Wake Forest Football Hosts Maryland Saturday
10/4/1999 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 4, 1999
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Off to its best start in Head Coach Jim Caldwell's tenure, the Wake Forest football team looks for its third straight win as the Demon Deacons host Maryland in a conference tilt on Saturday, Oct. 9, at 12:00 noon in Groves Stadium. Wake Forest is fresh off a 17-10 victory over Rutgers, while Maryland is coming off its first loss of the season, a 49-31 loss to Georgia Tech in its ACC opener. A quick look at both teams:
WAKE FOREST MARYLAND Winston-Salem, NC Location College Park, MD 3,836 Enrollment 33,006 Atlantic Coast Conference Atlantic Coast Jim Caldwell Head Coach Ron Vanderlinden Iowa '77 Alma Mater Albion '78 20-50 (7th yr) Record at School 8-18 (3rd yr) 20-50 (7th yr) Career Record 8-18 (3rd yr) 3-8, 2-6 ACC 1998 Record 3-8, 1-7 ACC Multiple Offensive System Multiple Multiple Defensive System Multiple 15 (6/8/1) Starters Returning 17 (10/6/1) 50 (23/25/2) Lettermen Returning 33 (16/15/2)
Last Week in Review
Wake Forest rallied from a 10-0 deficit to defeat winless Rutgers, 17-10,
in front of 20,772 fans at Groves Stadium last Saturday. With the win, the
Demon Deacons improved to 3-1 on the season, the team's best start since
1987. The Deacs had two 100-yard performers on the day, as RB Morgan Kane
rushed for 120 yards and a TD on 34 carries - his third 100-yard rushing
effort in the first four games - and WR Jammie Deese caught six passes for
106 yards, including four third-down catches.
The Deacs got off to a sluggish start, as four of their first five possessions ended in punts and the other concluded with a 30-yard missed field goal by sophomore walk-on PK Kevin Church. Rutgers jumped to a 10-0 lead in the second quarter, scoring on a 35-yard field goal and a stunning 62-yard touchdown pass from Mike McMahon to Antoine Lovelace on the very next drive. The Deacon offense then awoke, responding with their longest scoring drive of the season. QB Ben Sankey piloted Wake 90 yards on 17 plays, converting five of five third-downs with deft passes. Sankey capped the drive with a 10-yard TD pass to Kane, cutting the deficit to 10-7 at the break.
The Deacon defense stepped up in the second half, forcing three turnovers and three punts on seven Rutgers drives (the seventh ended in a missed FG). Wake took the lead for good on a quick two-play drive in the third quarter, as Sankey hit a streaking Deese for a 46-yard pass down the middle. Deese was tripped up at the one by Robert Crenshaw, but Kane plunged into the endzone on the very next play to make it 14-10. The Deacs drove deep into Scarlet Knight territory again in the fourth, but were forced to settle for a 29-yard Matthew Burdick field goal. Rutgers last chance to generate a scoring drive ended when Jacki Crooks fumbled Matthew Brennie's 51-yard punt and Wake's Fabian Davis recovered the ball with 1:30 remaining.
Wake generated 196 yards on the ground in the win, controlling the ball for almost 36 minutes. Sankey added 167 yards in the air, completing 14 of 25 pass attempts SS David Moore led the defense with seven tackles (5 solo), an interception and a pass-break-up. The Deacs did not turn over the ball for the second straight game, something they haven't done since 1997.
The Series With Maryland
Wake Forest posted back-to-back wins against Maryland in 1997 and 1998 -
the first time the Deacs have done so since winning two in a row in 1967
and '68. The Deacs will be looking for a third straight win vs. the Terps,
something they've never done before. Overall, Wake Forest trails Maryland
in the all-time series, 33-13-1. The two schools first met in 1917 with
Maryland claiming a 29-13 decision on its home turf. They played twice
more in the 1940s before renewing competition on an almost-annual basis
with the formation of the ACC in 1954. Wake has faced the Terps every
season since '54 with the execption of 1970. The Deacs have only won three
times in 15 meetings with the Terps at Groves Stadium, the last being a
35-17 decision in 1997. That win snapped an eight-game Terrapin winning
streak at Groves which dated back to 1979.
Scouting the Terrapins
At 3-1, Maryland is off to its best start since 1995. The Terrapins, who
(like Wake) finished the '98 campaign at 3-8, jumped to an impressive 3-0
start this fall. Maryland posted impressive nonconference wins over Temple
(6-0), Western Carolina (51-10) and West Virginia (33-0) before dropping
their ACC season opener to No. 9 Georgia Tech (49-31) last Thursday. The
Terps boast one of the top defensive units in the ACC, ranking No. 1 in
scoring defense (14.8 ppg) and second in rushing defense (107.8 ypg) and
total defense (327.3 ypg).
Much like the Deacs, the Terps have displayed a bruising running game in the first four outings, averaging 221.3 ground yards per game. The ground attack is led by multi-purpose RB LaMont Jordan, who averages 110.5 rushing yards per game and leads the team in receiving (10 catches, 103 yds). In addition, Jordan threw a 60-yard touchdown pass vs. Georgia Tech, making him the fifth Terp to complete a pass this fall, along with starting QB Calvin McCall (46-of-89 for 651 yds, 3 TDs and 2 ints), backup QB's Trey Evans (1-of-3 for 72 yds and a TD) and Latrez Harrison (1-of-3 for 13 yds), and WR Doug Patterson (1-of-1 for 29 yds). Cornerback Lewis Sanders is also a versatile threat for the Terps, having entered last weekend leading the nation in interceptions (1.0 ipg) and kickoff returns (36.2 ypr).
