Blogger So Dear - Football is here! Blogger So Dear at the 2013 ACC KickoffThe Wake Forest Demon Deacon sports blog where Charlie Brown is still trying to kick that football...https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47639/blogger-fave.png2013-08-16T09:00:13-04:00http://www.bloggersodear.com/rss/stream/43169892013-08-16T09:00:13-04:002013-08-16T09:00:13-04:00Jackson, Olson lead Demon Deacon linebackers
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<img alt="Justin Jackson meets the media at the 2013 ACC Kickoff" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/KAxZEzAz1S3HjIQs8BsAiOj1K50=/8x0:3990x2655/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/17943571/20130721_kkt_as1_032.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Justin Jackson meets the media at the 2013 ACC Kickoff | USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>J.P. Mundy previews the young Deacon linebackers, led by seniors Justin Jackson and Mike Olson.</p> <p>Much has been made of the reasons surrounding Wake Forest's disappointing 5-7 (3-5 ACC) 2012 campaign. Injuries, suspensions, internal discord- those are just some of the obstacles dropped in the Deacons' path last season. As the Deacons look to a better 2013, the above issues look to be resolved and attention is now squarely focused on player development and execution.</p>
<p>One area requiring a good deal of player development (in a hurry) is the Wake Forest linebacking corps. When asked at the ACC Kickoff about his team's depth, Grobe struck an ominous tone.</p>
<p>"My biggest concern is the linebacking position," Grobe said. "If you're a true freshman linebacker right now at Wake Forest, you either ought to be really excited or really nervous because there's a good chance you're going to end up on the field."</p>
<p>A struggling offense kept the Deacon defensive unit on the field for large chunks of last season. In the end, Wake Forest ranked 9th among ACC teams in total defense and 11th in scoring offense (giving up 32 points per game).</p>
<p>The Deacons return six linebackers in total but only two of them, redshirt seniors Justin Jackson and Mike Olson, were starters last season. Olson, a 6'3 inside linebacker, started 11 games last season, finishing second on the team in total tackles (78, 39 solo) and recording one interception against Boston College. Jackson, a 6'1 outside linebacker, started all 12 games in 2012 and was the team leader in tackles (81, 40 solo). Jackson and Olson also combined for 5 sacks on the year.</p>
<p>That leaves the Deacs in the midst of a youth movement if they want to help take some pressure of the talented Wake Forest secondary. Aside from Jackson, the only outside backer that has ever played a collegiate snap is Zach Allen. Allen played in all 12 games last season, starting 2. He finished the season with 42 tackles to his credit, 24 of them solo. Unfortunately for both Allen and the Deacs, he is academically ineligible and has yet to suit up this preseason as he waits for the NCAA to determine his fate.</p>
<p>The inside linebackers are the more veteran group, returning 3 redshirt sophomores along with Olson. Apex, North Carolina native Britt Cherry saw action in 6 games last season and tallied 1 tackle. However, Brandon Chubb played in all 12 games and recorded 22 tackles. One name that keeps popping up as a potential immediate contributor is Teddy Matthews, a 6-3 225-pound inside backer from West Palm Beach.</p>
<p>Despite the lack of experience at linebacker, Jackson was optimistic about the Demon Deacon defense as whole.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/3063419/Justin_Jackson.jpg" style="background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration: underline;"><img src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/3063419/Justin_Jackson_medium.jpg" class="photo" alt="Justin_jackson_medium"></a></p>
<p><span>"As a group, I think we’re really going to be good, "Jackson said. "Our corners and safeties are really experienced and really good. We’ve got a good corner in Bud Noel and also KJ, Kevin Johnson. The DBs will be really good. The linebackers have me coming back, and we also have Mike Olson. We have a really good young guy, Brandon Chubb, who got some playing time last season and did really well."</span></p>
<p>It's depth crises like this one that helped Grobe decide to table the long-standing redshirt program in April. He quipped at ACC Kickoff that it was as simple as having players on the scout team that were better than what was on the field. They say that experience is the best teacher, and for the young Deacon linebackers class is now in session.</p>
