Figuring out how to stop a top-notch wide receiver can be a bit of a headache for a football coach. Devising a plan to slow down two outstanding wideouts might mean some extra-strength Tylenol. And three talented receivers on one team? Suddenly that headache's become a migraine.
Wake Forest's trio of senior Thabiti Davis, junior Desmond Clark and sophomore Jammie Deese are responsible for a lot of pain around the Atlantic Coast Conference this season. Though as a group they're probably not as well known as North Carolina's quartet of Octavus Barnes, L.C. Stevens, Na Brown and Jason Peace, Demon Deacons coach Jim Caldwell feels they're every bit as good. Duke coach Fred Goldsmith agrees.
"The receivers, there's not a better trio [than] Davis, Clark and Deese around," Goldsmith said.
The numbers give that assertion some weight. All three receivers are in the top ten in the ACC in receptions, with Clark and Deese ranking second and third respectively. Together they are a big reason that Wake Forest enters this weekend's game second in the conference in passing at 277.6 yards per game.
Astute ACC observers should recognize two names from last year's final statistics. Clark and Davis finished two-three in the league in receptions last season, turning in numbers that were eerily similar. Clark totaled 61 catches for 782 yards and six touchdowns, while Davis pulled in 60 balls for 792 yards and three scores.
Wake Forest's game against N.C. State last season is a good example of the damage Clark and Davis can do to opposing secondaries. Shining in a losing effort, Davis rang up 132 yards on 12 catches while his running mate went for 110 yards. Clark also torched Duke for 137 yards and two touchdowns last year.
Meanwhile, Deese spent most of his freshman year learning the ropes. At the end of the season-when he caught 19 passes in four games-he flashed a bit of the talent he's shown this year. With Davis down a bit from his 1996 pace, Deese has stepped up to the tune of 42 catches in just seven games.
The effectiveness of the Deacons' receivers starts with their size. Clark and Davis have the type of size that makes college coaches smile and pro scouts drool.
"They list [Clark] at [six-foot-three] and they also list Davis at [six-foot-three]," Goldsmith said. "Clark seems taller... maybe it's because he's 238 pounds. Even when we were close to him he was taking the ball away from our people on some key plays on some key drives late in the game."
A height mismatch probably won't be a problem for Duke cornerback Tawambi Settles, who measures six-foot-three himself. But when you consider that the Deacons play many three, four and even five-receiver sets and throw in the fact that none of the other Blue Devil corners top five-foot-11, there could be some matchup problems.
In addition, Goldsmith admires the way the receivers run their routes.
"They run them faster than maybe they are," he said. "[They] really come and push you off, and then have the great ability to be going full speed and then just stop on a dime."
And if that isn't enough, Deese provides the passing game with an additional element: speed.
"Deese probably is the quickest, and so he causes you other problems," Goldsmith said. "I think sometimes they just have a step on people."
Goldsmith is hoping that won't be the case on Saturday. But he might want to keep the aspirin bottle handy, just in case.
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