Defensively, the Terps are led by LBs Marlon Moore (46 tackles, 21 solo, 1 TFL) and Aaron Thompson (45 tackles, 28 solo 7 TFL, 1 sack). Maryland's defense has forced its opponents to turn the ball over 14 times, while UM has done so just nine times, that +2.25 turnover margin is tops in the ACC and ranked best in the nation heading into last weekend.
Deacon Injury Report
Senior RB Kito Gary (broken arm): out, junior OT Marlon Curtis (shoulder):
out, senior LB Abdul Guice (strained knee): questionable, sophomore DB
Michael Clinkscale (hamstring): questionable, redshirt freshman FB Ovie
Mughelli (shoulder stinger): questionable, senior OG Sam Settar (sprained
knee/ankle): probable, sophomore LB Ed Kargbookorogie (hyperextended knee):
probable, junior CB Keyshorn Smith (quadriceps contusion): probable, senior
SS David Moore (knee contusion): probable, senior RB Morgan Kane
(hamstring): probable.
Head Coach Jim Caldwell
Jim Caldwell is in his seventh season as the head coach at Wake Forest and
his career record stands at 20-50. A native of Beloit, Wis., Caldwell
graduated from Iowa in 1977 with a degree in English literature and played
four seasons for the Hawkeyes as a defensive back. Caldwell's coaching
career includes assistant coaching stints at Iowa (1977), Southern Illinois
(1978-80), Northwestern (1981), Colorado (1982-84), Louisville (1985) and
Penn State (1986-92). He presently is chairman of the American Football
Coaches Association Ethics Committee and is a member of that organization's
Board of Trustees.
Caldwell Calls the Shots
Seventh-year head coach Jim Caldwell has taken on a new role this fall on
the coaching staff. In addition to his duties as head coach, he now has the
added responsibility of being the team's offensive coordinator. Caldwell
now calls the plays from the sidelines and scripts the play chart for each
game. His explanation: "I'm doing it primarily because I want to have more
influence on how we go about trying to win." Quarterbacks coach Jamie
Barresi and offensive line coach George Belu assist Caldwell with the
day-to-day duties assigned to the offensive coordinator.
A Man of His Word
When coach Jim Caldwell promised a greater commitment to the running game
this year, he certainly meant it. Wake Forest ranked last in the ACC in
rushing last year, managing only 65.4 yards per game. Through the first
four games of '99, however, Wake is averaging 215.5 rushing yards per game
- third-best in the ACC. Caldwell has called 216 running plays to just 73
passing plays this season, a 75 percent average. In the season opener, the
Deacons gained 320 yards on the ground vs. Army - the most by a WFU team
since a 396-yard effort vs. Maryland in 1993. The running game also
dominated NC State, as WFU piled up 314 ground yards. Four games into the
'99 season, the Deacs have 862 rushing yards, 143 more than last year's
season total of 719.
Kane Hits 500
Senior running back Morgan Kane has been the predominant weapon in Wake's
new run-based attack, rushing for 543 yards in the Deacs' first four games.
That makes him WFU's first 500-yard rusher since John Leach in 1993.
Kane's 135.8 yards-per-game average ranks second-best in the ACC and should keep him in the nation's top 10 rushers again this week. Kane has topped 100 yards rushing in three of the first four games, bringing his career total to six 100-yard efforts. He exploded for a career-high 211 yards in the season opener at Army, becoming just the fifth Deac to eclipse the 200-yard mark. It marked the seventh-best single-game rushing total in school history and was the first time a Deac had eclipsed the bicentennial mark since Leach's ACC-record 329-yard performance vs. Maryland in 1993.
Kane collected 147 yards and a career-high three TDs on the ground vs. NC State and rushed for 120 yards and a TD vs. Rutgers. His 543 yards through four games is already 89 yards better than his season rushing total last year (454).
WFU 200-Yard Rushing Performances
1. John Leach vs. Maryland (11/20/93) 329 (ACC Record) 2. James McDougald vs. Clemson (10/9/76) 249 3. Nub Smith vs. Wm & Mary (10/22/49) 246 4. Larry Hopkins vs. Clemson (10/17/70) 230 Larry Hopkins vs. Tulsa (10/16/71) 230 6. James McDougald vs. Duke (11/10/79) 213 7. Morgan Kane vs. Army (9/11/99) 211
Chasing 2,000
With Morgan Kane's 120-yard outing vs. Rutgers, the Canada native pushed
his career yardage total to 1,932, moving him two spots into seventh place
on Wake Forest's all-time rushing list. Kane is now just 68 yards shy of
the 2,000-yard career mark, he would become just the seventh Deacon ever to
achieve that feat.
WFU Career Rushing Yardage Leaders
1. James McDougald (1976-79) 3865 2. Michael Ramseur (1982-85) 3325 3. Topper Clemons (1982-85) 2479 4. John Leach (1990-93) 2362 5. Larry Hopkins (1970-71) 2212 6. Anthony Williams (1988-91) 2203 7. Morgan Kane (1996-pres) 1932 8. Larry Russell (1969-71) 1923 9. Mark Young (1986-88) 1827 10. Brian Piccolo (1962-64) 1735
Sankey's Turn
Senior Ben Sankey took over the starting quarterback duties for the Demon
Deacons in 1999 after waiting patiently for four years behind the school's
all-time leading passer, Brian Kuklick. In four games thus far, Sankey has
been more than impressive, earning a 135.1 efficiency rating and connecting
on 59 percent of his passes (41-of-70) with three TDs and one interception.
