Wake Forest Athletics
Wake Riding High After Big Win
9/27/1999 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 27, 1999
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The Wake Forest football team looks for its second straight win as the Demon Deacons host Rutgers in a non-conference tilt on Saturday, Oct. 2, at 6:30 p.m. in Groves Stadium. Wake Forest is fresh off a convincing 31-7 upset of No. 25 NC State, while Rutgers is coming off a 27-7 loss to Boston College in its Big East opener. A quick look at both teams:
WAKE FOREST vs RUTGERS Winston-Salem, NC Location New Brunswick, NJ 3,836 Enrollment 33,583 Atlantic Coast Conference Big East Jim Caldwell Head Coach Terry Shea Iowa '77 Alma Mater Oregon '68 19-50 (7th yr) Record at School 7-29 (4th yr) 19-50 (7th yr) Career Record 22-35-2 (6th yr) 3-8, 2-6 ACC 1998 Record 5-6, 2-5 Big East Multiple Offensive System Multiple Multiple Defensive System 4-3 15 (6/8/1) Starters Returning 17 (6/9/2) 50 (23/25/2) Lettermen Returning 48 (19/25/4)
Last Week in Review
Morgan Kane rushed for 147 yards and a career-high three touchdowns as Wake
Forest rolled over No. 25 NC State, 31-7, in front of 23,450 fans at Groves
Stadium last Saturday. The win was the most lopsided in Jim Caldwell's
tenure and marked WFU's largest margin of victory since a 40-6 win over
Vanderbilt in 1992. The Demon Deacons utilized a bruising running game to
flatten the Wolfpack, piling up 266 yards on the ground while holding State
to just 26 rushing yards.
The Deacs got on the board early, as Kane powered Wake into the endzone on its first drive of the game. Less than a minute later, a Bryan Ray sack forced Wolfpack QB Jamie Barnette to fumble deep in his own territory, and Kelvin Jones recovered the ball on the State 4-yard line. On the very next play, Ben Sankey hit 305-lb. offensive tackle Willie Lam (who lined up as a tight end) in the endzone to make it 14-0 less just 8:37 into the game. The Wolfpack responded with an 80-yard touchdown drive to cut it to 14-7, but a Matthew Burdick field goal and a 45-yard scoring drive set up by another State fumble gave Wake a 24-7 halftime lead. The Deacs ate up the clock on the ground in the second half, putting the ball in the air just three times. A 64-yard drive midway through the third quarter, capped by Kane's third TD run of the day, sealed the upset.
Sankey completed 7-of-13 passes for 101 yards and added 35 yards on the ground for the Deacs. Ray continued to be a defensive force for Wake, tallying six tackles, including three sacks and two other tackles for loss, as well as the forced fumble. LB Dustin Lyman returned to the lineup for the first time in a year and netted five tackles.
Deacs Earn First Win vs. a Ranked ACC Team in Groves
The win over No. 25 NC State on Saturday 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.
The Series With Rutgers
This week's game marks just the second-ever meeting between Wake Forest and
Rutgers. The two squads first squared off in 1997, when the Deacs earned a
28-14 decision in New Jersey (see summary on page 2).
Scouting the Scarlet Knights
After going 0-11 in Head Coach Terry Shea's first season in 1997, Rutgers
showed dramatic improvements to post a 5-6 mark last fall. The Scarlet
Knights have struggled in the early '99 campaign, though, dropping their
first three games to enter this week's contest at 0-3. After falling to
California (21-7) and Texas (38-21), Rutgers dropped its Big East season
opener last week to Boston College, 27-7. The Knights played the game
without starting halfback Jacki Crooks, who was serving a one-game
suspension for violating team policy. BC's Cedric Washington rushed for
147 yards and two touchdowns against Rutgers, who managed just 79 yards on
the ground without Crooks. The Scarlet Knights' only score came on a
56-yard TD pass from quarterback Mike McMahon to Errol Johnson in the third
quarter, which cut the deficit to 13-7. But the Eagles struck back quickly
with a three-play, 74-yard touchdown drive to cement the game. Through
three games, Rutgers has averaged 313 yards of offense per outing (91 run,
222 pass) while allowing opponents 359 yards (182 run, 177 pass). The
Knights have turned the ball over eight times, and racked up nearly 200
penalty yards. McMahon has completed 47-of-103 passes (.465) on the year
for 666 yards with three TDs and 5 interceptions. Crooks averaged 96 yards
on the ground in the first two games, while WR Errol Johnson has 10
receptions for 207 yards (69.0 ypg) through three outings. Defensively,
LB's Jabari Moore (43 tackles, 1 sack) and Dax Strohmeyer (32 tackles, 4
sacks) lead the Scarlet Knights.