https://www.bloggersodear.com/2013/8/16/4626504/wake-forest-acc-football-deacons-justin-jackson-olsonJ.P. Mundy2013-08-02T09:00:08-04:002013-08-02T09:00:08-04:00Deacons look for dependable running back corps
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<img alt="Joshua Harris" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/VCGsBBRCDHxdljTlvlRtfKVnsI8=/0x0:4000x2667/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/17254153/20120922_ter_bb4_238.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Joshua Harris | Jeremy Brevard-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>Joshua Harris' uncertain future with Wake Forest University and its football team leaves Wake Forest searching for answers at the running back position.</p> <p>It's been eight seasons since Chris Barclay took the field in a Wake Forest football uniform, but he is never far from the mind of Demon Deacon coach Jim Grobe. Facing the media at this year's ACC Kickoff event, Grobe said more than once that he yearned for a "Chris Barclay-type" back to carry the load for his football team. Barclay, the 2005 ACC Player of the Year, lead the league in rushing on three occasions during his career but it was more than yards and touchdowns that endeared him to his head coach.</p>
<p>"Chris was a guy that could carry it 20-25 times a game and want it more," Grobe said. "I'd like to get to where we've got a guy that we can hand it to him a bunch and not worry about him. Somebody that wants a lot of carries, wants the ball in his hands."</p>
<p>Dependability at running back has been an issue for the Deacons over the past few seasons. Redshirt senior Joshua Harris' 2010 rookie campaign gave Deacon fans reason to believe the position was in good hands, but his durability became an issue in 2011. Harris' inability to get back on the practice field resulted in Grobe burning <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/134534/orville-reynolds">Orville Reynolds</a>' redshirt season. The Duncanville, Texas native rebounded to start 11 games in 2012, but he left two of those games with concussion-like symptoms. The latter injury was suffered early in the first half of the Deacons' loss at Notre Dame, and Harris sat out the finale against Vandy.</p>
<p>Now that Harris' senior season is in doubt, fans are wondering where the Deacons might turn to fill his shoes. The situation is even more troubling when one considers that Wake Forest has overhauled its pass-happy offense to establish more of a ground game. Next on the theoretical depth chart is <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/134535/deandre-martin">Deandre Martin</a>, but given Grobe's recent comments it might not be that simple. In fact, it's not just Harris' transgressions that have drawn coaches' ire. </p>
<p>"We've got some guys that are really not showing a lot of maturity right now as far as their workout habits, classroom habits- a lot of different things," Grobe said. "That running back group is probably the biggest disaster we've got right now. We don't really have a dependable guy right now in that whole group. We'll just kind of see how it sorts out."</p>
<p>After all the running back issues in 2011, Wake Forest fans were excited for the debut of the 6'2, 225-pound Martin last year. The redshirt sophomore scored 6 rushing touchdowns and displayed a capable set of hands, catching 16 passes out of the backfield. With his size and speed, the Hialeah-Miami Lakes product could be the Barclay-esque back that Grobe is looking for. That, Grobe indicated, is largely up to him.</p>
<p>"We've got a guy in Deandre Martin that could be that guy," he said. "I mean he's physically capable of being that guy. But he's got to show us a little bit more resolve off the field to have confidence in him on the field."</p>
<p>After Martin, the experience at the tailback position goes to nil. The aforementioned Reynolds is now a flanker being groomed to play a role similar to Michael Campanaro. Joshua Wilhite, a redshirt freshman from Fresno, Texas was a highly touted back coming out of high school. Wilhite spurned offers from Arkansas, Kentucky and Vanderbilt to play at Wake Forest. At the very least he should compete for playing time this season should Harris be ineligible. </p>