Sankey's great mobility makes him a threat on the ground as well, and he currently ranks second on the team (and 15th in the ACC) with a 35.3 rushing yards per game average. Take out the yardage lost on sacks (10 for -51 yards), and Sankey has gained 192 yards on his 40 rushes - a 4.8 average per carry and a 48.0 yards per game average. Sankey leads the Deacs in total offense (171.3 ypg) and ranks seventh in the ACC in that category. Prior to this year, Sankey had just two career starts to his credit, coming in the final two games of the 1997 season. The career line on Sankey:
Year G-S Comp Att Pct Yds TD Int Lg 1996 5-0 13 30 43.3 180 1 0 29 1997 6-2 54 93 58.1 606 1 5 43 1998 5-0 38 58 65.5 468 4 2 61 1999 4-4 41 70 58.6 544 3 1 46 Totals 20-6 146 251 58.2 1798 9 8 61
Deacs Earn First Win vs. a Ranked ACC Team in Groves
The Demon Deacons' win over No. 25 NC State on Sept. 25th marked Wake's
first-ever win over an AP-ranked ACC team in Groves Stadium. The Deacs had
only won three times in 58 previous contests vs. ranked conference foes
(3-54-1), and all three victories had come on the road - the last being a
24-19 decison at #14 North Carolina in 1979. With the win on Saturday, the
Deacs are now 13-86-1 vs. all AP-ranked teams and 4-18 in Groves Stadium.
WFU's last win over a Top 25 team at Groves Staidum (prior to State) was a 27-20 upset of No. 21 Northwestern in 1997.
And the Votes Are In
Wake Forest received a few votes in each of this week's Top 25 football
polls. In the Oct. 2nd Associated Press poll, the Deacs received four
votes, while the ESPN/USA Today Coaches' Poll awarded WFU three votes.
Wolverton, Ray Named ACC Players of the Week for Sept. 27
Wake Forest senior OL Brian Wolverton and junior DL Bryan Ray were named
the ACC Players of the Week on Sept. 27 for their performances vs. NC
State. Wolverton earned ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors after
grading out at 94 percent on the day and paving the way for a 266-yard
rushing effort. His play was particularly important given the injuries to
OG Sam Settar, OT Todd Hollowell and OT Marlon Curtis. Ray was named ACC
Defensive Lineman of the Week after recording six tackles, including five
tackles for losses of 26 yards and three sacks of for 24 yards. One of his
sacks forced NC State QB Jamie Barnette to fumble deep in his own
territory, setting up a 4-yard TD pass on the very next play to give Wake a
14-0 first quarter lead.
Deese Tops 100 Yards Receiving vs. Rutgers
For the second straight year, Wake Forest could see one of its players
break the ACC's all-time reception mark. Desmond Clark did it last year,
setting new WFU and ACC career marks with 216 receptions. This year,
senior wide receiver Jammie Deese has a shot to make Clark's tenure as the
reigning ACC recordholder a short one. Deese led the team and ranked
second in the ACC with 68 receptions last year - the second-best total ever
by a Wake Forest player. Last weekend, Deese recorded his eighth career
100-yard receiving game, catching six passes for 106 yards vs. Rutgers.
With 15 catches in the first four games of '99, Deese now has 167 career receptions, which ranks him for third all-time at WFU and ninth in the ACC. His 2,134 career receiving yards ranks fifth all-time at WFU.
WFU Career Reception Leaders
1. Desmond Clark (1995-98) 216 (1st ACC) 2. Ricky Proehl (1986-89) 188 (5th ACC) 3. Jammie Deese (1996-pres) 167 (9th ACC)
WFU Career Receiving Yardage Leaders
1. Ricky Proehl (1986-89) 2,949 2. Desmond Clark (1995-98) 2,834 3. Todd Dixon (1990-93) 2,466 4. Wayne Baumgardner (1979-81) 2,431 5. Jammie Deese (1996-pres) 2,134
Deese on Biletnikoff List
Senior wide receiver Jammie Deese has been named to the "Watch List" for
the 1999 Biletnikoff Award, presented annually to the nation's top
collegiate receiver. During the season, updates on the players considered
for the award can be found on the internet at www.biletnikoffaward.com.
On the Lam
Senior Willie Lam caused more than a few spectators to do a double-take
when the 6-4, 305-lb. offensive tackle caught a touchdown pass in the first
quarter of the NC State game. Lam, who regularly wears No. 62 and is
listed on the depth chart as a backup left tackle, occasionally dons a No.
94 jersey and lines up as a tight end. His surprise TD reception was the
first catch of his collegiate career and gave Wake a 14-0 lead over the
'Pack. A high school quarterback, Lam has added nearly 70 pounds to his
frame since enrolling at WFU and has played tight end, guard, and tackle
for the Deacs during his career.
Tight Ends Seeing More Action
Tight ends at Wake Forest have not garnered much of the offensive spotlight
in recent years, as they were primarily used as blockers. In 1998, Deacon
TEs made just 10 of the team's 255 catches, and in 1997, they snared just
13 of 244 air balls. This season, however, head coach and offensive
coordinator Jim Caldwell has begun to utilize his tight ends as receivers
more often. In addition to sending big Willie Lam (above) out on a pass
route or two, senior James Lik has been used quite a bit as a pass target.