Deacs vs. the Big East
Rutgers is the only Big East team the Demon Deacons have faced since the
league began football conference play in 1991. Wake Forest currently owns
an 18-31-3 all-time record vs. schools that are currently members of the
Big East football conference, however.
Deacon Injury Report
Senior LB Abdul Guice (strained knee): out, senior RB Kito Gary (broken
arm): out 6-8 weeks, senior OG Sam Settar (sprained knee/ankle): doubtful,
junior OT Marlon Curtis (shoulder): doubtful, sophomore DB Michael
Clinkscale (hamstring): questionable, sophomore LB Ed Kargbookorogie
(hyperextended knee): questionable, senior DE Brad Smith (sprained knee):
questionable, senior OT Todd Hollowell (shoulder sprain): probable,
freshman RB Tarence Williams (hip pointer): probable, junior DE Bryan Ray
(concussion): 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 19-50. 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
three games of '99, however, Wake is averaging 222 rushing yards per game -
third-best in the ACC. Caldwell has called 159 running plays to just 48
passing plays this season, a 77 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. Wake ran the ball on 56 of
its 69 offensive plays vs. the Cadets (81 percent). Against Virginia, the
Deacs stuck to the run early on (22 of 29 first-half plays were runs), but
took to the air more in the second half after falling behind 28-7. The
running game dominated NC State last week, as WFU piled up 314 ground yards
and ran the ball 84 percent of the time (66 of 79 plays). Three games into
the '99 season, the Deacs are just 53 yards shy of last year's season
rushing total of 719 yards.
Morgan on the Move
Senior running back Morgan Kane has been the predominant weapon in Wake's
new run-based attack, rushing for 423 yards in the Deacs' first three
games. His 141.0 yards-per-game average currently ranks Kane as the ACC's
second-leading rusher. Kane exploded for a career-high 211 yards on 32
carries in the season opener at Army, becoming just the fifth Deacon to
eclipse the 200-yard rushing 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 John Leach's ACC-record 329-yard performance
vs. Maryland in 1993. After netting 65 rushing yards in the loss at
Virginia, Kane collected 147 yards and a career-high three TDs on the
ground vs. NC State - his fifth career 100 yard game. His three-game total
of 423 yards is just 31 short of his total rushing yardage for all of last
season and puts him just 77 yards shy of becoming the school's first
500-yard rusher since 1993. Kane's 147 yards vs. NC State pushed his
career yardage total to 1,812, propelling him two spots into ninth place on
Wake Forest's all-time rushing list, just ahead of the legendary Brian
Piccolo.
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. Larry Russell (1969-71) 1923 8. Mark Young (1986-88) 1827 9. Morgan Kane (1996-pres) 1812 10. Brian Piccolo (1962-64) 1735
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
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 three games thus far, Sankey has
been more than impressive, earning a 140.6 efficiency rating and connecting
on 60 percent of his passes (27-of-45) with two 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 30.7
rushing yards per game average. He leads the Deacs in total offense (156.3
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. His first career start, coincidentally, came
against Rutgers in '97. 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 2-2 20 32 62.5 276 1 1 33 Totals 18-4 125 213 58.7 1530 7 8 61
On the Lam
Senior Willie Lam caused more than a few spectators to do a double-take
last Saturday, 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 at left tackle, has
occasionally donned a No. 94 jersey and lined up as a blocking tight end
this season. His surprise TD reception on Saturday was the first catch of
his collegiate career and gave Wake a 14-0 lead over the Pack just 8:37
into the game. 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 durting his career He lettered for the first time in
1997, working on special teams and as a backup guard. In 1998 he switched
to tackle and saw a good deal of action in the early season before being
slowed by a hamstring injury. In high school, he threw for more than 2,600
yards and 25 touchdowns in his junior and senior seasons.
