100% Cotten
10/11/1999 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 11, 1999
More 100% Cotten
by Stan Cotten
Like most Wake Forest football fans, I left Saturday's game between the Deacs and Maryland Terrapins with an empty feeling deep in my gut. Wake was so close, only to come up short in a game that sent the Terps back to College Park 4-1. The Demon Deacons would have had the same 4-1 worksheet if they could have matched a near flawless third quarter against Maryland in which the Deacs took the lead with an 80-yard drive and limited Maryland to just six offensive snaps and two punts.
But it was a second half of two distinctively different quarters.
"Obviously we were able to move the ball pretty well in the third quarter, and we controlled it, too," said Coach Jim Caldwell following the game. "We just couldn't put it back to back."
"It was in the fourth quarter that we really had poor field position, primarily because their punter did a heck of a job."
A huge play in the fourth period was one fans of both Wake Forest and Maryland will be talking about for a long time. With the Deacons in the lead 14-7 and the Terps backed up to their 30 following a penalty on a punt return, redshirt freshman quarterback Calvin McCall found himself in the cross hairs of oncharging Deacon defensive end Kelvin Jones. A sure sack and loss of ten yards turned into a backbreaker for the Deacs.
McCall somehow slipped under Jones' rush, dumped the ball to Lamont Jordan who broke a tackle or two and raced 70 yards for the tying touchdown. In the twinkling of an eye, the Terps believed they could win.
And they did.
"They made a big play," said Caldwell. "That's what you have to do, but the game didn't boil down to that particular play. It was just highlighted because of the point in time when it happened. There were a number of plays in the game we just didn't come up on the positive side of."
Close, but not to be. Back to work for the Deacs' toughest test of the season, a visit to Tallahassee and Florida State. The Seminoles, with or without Peter Warrick, are the best team in football.
McCoy Sees Playing Time
It has been good to see Winston-Salem's Chris McCoy see playing time for the Deacs. A fan favorite, the Reynolds High School product was inserted late in the Maryland game at running back when Wake needed to move the ball quickly to get in position to try to tie the game with a field goal or perhaps take the lead with a touchdown. McCoy has very dependable hands out of the backfield and made a great catch in front of the Maryland bench on a crucial third down play to pick up a Deacon first down.
"I wanted to take the role of running the ball this year," admitted McCoy after the game. "But anyway I can get on the field to help the team I'll do it. Right now it's in the passing game. I'm just happy to be in there."
McCoy has caught three passes for 48 yards this season, tied with Morgan Kane for most catches among Wake's backfield members to date. McCoy led all Deacon backs in 1998 with 22 receptions for 215 yards and two touchdowns. He has rushed the ball ten times this season for 52 yards and is second on the team to Tarence Williams in yards per carry at 5.2.
Mughelli On The Run
Callers to Jim Caldwell's weekly radio show have been asking when fullback Ovie Mughelli would get to carry the ball more. Mughelli, a punishing blocker whom Caldwell describes as "the best in our conference" at moving defenders out of the way, had just one carry prior to the Maryland game. Against the Terps, though, Mughelli was called on four times to rush the ball. He picked up 13 yards including one 5-yard burst.
Redshirt freshman Mughelli led Porter-Gaud High School in Charleston, South Carolina, as a senior to state runner-up honors while piling up 2,167 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns. He might have to wait at least a week to get any more carries for the Deacons, though. Mughelli injured a shoulder against the Terps and is listed as doubtful for Saturday's game with Florida State.
Tough To Bounce Back In Tallahassee
If I had to pick a place to go play to try to rebound from a loss, Tallahassee would make my top five places not to go. Wake Forest doesn't have a choice. The Deacs have won once at the home of the Seminoles. That was 40 years ago.
Wake Forest has yet to defeat Florida State anywhere since the 'Noles invasion of the ACC in 1992. Their best chance was last season, but Florida State prevailed 24-7. The Deacs have averaged a defeat deficit of 41.1 points to the Seminoles over the last seven years.
Improving The Run
The Deacs continued improvement of their running game against Maryland Saturday with 144 yards. The Deacs have turned that phase of their attack around to the tune of plus 135.8 yards a game. If the Deacs can hold that pace, they would set an ACC record for the greatest single season improvement ever.