In four games, Lik has caught five passes for 71 yards (a 14.2 average).
Other Targets
Don't let Wake's run-oriented attack this fall fool you into overlooking
the Deacons' potent arsenal of receivers. QB Ben Sankey has distributed
his 41 completions this year among 10 different receivers. Aside from
Deese, Lik and Lam (above), WRs Jimmy Caldwell (7 catches for 80 yards),
Ira Williams (3 for 52), Fabian Davis (2 for 30), William Merritt (2 for
19), and Marvin Chalmers (2 for 19) have all caught passes from the wideout
position. Out of the backfield, RBs Morgan Kane (3 for 16) and Chris McCoy
(1 for 23) are receiving threats as well.
Ray Leads ACC in Sacks, TFLs
Wake Forest junior DE Bryan Ray has truly stepped up to become a dominant
defensive force in the ACC this fall. Heading into the Rutgers game, Ray
led the ACC in tackles for loss with 10 and had also tallied a league-high
six sacks. Against the Scarlet Knights, Ray collected two more tackles for
losses of two yards to bring his season total up to 12 TFLs. A second-year
starter on the front line, Ray recorded 2 TFLs vs. Army, including a sack,
and three TFLs (2 sacks) vs. the Cavaliers. He had his best outing of the
year vs. NC State, netting five TFLs for 26 yards, including three sacks -
one of which forced the fumble that set up the Deacs' second touchdown.
That performance earned him ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week honors. On
the year, Ray has a team-high 29 tackles (21 solo). In his first season as
a starter in 1998, he netted 50 tackles, including six TFLs and two sacks.
Linebacker M*A*S*H Report
Wake Forest suffered a slew of injuries at the linebacker position last
season, losing starters Dustin Lyman and Kelvin Moses for the season with
knee injuries. Unfortunately, the LB curse carried over to the early '99
campaign as well. Wake is slowly starting to get its stellar linebacking
corp in healthy condition, however. Moses, who was granted a rare sixth
year of eligibility after last year's injury, and Lyman, who reinjured his
knee in preseason and was out for four weeks, have both finally returned to
the starting lineup. Moses started the Virginia game and saw limited
action, while Lyman came back the next week vs. NC State. Neither are yet
at 100 percent, but the return of the "dynamic duo" has had an immeasurable
impact on the Deacon defense. Senior Abdul Guice, who started in place of
Moses last year but injured his knee in '99 preseason camp, is also on the
mend. Guice will return to practice this week for the first time since
August and is listed as questionable for next week's game. Sophomore Ed
Kargbookorogie, who played last year as a true freshman due to the
injuries, hyperextended his knee against Virginia and missed the last two
games but is listed probable for the Maryland contest.
Parrish A Defensive Leader
Senior free safety DaLawn Parrish has a continued to be valuable defensive
leader for the Deacs this year. Parrish currently ranks second on the team
in tackles with 25 stops (16 solo), and he has snared two interceptions on
the year. He led the team in hits last year with 75, including a team-high
59 solo stops, and recorded 10 tackles-for-loss and two interceptions.
Parrish played most of the '98 season at safety, but moved to outside linebacker for the final four games of the season when injuries decimated the linebacking corps. This year, Parrish has a chance to earn All-ACC Academic honors for a fourth straight year, should he achieve that feat he would be just the fourth student-athlete in ACC history to do so.
Settar's Streak Snapped...
Wake Forest's "iron man," senior guard Sam Settar, saw his impressive
streak of consecutive plays snapped vs. NC State when he went down in the
first half with a sprained knee and ankle. Settar entered the game having
played every offensive down for the Deacons since 1997. Since joining the
starting lineup that year as a sophomore, Settar participated in 1,729
consecutive offensive plays before the injury, a streak covering 25 games.
... Wolverton Inherits Ironman Title
The Demon Deacons' other starting guard, senior Brian Wolverton, inherits
the "ironman" title now that Settar's streak has snapped. Wolverton has
also not taken a break since the 1997 campaign. He now has a string of
consecutive plays that dates back to the fourth period of the East Carolina
game that year (24 straight contests).
Mughelli Paves Kane's Way
One of the major reasons for Morgan Kane's success rushing the ball this
year is the incredible blocking of redshirt freshman fullback Ovie Mughelli
(pronounced Muh-HAY-lee). A true steamroller on the field, the 6-2,
232-lb. Mughelli has made quick work of numerous linemen and linebackers in
Kane's way this season. As Head Coach Jim Caldwell put it, "He just loves
to hit people." In addition to his strength (he can squat 625 lbs.),
Mughelli also possesses good quickness and is a talented ball-carrier.
Although he has not been utilized much as a ball-carrier yet at WFU, he rushed for over 4,500 yards and nearly 70 TDs in his high school career.
Gary Lost to Broken Arm
Wake suffered a blow to its rushing attack when senior tailback Kito Gary
suffered a broken left arm in the NC State game. Gary, an exeptionally
quick runner who was slowed by a preseason injury, had just returned to the
lineup vs. Virginia the previous week. He had surgery on the arm on Sept.
25 and will be out 6-8 weeks. In his career, Gary has totaled 526 yards on
140 carries, including 26 yards on eight carries in two games this year.
