Heading into his sixth year as the team's head coach, Jim Grobe hopes to recapture some of the momentum he had in his first two seasons but has since lost.
After a four-game turnaround for Wake Forest in 2001-Grobe's first year-followed by a victory in the Seattle Bowl in 2002, the Demon Deacons have finished the last three years under .500.
Still, there are some positive signs for Grobe's program. The Demon Deacons finished tied for fourth in the ACC's Atlantic Division in 2005, with a 3-5 league record. Perhaps more notable has been Grobe's performance against in-state rivals, leading Wake Forest to a 16-5 record against other North Carolina schools.
The turnaround of the program is due in large part to the Demon Deacons' improved running game. Since Grobe arrived, the team has rushed for 214.7 yards per game, more than any other team in the ACC.
Going into the 2006 season, however, Wake Forest's running game is on uncertain ground after the graduation of last season's starter and 2005 ACC Player of the Year, Chris Barclay. In the absence of Barclay, who finished his college career with three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, the Demon Deacons will look to last year's sophomore standout Micah Andrews for rushing support.
Also, the role of junior tailback De'Angelo Bryant will increase. How these two fill the big shoes of the departed Barclay will likely determine the fate of Wake Forest's season.
"That's a little bit scary on our part," Grobe said about the loss of Barclay, "We like Andrews. We like De'Angelo Bryant. We've got some good depth at running back."
The running game may be leaned on even more than expected if the Demon Deacons cannot rely on junior quarterback Benjamin Mauck. Mauck lost the starter's job last season, forcing senior Cory Randolph to abandon an attempted move from quarterback to wide receiver. Despite this history, however, Mauck claims he is not anxious.
"I'm not trying to put pressure on myself," Mauck said. "If I can execute and manage the offense, I think we can come out with a win."
With so much uncertainty, it is no wonder that expectations for the Demon Deacons going into the season are modest. With a favorable early schedule that features four home games in its first six contests, Wake Forest hopes to recapture some of the momentum Grobe's early teams had.
Grobe said his team is good enough to exceed the expectations and reverse a trend of underperformance.
"In the past we haven't performed as well as we need to," Grobe said. "We're just hoping this is a new football season and a new team and we'll play better than we have in the past. That's what we have to do to change people's opinions."
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