I’m guessing a lot of people around the country aren’t aware of the potentially remarkable season going at Wake Forest. The Deacs are often overlooked, but they shouldn’t be. Those of us that follow the ACC know what’s going in Winston Salem and it’s stunning in the best kind of way if you are a Wake Forest fan.
Saturday night Wake Forest defeated #19 NC State 30-24. The Deacs now sit 7-4 and host a mediocre Duke team next week. The could finish the regular season 8-4, with a chance at a 9 win season. In the playoff era the ACC has become of the premier football conferences in the country. The potential for upward mobility for a Wake Forest team that won 15 games from 2012-2015 seemed limited. Don’t tell that to Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson though.
Clawson has turned Wake Forest into a very good offensive football team. John Wolford is playing some of the best football in the ACC at the quarterback position, and Wake Forest has quietly followed up last year’s solid 7-6 season, with possibly a better one.
What Dave Clawson has done is not let Wake Forest be satisfied with their 2016 season. That could have been a high water mark for the Deacs, but Clawson and his team didn’t see it that way. Wake Forest can score and they are opportunistic on defense. They don’t make many mistakes, and now they no longer hope to win games. They know they can.
If Mark Richt hadn’t got Miami into the top 5, Dave Clawson would be a shoo in for ACC coach of the year at this point. Let’s not forget that Wake Forest lost one of their best offensive playmakers Greg Dortch for the season a few weeks back. Clawson has shifted the culture at Wake Forest every bit as much as Richt has done at Miami.
I have a feeling Wake Forest isn’t done this year turning heads. You can see it on the sidelines with the excitement of the Wake players. The Wake Forest team can sense a truly special season is within reach.