Placekicker Challenge
Wake Forest senior PK Matthew Burdick, who has been Mr. Consistency for
Wake over the past three years, finds himself challenged at the PK spot for
the first time in his career. Nagged by a groin injury since preseason,
Burdick is an uncharacteristic 4-of-8 on field goals this year (but a
perfect 11-of 11 on PATs). Thus, Coach Jim Caldwell has opened up the job
to a weekly "kick-off," giving all the PKs on the roster a chance to win
the starting job in practice. Last week's winner, sophomore walk-on Kevin
Church, got the call on Wake's first field goal attempt vs. Rutgers - the
first of his career - but he missed the 30-yarder. Caldwell went back to
Burdick to boot a 29-yarder late in the game to seal the win, and Burdick
also kicked both of WFU's extra points vs. the Scarlet Knights. Caldwell
has indicated that the "kick-off" is on again this week, however.
...But Burdick's is A Big Shoe to Fill
Beating out Burdick will not be easy, however. Last season, Burdick was a
semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award, presented to the nation's top kicker.
He has converted 34-of-52 field goal attempts in his career, including 24-of-27 (.889) from inside the 40. He has converted 63-of-66 career PATs and was 24-of-25 last year in that statistic. In 1997, Burdick booted 15 field goals, one shy of the WFU single-season record of 16 set by Wilson Hoyle in 1987. His 53-yard field goal vs. App State last year tied the school record for the longest kick. Burdick's career point total (165) ranks him for sixth on the WFU career scoring list, and his 34 career field goals are three shy of Hoyle's school record of 37.
WFU Career Scoring Leaders
1. Wilson Hoyle (1986-89) 230 2. Michael Ramseur (1982-85) 194 3. James McDougald (1976-79) 192 4. Larry Russell (1969-71) 180 5. Ricky Proehl (1986-89) 174 6. Matthew Burdick (1996-pres) 165
WFU Career Field Goal Leaders
1. Wilson Hoyle (1986-89) 37 2. Mike Green (1990-93) 34 3. Matthew Burdick (1996-99) 33
In Remembrance
Wake Forest senior PK Matthew Burdick sports a black armband this season in
memory of his older brother, Bryon, who died of leukemia in 1989.
First-Timers
Three true freshmen have already seen action for the Deacs this season -
the most for Wake since 1996. Highly-touted quarterback C.J. Leak has seen
action as a reserve QB in each of the first three games. Leak hasn't
completed a pass in just three tries, but has added 20 yards on the ground.
Injuries at the running back and linebacker position have forced RB Tarence Williams and LB Jamaal Argrow into action as well. Williams has contributed 48 yards on nine carries in three games, while Argrow has tallied five tackles (3 solo) in the first four games. Last season, Wake Forest redshirted 13 of the 14 members of its freshman class, and only four returning players on the roster have not redshirted during their careers (senior PK Matthew Burdick, senior SS David Moore, senior CB Reggie Austin, and sophomore LB Ed Kargbookorogie).
A Family Affair
Wake Forest football is a family affair for head coach Jim Caldwell. His
oldest son, Jimmy Caldwell, is a currently a sophomore wide receiver on the
team who looks to be a key member of the Deacon receiving corps this year.
Last year Jimmy lettered as a redshirt freshman, catching three passes for 48 yards. In the first four games this year, though, he's already caught seven passes for 80 yards, including a team- and career-high four catches for 61 yards vs. Virginia. The young Caldwell also serves as the holder on special teams for kicker Matthew Burdick, a role he also held when both were teammates at nearby Mount Tabor High School.
Kicking Ashe
Sophomore PK Tyler Ashe has also become a valuable weapon for the Demon
Deacons with his powerful leg on kickoffs. This season, Ashe has booted 16
of 19 kickoffs into (or out of) the endzone - 14 of which resulted in
touchbacks. Of the five kickoffs that opponents returned, they averaged
22.2 yards per return. Ashe even pitched in on kickoff coverage vs. NC
State, earning his first career tackle when he assisted Nick Bender in
bringing down State's Rahshon Spikes on the Wolfpack's lone kickoff return.
Petz Out
Wake Forest will be without junior DE Mat Petz for the 1999 season after he
was declared academically ineligible. Last season Petz accounted for 61
tackles, 15 tackles for loss and six sacks. His tackles for loss total was
the third best in the ACC. Petz will continue to practice this year and can
regain his eligibility for 2000.
A Veteran Lineup
Wake welcomed 14 starters (6 offense/7 defense/1 specialist) and 50
letterwinners (23/25/2) back this fall, including three starters from 1997
who missed most of the '98 campaign with injuries. With 24 fifth-year
seniors on the roster, Coach Jim Caldwell boasts the most experienced team
in his tenure at WFU. The returning starters and their cumulative career
starts: LB Kelvin Moses# (36), DT Fred Robbins (36), OG Brian Wolverton
(32), FS DaLawn Parrish (29), WR Jammie Deese (26), OG Sam Settar (25), LB
Dustin Lyman# (23), RB Morgan Kane (23), CB Reggie Austin (19), DE Kelvin
Jones# (19), DE Bryan Ray (13), LB Abdul Guice (11), OT Michael Collins
(10), OT Marlon Curtis (7). (# started in 1997 but missed most of '98 due
to injury)
Consecutive Starts
Several Deacs have long consecutive starting streaks heading into the
Maryland contest: DT Fred Robbins (32), OG Brian Wolverton (32), WR Jammie
Deese (26), FS DaLawn Parrish (26), and CB Reggie Austin (16).