Settar's Streak Snapped
Wake Forest's "iron man," senior guard Sam Settar, saw his impressive
streak of consecutive plays snapped last Saturday 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.
In 1997 he participated in 786 plays, then upped that total to 804 last
fall. Settar's Ripken-like streak almost came to an end last season in the
season finale at Georgia Tech. During halftime, a cut on his knee required
stitches from the Deacon training staff. As soon as the last stitch was in
place, Settar bolted from the lockerroom and straight onto the field for
Wake's first offensive play. The Demon Deacons' other starting guard,
senior Brian Wolverton, also never took a break during the 1998 campaign.
He now has a string of consecutive plays that dates back to the fourth
period of the East Carolina game in 1997 (23 straight contests).
Gary Lost to Broken Arm
Wake did suffer 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.
Deese Takes Aim
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. With nine catches in the first three games of '99,
Deese now has 161 career receptions, which ties him for third all-time at
WFU and 14th in the ACC. His 2,028 career receiving yards ranks sixth
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. Thabiti Davis (1994-97) 161 (14th ACC) Jammie Deese (1996-pres) 161 (14th 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. James Brim (1983-86) 2,040 6. Jammie Deese (1996-pres) 2,028
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.
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 contributed 32
yards on seven carries in two games but missed last week's game with a hip
pointer. Argrow has added four tackles (two solo) in the first three 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.
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 three games this year, he's already caught five
passes for 71 yards, including a team- and career-high four passes 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.
Linebackers Still Plagued by Injuries
Wake Forest suffered a slew of injuries at the linebacker position last
season, losing starting ILB's Dustin Lyman and Kelvin Moses for most of the
season with knee injuries. Unfortunately, the LB curse seems to have
carried over to '99 as well. Senior Abdul Guice, who started in place of
Moses last year, is currently out with a strained knee. Lyman reinjured
his knee in preseason and was out for four weeks, but returned to the
lineup last week on a limited basis. Moses, who was granted a rare sixth
year of eligibility, has slowly worked his way back after a one-year
recovery period and saw time vs. both Virginia and NC State. Coinciding
with Lyman and Moses' return, however, was an injury to sophomore Ed
Kargbookorogie, who hyperextended his knee against Virginia and missed the
NC State game. He is listed as questionable for this week's game.
Ray Steps Up on Defense
With several injuries to key defensive players, Wake Forest junior DE Bryan
Ray has stepped up to become a dominant defensive force this fall. Through
three games, Ray has tallied a team-high 25 tackles (18 solo), including
six sacks and seven other tackles for loss. Ray, a second-year starter on
the front line, recorded a team-high 12 hits in the win over Army,
including one sack, and added seven hits and two sacks vs. the Cavaliers.
Last week vs. NC State, he netted six tackles, tincluding three sacks. One
of those sacks forced a fumble deep in Wolfpack territory which set up the
Deacs' second touchdown in the first quarter. Last season, Ray started
nine of 11 games and was ninth on the team in tackles with 50 on the year.
Parrish on the Pick
Senior free safety DaLawn Parrish has proven to be a talented thief in the
early season, picking off two passes in the first three games. That 0.7
interception-per-game average ties Parrish for second in the ACC this
season. Parrish currently ranks second on the team in tackles with 21 stops
(12 solo). 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, he would become just
the fourth student-athlete in ACC history to do so.
Burdick Gets His Kicks
Wake Forest senior PK Matthew Burdick has established himself as one of the
best placekickers in the country. Last season he was a semifinalist for the
Lou Groza Award, presented to the nation's top kicker. Burdick has
converted 33-of-51 field goal attempts in his career, including 23-of-26
(.884) from inside the 40. He has made 61-of-64 PATs in his career 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 (160) ties him for sixth
on the WFU career scoring list, and his 33 career field goals are four shy
of Hoyle's school record of 37. This year, Burdick is 9-of-9 on PATs and
3-of-7 on field goals, after missing two FGs vs. both Virginia and NC
State. The UVa game marked the first time in Burdick's career that he
missed two field goal in a game.
