Going into his 12th year with the program, I really like what Jim Grobe has done with the Demon Deacons. They are not yet ready to compete for the conference crown, but I think they have some nice pieces in place, and should surprise some teams this year.
JR QB Tanner Price is a very accurate passer who shows good mobility too. I think he needs to develop his leadership a bit more, but for some that comes with time. He is entering his Junior year, though, so we may start to see some of that from him. JR RB Joshua Harris is a very good athlete too, but like Price, he needs to stay healthy if Wake Forest hopes to compete. The receiving corp has lost their start from a year ago, Chris Givens. Now, the diminutive Michael Campanaro is going to be asked to carry the load. He may be small, but he plays with hart and hustle. At the collegiate level, sometimes that is enough. The o-line is a big question mark in 2013 though. They have lost a lot of experience, leaving them to start three guys who are either FR or SO. This is where it could all unravel for the Deacons.
Defensively they have some good players too. JR NT Nakita Whitlock is way undersized at 5-11, 260lbs, but he plays much, much bigger. He is a disruptive force up front and he can be very difficult to handle sometimes. The linebackers are going to be led by SR MLB Scott Betros, who is a tough, physical player. He needs to not only replace the production, but the leadership lost with the matriculation of last years leader, Kyle Wilbur. In the secondary, Wake Forest will have super SO, Bud Noel covering their opponents top threat. As a FR, Noel tied for a FBS best 21 pass deflections. If he continues to develop this year, he could be in line for a monster year.
Wake Forest will not be mistaken for Florida State anytime soon, but the are a very well coached program with some talented, if not undersized players. If this team can stay healthy, I see them causing some trouble for anyone looking past them.
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