Captains
The captains for the 1999 Wake Forest football team are wide receiver
Jammie Deese, quarterback Ben Sankey, linebacker Dustin Lyman and free
safety DaLawn Parrish, who were selected by their teammates in a preseason
vote.
Bachelor's Degree
Senior linebacker Abdul Guice picked up an impressive preseason honor this
summer, but it did not come in The Sporting News, Street & Smith, Athlon's,
Lindy's or any of the other annual football yearbook publications. Guice
was named the most eligible bachelor in North Carolina by Cosmopolitan
magazine in its July "All About Men" issue. Guice's neighbor, Ryan Smith,
saw an advertisement in the magazine and submitted his nomination. She
wrote a paragraph about him and included a photo from Guice's modeling
portfolio. Guice, a Taurus, enjoys cooking and writes poetry (Maya Angelou
is his favorite poet). As part of his listing, Guice's mailing address was
included in the magazine and he has several dozen letters inquiring about
his bachelor status. The attention has earned him a new nickname among his
teammates, "Cosmo." Guice is currently sidelined for 3-6 weeks with a
strained knee he suffered during preseason drills.
Speed Demons
Four members of the WFU football team made a tremendous impact during the
1999 ACC Outdoor Track & Field Championships, winning three league titles.
Wide receiver John Stone was involved in all three, capturing the 100- and
200-meters and combining with Reggie Austin (who was second in the 100),
Jammie Deese and Chris Justice to win the 4x100 relay. Deese had a full day
of activity last April 17th, driving from Clemson (site of the ACC
Championships) to Winston-Salem that afternoon to arrive in time to catch a
touchdown pass in the Deacons' Spring Game in Groves Stadium.
Deacons with Diplomas
The Demon Deacon roster includes eight players who have already earned
their undergraduate degrees and are enrolled in graduate programs at WFU.
Six fifth-year seniors graduated last May, and two others completed their
undergraduate degrees over the summer. The list of grads includes QB Dan
Bradley (Communications), PK Matthew Burdick (Education), LB Abdul Guice
(Sociology), LB Kelvin Moses (Communication), DB DaLawn Parrish (History),
QB Ben Sankey (History), TE Ben Stafford (Sociology) and OL Brian Wolverton
(Communication). Burdick completed his undergraduate degree this summer,
less than three years after he enrolled at WFU.
Academic Excellence
Part of the Wake Forest Football tradition is excellence in the classroom.
Last year, WFU was again recognized by the American Football Coaches
Association for having one of the top graduation rates in the nation. Wake
Forest was one of 25 schools to receive "Honorable Mention" status for
graduating over 70% of the freshman class that entered school in 1993. It
marked the eighth time in the last nine years that WFU has been among the
top institutions in this survey, including 1995 when the Deacs tied for the
best graduation rate in the country.
This summer, the NCAA released its annual graduation rates reports and Wake sported a 67 percent grad rate for its class that entered in 1992 - 17 percent higher than the national average of 50 percent. The University's overall graduation rate for all student-athletes was 69 percent, well above the national average of 58 percent.
Already an ACC Champion
Redshirt freshman punter Matt Brennie can already lay claim to being a
member of an ACC championship team. Last season, Brennie was on the roster
of Wake Forest's baseball squad that won its second consecutive ACC crown.
A knee injury forced Brennie to redshirt the season, but he is expected back on the Diamond Deacs' squad this spring as an outfielder. Brennie is currently averaging 36.7 yards per punt and has put 7-of-18 boots inside the 20 this year.
Getting Stronger
The dedication in the off-season conditioning program has paid tremendous
dividends for the Wake Forest football team in recent years. This season 34
Demon Deacon players bench pressed over 400 pounds during their annual
testing day. That's up from 24 players in 1998. In 1995 the team had only
one player top the 400-pound bench press mark. In 1994, no players
accomplished it. The top mark on the team of 465 pounds belongs to senior
defensive end Kelvin Jones.
A Cameron Legend
Sophomore LB Ed Kargbookorogie hopes to make as big of a bang on the field
for the Deacons this season as he did last year on the basketball court.
Kargbookorogie has already gained legendary status at Duke's Cameron Indoor Stadium among the Cameron Crazies. Last year, as a walk-on member of the men's basketball team, Kargbookorogie was taunted by the Duke fans during pregame warmups that he could not dunk. He responded by dunking the ball so hard that he shattered the backboard, delaying the start of the nationally-televised game by 23 minutes.
Wilburn Closes Out His Career
Senior DT Clinton Wilburn closed out his collegiate football career when he
left the Demon Deacon squad last week due to a medical condition. A
three-year letterwinner for the Deacs, Wilburn had tallied 100 career
tackles (50 solo) over the past three seasons, including two sacks. He
played in all 11 games last season, starting two, and collected 37 tackles
to rank 10th on the team. His best career outing was a 12-tackle effort
vs. Georgia Tech in 1996.
In the Red Zone
The Wake Forest offense has performed well in the red zone this year,
scoring on 13 of 16 attempts through three games (81.2 percent). Nine of
those scores were touchdowns, while four were field goals. On the
defensive side, Deacon opponents have gotten in the red zone 10 times and
scored nine times (90.0 percent) - six times on TDs and three times on
field goals.
