It has been a season of disappointment for Demon Deacons.
But that didn't prevent them from showing their resilience last week to earn a double-overtime win against a division opponent before preparing to face the Blue Devils.
Wake Forest will be looking to pick up its fourth win of the season Saturday night at 7 p.m. at Wallace Wade Stadium, but it will have to take down in-state rival Duke for the first time since 2011 if it wants to finish on a high note. Head coach Dave Clawson's squad hopes to continue its momentum into this weekend's matchup after a thrilling 6-3 double overtime victory against Virginia Tech Nov. 22 gave the Demon Deacons their first ACC win of the season.
"It was a great scene," Clawson said. "It does a number of things. Number one, it certainly makes this week a lot better. After a win like that, guys are excited to play again. I expect to have a great week of practice. [The atmosphere] is nothing but positive."
As expected at the beginning of the season, 2014 has been a rebuilding year in Clawson's first year at the helm. The team took its greatest blow on the offensive side of the ball, losing its leading receiver in Michael Campanaro to the NFL and record-setting quarterback Tanner Price, who had been a staple under center for Wake Forest since 2009.
Without the duo of Price and Campanaro to carry the offense this season, moving the ball this season has been a challenge. Offensive coordinator Steed Lobotzke's unit is ranked 127th in the nation averaging just 14.3 points per game and its rushing offense averages only 37.0 yards per contest, which is dead last in the FBS. This adversity has put weight on the shoulders of true freshman John Wolford, who has taken the reigns of the Demon Deacon offense, starting all 11 games this season.
The Jacksonville, Fla., native has done a decent job with little firepower around him, completing 190-of-331 passes for 1,786 yards and nine touchdowns along with 14 interceptions. Senior wide receiver E.J. Scott,a transfer from Virginia, has been Wolford's favorite target, catching 47 passes for 488 yards and four touchdowns.
Along with Scott, true freshman tight end Cam Serigne will try to penetrate a talented Blue Devil secondary that has been one of the best this season at defending the pass, but was shredded by North Carolina quarterback Marquise Williams last Thursday night in a 45-20 loss to the Tar Heels.
If Wolford cannot kickstart the struggling offense against Duke's 20th-ranked defense, it will be up to the defense to put Wake Forest in a position to win their second ACC game this season.
Last weekend, the stingy Demon Deacon defense held the Hokies to just 254 total yards and forced three turnovers, rendering Virginia Tech scoreless in regulation. In the second overtime, the unit came up with a huge sack on third-down that forced the Hokies to attempt a 53-yard field goal, which kicker Joey Slye missed.
Moments later Wake Forest kicker Mike Weaver nailed the game-winning field goal to win 6-3. It wasn't a pretty win, but it was a defensive win. Clawson is hoping his defense can continue its solid play Saturday night in Durham and Duke is well aware of its next opponent's biggest strengths.
"The game against Virginia Tech was a solid football game, when you talk about defense and the kicking game," Duke head coach David Cutcliffe said. "That's been Wake Forest's strength all year long."
There might be a chance at the defensive win if the Demon Deacons can stifle Duke's rushing attack. In their three losses this season, the Blue Devils have only rushed for an average of 114.0 yards. But in Duke's wins, redshirt senior quarterbacl Anthony Boone and a quartet of running backs have racked up 214 yards per game, which has opened up the field for big plays through the air.
Should Wake Forest somehow stifle the run, it will be able to fall back on its pass defense, which ranks 11th in the nation allowing only 176.9 yards per game. Redshirt senior cornerbacks Merill Noel and Kevin Johnson are hoping to extend Boone's woes through the air, but defending the speedy Jamison Crowder and 6-foot-6 wideout Issac Blakeney in their final home games won't be easy.
The high school teammates have carried the Duke receiving corp, combining for 106 receptions, 1,254 yards and 11 touchdowns this seasons. Crowder will be looking for gaps in the Demon Deacon secondary and could be poised for a big day, as he only needs 160 yards to pass 1,000 receiving yards for the third straight season.
"You have a quarterback as experienced as Boone, you have a dynamic play-maker like Crowder, their other receivers are excellent players," Clawson said. "They have three really good tailbacks. Their leading rusher [Shaun Wilson] isn't even listed on their depth chart."
The Demon Deacons haven't used the offseason changes as an excuse for this season's performance, which has not been a total bust considering the team lost three games against Louisville, Boston College and Louisiana-Monroe by ten points or less and was tied with a talented Clemson team entering the fourth quarter until the Tigers pulled away for a 34-20 win Nov. 6.
If Wake Forest can pull out a victory against a once-nationally ranked Blue Devil squad, it would carry some important momentum into spring practice and the 2015 season.
"We've been in a lot of close games this year," Clawson said. "To find a way to beat a good football program and get an ACC win was a great moment for our program, especially our seniors. But we've got to turn the page and get ready for a very good Duke team."
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