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. Mike Green (1990-93) 160 Matthew Burdick (1996-pres) 160
WFU Career Field Goal Leaders
1. Wilson Hoyle (1986-89) 37 2. Mike Green (1990-93) 34 3. Matthew Burdick (1996-99) 32
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.
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 with the team
this year and can regain his eligibility for the 2000 season.
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 12
of 15 kickoffs into (or out of) the endzone - 10 of which resulted in
touchbacks. Of the five kickoffs that opponents were able to return, they
averaged 22.2 yards per return. Ashe even pitched in on kickoff coverage
last week, when he earned his first career tackle when he assisted Nick
Bender in bringing down NC State's Rahshon Spikes on the Wolfpack's lone
kickoff return.
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# (35), DT Fred Robbins (35), OG Brian Wolverton
(31), FS DaLawn Parrish (28), WR Jammie Deese (25), OG Sam Settar (25), LB
Dustin Lyman# (22), RB Morgan Kane (22), CB Reggie Austin (18), DE Kelvin
Jones# (18), DE Bryan Ray (12), LB Abdul Guice (11), OT Michael Collins
(9), OT Marlon Curtis (7). (# started in 1997 but missed most of '98 due
to injury)
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.
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.
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.
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 37.6 yards per punt and has put 5-of-11 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.
Consecutive Starts
Several Deacs have long consecutive starting streaks heading into the
Rutgers contest: DT Fred Robbins (31), OG Brian Wolverton (31), WR Jammie
Deese (25), FS DaLawn Parrish (25), OG Sam Settar (25), CB Reggie Austin
(15). Settar is currently listed as doubtful for the Rutgers game after
suffering a sprained knee and ankle vs. the Wolfpack last week.
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.
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 10 of 12 attempts through three games (83.3 percent). Seven of
those scores were touchdowns, while three were field goals. On the
defensive side, Deacon opponents have gotten in the red zone nine times and
scored eight times (88.8 percent) - six times on TDs and twice on field
goals.
Red Zone Scoring Att TD FG Fail Pct. Wake Forest 12 7 3 2 .833 Opponents 9 6 2 1 .888
THIS WEEK'S GAME
Opponent: Rutgers
Date: Oct. 2, 1999
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Site: Groves Stadium (31,500),
Winston-Salem, NC
Television: none
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: Wake Forest leads, 1-0
First Meeting: Wake Forest won, 28-14
(11/8/97 at Rutgers Stadium)
Last Meeting: Wake Forest won, 28-14
(11/8/97 at Rutgers Stadium)
In Groves: First meeting
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 6:30 pm 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 28, RUTGERS 14
November 9, 1997 * Rutgers Stadium (41,500)
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - On a cold and rainy afternoon in Rutgers Stadium, Wake Forest emerged with a win in this first-ever confrontation between the ACC and Big East representatives.
Things came fairly easily to the Deacons in the early going as they spurted to a two-touchdown lead over the winless Knights (0-9 entering the game). Herman Lewis continued his excellent play over the latter half of the 1997 campaign with a 16-yard TD run, then Dameon Daniel picked off a Rutgers pass and returned it to the Knight 22-yard-line to set up a short scoring drive. Matthew Burdick's 32-yard field goal early in the second period put the Deacs on top 17-0.
Rutgers rallied behind freshman quarterback Mike McMahon, who guided his team on an 11-play, 60-yard drive for one score, then another three-play possession that included three straight completions totaling 65 yards-the final one a 37-yarder to Walter King. Suddenly, it was a game again. The Demon Deacon defense rose to the occasion after halftime, though, limiting Rutgers to only two first downs and a mere 35 yards in total offense over the last two quarters. A conservative WFU offense padded the Deacon advantage with a field goal by Matthew Burdick, then capitalized on a key defensive play to clinch the victory.