Red Zone Scoring Att TD FG Fail Pct. Wake Forest 16 9 4 3 .812 Opponents 10 6 3 1 .900
THIS WEEK'S GAME
Opponent: MarylandDate: Oct. 9, 1999
Time: 12:00 noon
Site: Groves Stadium (31,500) Winston-Salem, NC
Television: Jefferson Pilot Sports Network
(WFMY TV-2 in Winston-Salem area)
Steve Martin (play-by-play)
Rick Walker (color analyst)
Jim Szoke (sideline reporter)
Radio: Wake Forest ISP Radio Network
(WXII 830 AM flagship)
Stan Cotten (play-by-play)
Ed Bradley (color analyst)
Mike Pratapas (color analyst)
Internet: Radio cybercast available at www.wakeforestsports.com
Tickets: Call 1-888-758-DEAC
Series: Maryland leads, 33-13-1
First Meeting: Maryland won, 29-13 (10/27/17 at Maryland)
Last Meeting: Wake Forest won, 20-10 (10/17/98 at Byrd Stadium)
In Groves: Maryland leads, 12-3
1999 WAKE FOREST SCHEDULE
Sept. 11 at Army* 34-15 W Sept. 18 at Virginia# 7-35 L Sept. 25 NC STATE+ 31-7 W Oct. 2 RUTGERS 17-10 W Oct. 9 MARYLAND+ 12:00 noon Oct. 16 at Florida State Oct. 23 UAB Oct. 30 CLEMSON Nov. 6 at North Carolina Nov. 13 at Duke Nov. 20 GEORGIA TECH* Fox Sports Net, # ESPN2, + JP Sports
LAST MEETING
WAKE FOREST 20, MARYLAND 10October 17, 1998 * Byrd Stadium (23,419)
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Wake Forest registered its second impressive ACC win away from home by defeating Maryland in Byrd Stadium, 20-10. The Deacs exploded for 17 unanswered points in the first half, then withstood a Terrapin comeback attempt in the final 30 minutes with a solid defensive effort. With the victory, the Deacons recorded consecutive wins over the Terps for the first time since the 1967 and 1968 seasons.
The Deacs were sharp from the outset, taking the opening kickoff and marching 47 yards in 11 plays for a Matthew Burdick field goal. The remainder of the first half belonged to the potent passing combination of Brian Kuklick and Desmond Clark, who hooked up on scoring plays of 26 and 9 yards in the second quarter. The WFU defense limited Maryland to only 99 yards of offense in the first half.
The Terps generated more offense following the break, but were halted on their first drive by a Mat Petz fumble recovery at the WFU 39-yard-line.
Maryland got on the scoreboard on a pass from running back Lamont Jordan (who also gained 132 yards rushing) to Jermaine Arrington. A Brian Kopka field goal then sparked thoughts of a comeback in the Homecoming Day crowd.
The Deacons were not to be denied, however, especially a defensive unit which forced one Terp punt, then came up with a pivotal interception by DaLawn Parrish to set up a game-clinching field goal with 3:27 to go.
In addition to the victory, Wake Forest celebrated Desmond Clark's rising to the top of the all-time pass receiving list in the ACC. The senior wideout caught two passes in the game's first five plays, the second of which was the 194th of his career. That catch moved him past Maryland's Jermaine Lewis, the former league recordholder.
SCORING SUMMARY
1st 2nd 3rd 4th Total
Wake Forest 3 14 0 3 20
Maryland 0 0 10 0 10
WFU - Burdick 46-yard field goal, 10:57 in 1st
WFU - Clark 26-yard pass from Kuklick (Burdick kick), 14:06 in 2nd
WFU - Clark 9-yard pass from Kuklick (Burdick kick), 6:50 in 2nd
MD - Arrington 68-yard pass from Jordan (Kopka kick), 7:33 in 3rd
MD - Kopka 36-yard field goal, 0:09 in 3rd
WFU - Burdick 34-yard field, 3:27 in 4th
WFU STATISTICS MD 20 First Downs 16 42 Rushing Attempts 32 68 Net Yards Rushing 127 34 Passes Attempted 31 22 Passes Completed 17 1 Had Intercepted 1 225 Net Yards Passing 207 293 Total Offense 334 5-46.2 Punts-Average 6-39.2 3-1 Fumbles-Lost 1-1 4-31 Penalties-Yards 8-105 35:12 Time of Possession 24:48
TOP INDIVIDUALS
RUSHING - (WF) Kane 20-41,
(MD) Jordan 20-132
PASSING -(WF) Kuklick 22-34-225-2tds-1int,
(MD) Jones 6-10-81-1int, Mastrole 10-20-58
RECEIVING -(WF) Clark 8-112-2, Deese 5-47,
(MD) Russell 5-50, Arrington 3-88-1
STATISTICAL COMPARISON
