 100 yards 4 times this season. The Deacs have been solid against the run all year, but they haven’t played a system like Army’s triple option attack yet. Army is currently 2nd in the nation in rushing offense with 357.6 yards per game and 1st in the nation in time of possession at 36 minutes per game. The Deacon defense will need to play flawless assignment football, because if they get too focused on the QB and pitch man coming around the end, Davidson could end up with some huge runs right up the middle.
Defense: Andrew King, Sr. LB #11
King is a co-captain for what is statistically one of the best defenses in the country. He leads the Black Knights in tackles with 55, including 6.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. With 16.5 tackles for loss last season, he has proven that he can be a force against the run. As a co-captain, he is leading an impressive Army defense that is giving up just 101 yards per game on the ground (8th in the nation) and 257 total yards per game (3rd in the nation). The Deacs are 4-0 this season when they have a 100+ yard rusher, and just 1-2 when they don’t. With running the ball being so critical to Wake Forest’s success, a guy like King could have a huge impact on the game if he is able to penetrate into the backfield and wrap up the backs for losses.