D'Angelo Solomon's 39-yard interception return gave Wake possession on the Rutgers 34, and it took only three running plays for the Deacs to reach paydirt. Wake Forest was dominant in time of possession, keeping the ball for more than 38 minutes of the game. Defensively, the Deacs collected three sacks and held the Knights to 33 net yards on the ground overall. Quarterback Ben Sankey, in his first career start, connected on 14-of-20 passes for 158 yards.
SCORING SUMMARY
1st 2nd 3rd 4th Total
Wake Forest 14 3 11 0 28
Rutgers 0 14 0 0 14
WFU - Lewis 16-yard run (Burdick kick), 7:45 in 1st
WFU - Sankey 1-yard run (Burdick kick), 0:36 in 1st
WFU - Burdick 32-yard field goal, 10:54 in 2nd
RU - Holland 12-yard pass from McMahon
(McDonald kick), 3:50 in 2nd
RU - King 37-yard pass from McMahon
(McDonald kick), 0:08 in 2nd
WFU - Burdick 22-yard field goal, 1:16 in 3rd
WFU - Lewis 15-yard run (Sankey run), 0:21 in 3rd
WFU STATISTICS RU 19 First Downs 9 62 Rushing Attempts 20 188 Net Yards Rushing 33 20 Passes Attempted 34 14 Passes Completed 17 0 Had Intercepted 3 158 Net Yards Passing 192 346 Total Offense 225 3-45.3 Punts-Average 7-43.3 0-0 Fumbles-Lost 1-1 5-48 Penalties-Yards 10-73 38:08 Time of Possession 21:52
TOP INDIVIDUALS
RUSHING - (WF) Lewis 36-129-2, Kane 8-51
(RU) Crooks 10-37
PASSING -(WF) Sankey 14-20-158
(RU) McMahon 17-34-192-2tds-3ints
RECEIVING -(WF) Davis 5-48, Clark 3-66
(RU) King 3-71-1
STATISTICAL COMPARISON
WFU Average RU 20.0 First Downs Per Game 21.0 222.0 Rushing Offense 91.0 125.7 Passing Offense 222.0 347.7 Total Offense 313.0 24.0 Scoring 11.7 181.3 Rushing Defense 182.0 142.7 Passing Defense 177.0 324.0 Total Defense 359.0 19.0 Scoring Defense 28.7 36.1 Net Punting 31.7 12.5 Punt Return Avg. 4.9 20.3 Kickoff Return Avg. 19.8 0.0 Turnover Margin -1.6 30:39 Avg. Time of Possession 29:48 .467 3rd Down Conversion Pct. .298 1.00 4th Down Conversion Pct. .400 52.0 Penalty Yards Per Game 66.3 3.0 Sacks Per Game 2.7
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Wake Forest
Rushing Morgan Kane 141.0 ypg
Receptions Jammie Deese 3.0 rpg
Receiving Yards Jammie Deese 41.3 ypg
Pass Efficiency Ben Sankey 140.6 pts
Total Offense Ben Sankey 156.3 ypg
Scoring Morgan Kane 10.0 ppg
All-Purpose Morgan Kane 147.3 ypg
Punt Returns Reggie Austin 12.2 ypr
Kickoff Returns Jammie Deese 17.8 ypr
Interceptions DaLawn Parrish 0.7 ipg
Rutgers
Rushing Jacki Crooks 96.0 ypg
Receptions Errol Johnson/L.J. Smith 3.3 rpg
Receiving Yards Errol Johnson 69.0 ypg
Pass Efficiency Mike McMahon 99.9 pts
Total Offense Mike McMahon 216.0 ypg
Scoring Steve Barone 3.0 ppg
All-Purpose Dennis Thomas 101.3 ypg
Punt Returns Jacki Crooks 5.3 ypr
Kickoff Returns Dennis Thomas 27.5 ypr
Interceptions none
DEACS vs RUTGERS