<p>Perhaps the more curious option is one Dominique Gibson, also a redshirt freshman. Gibson practiced the entire 2012 season at safety, but was moved to tailback at the start of spring practice. Stories abound about Gibson's exploits on the scout team, and he is highly regarded as one of the best athletes on the team. After Gibson, though, the Deacs are down to true freshmen Dezmond Wortham (who suffered an ACL tear during his senior season) and John Armstrong. However, with the lifting of the redshirt program, Grobe is determined to have an open competition.</p>
<p>"I'm equal opportunity," Grobe said. "If we hand you the ball and you gain 10 yards, I'm going to hand it to you again. If we hand you the ball and you don't gain anything, then it's Tanner's turn. It's going to be basically, you earn your carries. If you're not doing a good job you're not going to carry it."</p>
https://www.bloggersodear.com/2013/8/2/4570140/wake-forest-josh-harris-football-ncaa-deandre-martin-deaconsJ.P. Mundy2013-07-24T12:45:43-04:002013-07-24T12:45:43-04:00Campanaro, Whitlock named preseason All-ACC
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<img alt="Michael Campanaro at ACC Kickoff 2013" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/wdd4kYF91eD9Cq7KoR02nQZvhkI=/0x0:3999x2666/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/16836649/20130721_kkt_as1_034.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Michael Campanaro at ACC Kickoff 2013 | USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Wake Forest seniors Nikita Whitlock and Michael Campanaro were named Wednesday to the preseason All-ACC team, as voted by the media.</p> <p>Official Release: <a href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/2954455/2013_Preseason_All-ACC_Football_Team_Release.docx">All-ACC Team Release</a></p>
<p>Wake Forest football's talented senior class received more recognition Wednesday, as receiver <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/76727/michael-campanaro">Michael Campanaro</a> and defensive tackle <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/76739/nikita-whitlock">Nikita Whitlock</a> were named to the preseason All-ACC team by the voting media. This is Whitlock's second appearance on the preseason All-Conference team while Campanaro finds himself on the squad for the first time. Whitlock was the top vote-getter at his position, garnering 35 votes to Tar Heel Kareem Martin's 34. Campanaro received 20 votes to finish second in the voting for wide receiver, behind talented Clemson flanker Sammy Watkins. </p>
<p>Campanaro finished 2012 by earning a spot on the All-ACC second team, despite missing two games due to injury. He is expected to begin fall camp at full speed following offseason surgery. Whitlock was also a member of the All-ACC second team and like Campanaro is on several "watch lists" for college football postseason awards. He, too, was affected by the injury bug last season but is expected to be 100 percent ready to begin practice.</p>
https://www.bloggersodear.com/2013/7/24/4553156/campanaro-whitlock-wake-forest-preseason-all-acc-footballJ.P. Mundy2013-07-24T11:55:47-04:002013-07-24T11:55:47-04:00What should expectations be for Deacon football?
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<img alt="BB&T Field" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/r-0vIGJI3oLKhMhgcw2CO6oK7yA=/0x15:4000x2682/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/16831107/154762420.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>BB&T Field | Streeter Lecka</figcaption>
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<p>During a lengthy discussion Sunday night about ACC football, J.P. Mundy and Tomahawk Nation's Bud Elliott talked about Wake Forest, Florida State and the expectations of their respective fan bases. Elliot included a snippet of that discussion in his ACC Kickoff recap. Let's expound on that a little, and make ample use of the comment section, shall we?</p> <p>So I was minding my own business when Twitter let me know that my new friend <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sbnation.com/authors/bud-elliott">Bud Elliott</a> over at <a href="http://www.tomahawknation.com" target="_blank">Tomahawk Nation</a> had posted his <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2013/7/23/4548596/acc-football-kickoff-insider-notes" target="_blank">ACC Kickoff Notes</a>. He included a subsection entitled, "Expectations at Wake," in which he paraphrased (accurately) something Yours Truly said during a long discussion in the Media Hospitality room on Sunday night. It reads:</p>