WFU Average UM 20.3 First Downs 16.0 215.5 Rushing Offense 221.3 136.0 Passing Offense 206.3 351.5 Total Offense 427.5 22.3 Scoring 30.3 157.3 Rushing Defense 107.8 171.0 Passing Defense 219.5 328.3 Total Defense 327.3 16.8 Scoring Defense 14.8 35.1 Net Punting 31.2 10.8 Punt Return Avg. 8.8 20.1 Kickoff Return Avg. 40.0 +1.00 Turnover Margin +2.25 31:52 Avg. Time of Poss. 30:09 .455 3rd Down Conv. Pct. .245 .750 4th Down Conv. Pct. .000 60.3 Penalty Yards 59.8 2.3 Sacks Per Game 1.5
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Wake Forest
Rushing Morgan Kane 135.8 ypg Receptions Jammie Deese 3.8 rpg Receiving Yards Jammie Deese 57.5 ypg Pass Efficiency Ben Sankey 135.1 pts Total Offense Ben Sankey 171.3 ypg Scoring Morgan Kane 10.5 ppg All-Purpose Morgan Kane 144.0 ypg Punt Returns Reggie Austin 10.3 ypr Kickoff Returns Jammie Deese 17.8 ypr Interceptions DaLawn Parrish 0.5 ipg
Maryland
Rushing LaMont Jordan 110.5 ypg Receptions LaMont Jordan 2.5 rpg Receiving Yards Jermaine Arrington 24.0 ypg Pass Efficiency Calvin McCall 119.8 pts Total Offense Calvin McCall 197.0 ypg Scoring LaMont Jordan 9.0 ppg All-Purpose LaMont Jordan 136.3 ypg Punt Returns Guilian Gary 8.8 ypr Kickoff Returns Lewis Sanders 36.2 ypr Interceptions Lewis Sanders 1.0 ipg
DEACS vs MARYLAND
Here are a few individual highlights for some current
Demon Deacons from previous games vs. Maryland:
Morgan Kane - 1998: 20 rush, 41 yds, 1997: 12 rush, 45 yds, 5 rec, 76 yds, 1996: 13 rush, 28 yds
Jammie Deese - 1998: 5 rec, 47 yds, 1997: 6 rec, 62 yds, 1996: 2 rec, 21 yds
DaLawn Parrish - 1998: 5 tackles, interception
Dustin Lyman - 1997: 8 tackles, 2 sacks, 1996: 4 tackles, 1 sack
Kelvin Moses - 1997: 7 tackles, 1 sack, 3 PBU, 1996: 11 tackles, 2 TFL
WFU IN THE ACC STATS
INDIVIDUAL
Rushing Morgan Kane 135.8 ypg 2nd
Ben Sankey 35.3 ypg 15th
Receptions Jammie Deese 3.8 rpg 6th
Receiving Yards Jammie Deese 57.5 ypg 6th
Passing Efficiency Ben Sankey 135.1 pts 4th
Total Offense Ben Sankey 1 71.3 ypg 7th
Morgan Kane 135.8 ypg 9th
Scoring Morgan Kane 10.5 ppg 2nd
Matthew Burdick 5.8 ppg 12th
All-Purpose Morgan Kane 144.0 ypg 4th
Jammie Deese 84.3 ypg 11th
Punt Returns Reggie Austin 10.3 ypr 5th
Kickoff Returns Jammie Deese 17.8 ypr 7th
Interceptions DaLawn Parrish 0.5 ipg 6th
Punting Matt Brennie 36.7 ypp 6th
Field Goals Matt Burdick 1.0 pg 4th
TEAM
Total Offense 351.5 ypg 6th Total Defense 328.3 ypg 3rd Rushing Offense 215.5 ypg 3rd Rushing Defense 157.3 ypg 8th Passing Offense 136.0 ypg 8th Pass Eff. Defense 114.9 pts 5th Scoring Offense 22.3 ppg 5th Scoring Defense 16.8 ppg 2nd Kickoff Returns 20.1 ypr 5th Punt Returns 10.8 ypr 5th Net Punting 35.1 ypp 5th 1st Downs 20.3 pg 4th 1st Downs Allowed 18.5 pg 3rd 3rd Down Offense .455 2nd 3rd Down Defense .436 9th Penalty Yards 60.3 ypg 5th Sacks 2.3 spg 5th Turnover Margin +1.00 4th
1999 ACC STANDINGS
ACC Overall
Team W L W L
Florida State 4 0 5 0
Clemson 2 0 2 2
Virginia 2 1 3 2
Wake Forest 1 1 3 1
Georgia Tech 1 1 3 1
Maryland 0 1 3 1
Duke 0 1 0 4
NC State 0 2 3 2
North Carolina 0 3 1 3
Last Week's Scores:
Georgia Tech 49, Maryland 31
Wake Forest 17, Rutgers 10
Florida State 51, Duke 23
Clemson 31, North Carolina 20
Virginia Tech 31, Virginia 7
This Week's Games:
10/9
Miami at Florida State ABC 12:00
Maryland at Wake Forest JP 12:00
Duke at Virginia 1:00
North Carolina at Georgia Tech ABC 3:30
Clemson at NC State ESPN2 8:00
GAME-BY GAME STARTING LINEUPS
OFFENSE
ARMY UVA NCSU RUT
WR Deese Deese Deese Deese
T Hollowell Hollowell Curtis Hollowell
G Settar Settar Settar Moosbrugger
C Azzolina Azzolina Azzolina Azzolina
G Wolverton Wolverton Wolverton Wolverton
T Collins Collins Collins Collins
TE Lik Lik Lik Lik
QB Sankey Sankey Sankey Sankey
FB Mughelli Mughelli Mughelli Mughelli
RB Kane Kane Kane Kane
WR Davis Lam (TE) Chalmers Davis
DEFENSE
ARMY UVA NCSU RUT
DE Ray Ray Ray Ray
DT Robbins Robbins Robbins Robbins
DT Shacklefd Shacklefd Shacklefd Shacklefd
DE Jones Jones Jones Jones
LB Hopkins Hopkins Lyman Lyman
LB Kargbo. Moses Moses Moses
LB DeOrio DeOrio DeOrio DeOrio
CB Austin Austin Austin Austin
FS Parrish Parrish Parrish Parrish
SS Moore Moore Moore Moore
CB Smith, Ky Smith, Ky Smith, Ky Smith, Ky