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<p>"John Mundy, of SB Nation's Blogger So Dear, told me that many of the young fans who started cheering for Wake during the last decade don't remember the days of losing to Appalachian State or appreciate how much of an accomplishment it is for a tiny school like Wake Forest to field a competitive ACC team on a yearly basis."</p>
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<p>So, before I get tarred and feathered let's delve into this a little bit.</p>
<p>First, it's important to note the context of the discussion. What Bud and I had been discussing was the expectations of Wake Forest fans following the run of the "Fresh Deacs" era from 2005-2008, during which the Deacons handed Florida State three consecutive losses. My assertion was that expectations rose to an almost unreasonable level in rapid fashion. My contention is that the Fresh Deac era showed that Wake Forest CAN put a winner on the field, and more importantly, how that winning team was built.</p>
<p>To wit, the stars of that class weren't stars on National Signing Day. Aaron Curry wasn't "Aaron Curry" yet. Neither was <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/5650/alphonso-smith">Alphonso Smith</a>. Heck, you'll remember that Smith was actually benched for a good portion of that 2006 season. My point is that those mega-successful Deacon teams were a combination of "diamond in the rough" recruits, the swagger of the new Florida guys and a consistent team cohesiveness that is all too rare in this day and age. You could also say that certain traditional "power" teams weren't up to par. That's not Wake's fault, and they took advantage of it.</p>
<p>The challenges that come with Wake Forest football are still the same. Yes, convincing a recruit should be easier these days because of the record of success during the Grobe era. However, the obstacles of finding the right kids that will succeed at "Work Forest", positional depth and school size still remain. It's how one manages those obstacles at schools like Wake, Duke and Vanderbilt that should be the key measures of success.</p>
<p>For all those vehemently pointing at Vanderbilt, I admire what <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/115134/james-franklin">James Franklin</a> has done for that program. He has, from the looks of things, built a solid foundation to the Commodore program. But look closer. Vandy won its last seven games last year: hapless Auburn, UMASS, Kentucky, Ole Miss, Derek Dooley's Tennessee club, Wake Forest and finally N.C. State. Vanderbilt finished with a 5-3 conference record, yet none of those wins came against a club with a winning conference record. Heck, only Ole Miss finished 2012 with a winning overall record.</p>
<p>They have a good coach, did some really great things performance-wise on the field, and took advantage of the myriad opportunities they were given.</p>
<p>Sound familiar? Now, back to what I said regarding younger fans.</p>
<p>Let me start by saying this: Wake Forest University football (and basketball, for that matter) fans should have held a moment of silence for LOWF a long time ago. Wake Forest's athletic department has achieved conference and national success in both revenue sports, and there absolutely should be a "new normal" on Deacon Boulevard. That being said, being a competitive football school of any size in 2013 is a difficult proposition. It's made infinitely more difficult by the challenges I mentioned above.</p>
<p>My remarks about younger fans not remembering losses to Appalachian State are a testament to the demise of LOWF, and not a "Get off my lawn" moment. The Fresh Deacs, much like Tim Duncan and Chris Paul, erased decades of losing history by changing the face of their programs. There shouldn't be any fan left who is okay with only winning a few games every year.</p>
<p>My only caveat is that 1) it IS still hard for schools like Wake to compete in power conferences, and 2) Wake fans shouldn't, in my opinion, grouse about 7-5 and 6-6 seasons unless preseason expectations are higher.</p>
<p>Wake Forest is picked to finish fourth in the Atlantic by the ACC media this year. That tells me that someone, somewhere believes Wake can snag one of the many bowl slots allocated to the ACC. I personally believe that anything less than 7-5 would be a disaster for this year's squad, and that if the stars align they can win eight or nine games.</p>
<p>So now I'll throw it to you, dear readers. What do you think? Am I off base? Should Wake Forest fans have expectations akin to the Clemsons and Florida States of the world. You tell me? It's only an opinion.</p>
<p>Y'all play nice.</p>
https://www.bloggersodear.com/2013/7/24/4552560/aaron-curry-jim-grobe-wake-forest-football-florida-stateJ.P. Mundy2013-07-24T11:51:32-04:002013-07-24T11:51:32-04:00Football season begins at 2013 ACC Kickoff
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<img alt="Justin Jackson talks to the media at ACC Kickoff 2013" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/fLVrtazRk_4WxCR0pPl_nDyrRQs=/8x0:3990x2655/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/16831637/20130721_kkt_as1_032.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Justin Jackson talks to the media at ACC Kickoff 2013 | USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The annual ACC Kickoff is the official start to the college football season for ACC schools, and Blogger So Dear's J.P. Mundy was there to experience it firsthand.</p> <p>I couldn't get to Greensboro quickly enough.</p>
<p>Nearly eight months had passed since Vanderbilt put the finishing touches on a wretched football season for Wake Forest, thrashing the Deacons 55-21 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.bloggersodear.com/2012/11/28/3699696/the-view-from-section-2-a-photo-essay-not-really">in front of a sparse, disheartened crowd</a>. The 2012 Deacs were a continually unfolding disaster, beginning with a heart-pounding 20-17 escape over Liberty (Liberty!) and culminating with lopsided losses at N.C. State and Notre Dame before the Commodores came to town.</p>
<p>The product on and off the field was so abysmal that the faithful began directing vitriol once solely reserved for <a target="_blank" href="http://onlyfans.cstv.com/schools/wake/sports/m-footbl/mtt/steed_lobotzke_64735.html">Steed Lobotzke</a> towards head coach <a target="_blank" href="http://onlyfans.cstv.com/schools/wake/sports/m-footbl/mtt/jim_grobe_64603.html">Jim Grobe</a>. To some vocal critics, the wheels falling off of a single season signaled the imminent demise of a Deacon program that had failed to capitalize on the momentum gained during the era of the "Fresh Deacs" from 2005-2008.</p>
<p>To be fair, Wake Forest was a team that began the season with a shaky, untested offensive line. Compounding that fact was a rash of injuries and bad off-the-field decisions that cost talented players multiple games. When depth is a perennial problem for a program, losing numbers (for any reason) of that nature will put a team behind the proverbial 8-ball. Finally, following the season there were public tales of infighting that had worn the team down from the inside. It was, it seemed, a perfect storm of bad fortune for Grobe's charges that currently have wolves at the Deacons' doorstep howling for an improvement.</p>
<p>With that in mind, I headed to Grandover for the 2013 ACC Kickoff to talk with Deacon student-athletes <a target="_blank" href="http://www.wakeforestsports.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/justin_jackson_435916.html">Justin Jackson</a> and <a target="_blank" href="http://www.wakeforestsports.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/michael_campanaro_435696.html">Michael Camapanaro</a>, along with their head coach. In addition to gaining insight from those associated with the football program, I was also able to get a pulse from the ACC media on what they believed to be the Deacons' fate in 2013.</p>
<p>While many pundits aren't believers in the Wake Forest offensive line and have adopted a "wait-and-see" attitude for the newly revamped offense, there is a belief that the defense can be be much better, especially the secondary and linebacking corps. That said, the 2013 Deacons are <a target="_blank" href="http://www.theacc.com/#!/news-detail/ACC-Football-Kickoff-Media-Selects-2013-Favorite_07-22-13_fwr5fp">picked to finish fourth in the Atlantic by the ACC media</a>. Coaches, players and media members think that returning to a bowl is very possible for this experienced Wake Forest team.</p>
<p>In the coming days, Blogger So Dear will be posting the fruits of our efforts at the 2013 ACC Kickoff. I took our wonderful photographer, Dana Warren, with me on Sunday and he got some great shots that will be posted soon. Stay tuned to Blogger So Dear for updates as we anxiously await the start of the 2013 football season.</p>
https://www.bloggersodear.com/2013/7/24/4549046/acc-kickoff-2013-football-wake-forest-campanaro-jacksonJ.P. Mundy