Here are a few individual highlights for some current Demon Deacons from the last game vs. Rutgers in 1997:
Morgan Kane: 8 rushes for 51 yds
Ben Sankey: *first career start
14-of-20 for 158 yds, no TD, no int
Jammie Deese: 2 receptions, 34 yds
Dustin Lyman: team-high 7 tackles (5 solo), 1 PBU
Kelvin Moses: 6 tackles (5 solo), 2 TFL, 1 sack
Kelvin Shackleford: 6 tackles (4 solo), 3 TFL, 1 sack
Da'Vaughn Mellerson: 4 tackles (4 solo), 1 TFL, 1 int
WFU IN THE ACC STATS
INDIVIDUAL
Rushing Morgan Kane 141.0 ypg 2nd
Ben Sankey 30.7 ypg 15th
Receptions Jammie Deese 3.0 rpg 14th
Receiving Yards Jammie Deese 41.3 ypg 14th
Passing Efficiency Ben Sankey 140.6 pts 2nd
Total Offense Ben Sankey 156.3 ypg 7th
Morgan Kane 141.0 ypg 9th
Scoring Morgan Kane 10.0 ppg 3rd
Matthew Burdick 6.0 ppg 8th
All-Purpose Morgan Kane 147.3 ypg 3rd
Jammie Deese 77.0 ypg 11th
Punt Returns Reggie Austin 12.2 ypr 4th
Kickoff Returns Jammie Deese 17.8 ypr 7th
Interceptions DaLawn Parrish 0.7 ipg 2nd
Punting Matt Brennie 37.6 ypp 5th
Field Goals Matt Burdick 1.0 pg 4th
TEAM
Total Offense 347.7 ypg 5th Total Defense 324.0 ypg 3rd Rushing Offense 222.0 ypg 3rd Rushing Defense 181.3 ypg 9th Passing Offense 125.7 ypg 8th Pass Eff. Defense 116.5 pts 6th Scoring Offense 24.0 ppg 5th Scoring Defense 19.0 ppg 4th Kickoff Returns 20.3 ypr 5th Punt Returns 12.5 ypr 4th Net Punting 36.1 ypp 3rd 1st Downs Offense 20.0 pg 5th 1st Downs Defense 19.3 pg 5th 3rd Down Conv. Off .467 2nd 3rd Down Conv. Def .463 9th Penalty Yards 52.0 ypg 2nd Sacks 3.0 spg 3rd Turnover Margin 0.0 6th
1999 ACC STANDINGS
ACC Overall
Team W L W L
Florida State 3 0 4 0
Clemson 1 0 1 2
Virginia 2 1 3 1
Wake Forest 1 1 2 1
Maryland 0 0 3 0
Duke 0 0 0 3
Georgia Tech 0 1 2 1
NC State 0 2 3 2
North Carolina 0 2 1 2
Last Week's Scores:
Virginia Tech 31, Clemson 11 (Thurs.)
Wake Forest 31, NC State 7
Florida State 42, North Carolina 10
Vanderbilt 31, Duke 14
Virginia 45, Brigham Young 40
This Week's Games:
9/30 Maryland at Georgia Tech ESPN 8:00
10/2 Florida State vs. Duke @ Jacksonville JP 12:00
North Carolina at Clemson ABC 3:30
Virginia Tech at Virginia ESPN2 6:00
Rutgers at Wake Forest 6:30
GAME-BY-GAME STARTING LINEUPS
OFFENSE
ARMY UVA NCSU
WR Deese Deese Deese
T Hollowell Hollowell Curtis
G Settar Settar Settar
C Azzolina Azzolina Azzolina
G Wolverton Wolverton Wolverton
T Collins Collins Collins
TE Lik Lik Lik
QB Sankey Sankey Sankey
FB Mughelli Mughelli Mughelli
RB Kane Kane Kane
WR Davis Lam (TE) Chalmers
DEFENSE
ARMY UVA NCSU
DE Ray Ray Ray
DT Robbins Robbins Robbins
DT Shacklefd. Shacklefd. Shacklefd.
DE Jones Jones Jones
LB Hopkins Hopkins Lyman
LB Kargbo. Moses Moses
LB DeOrio DeOrio DeOrio
CB Austin Austin Austin
FS Parrish Parrish Parrish
SS Moore Moore Moore
CB Smith, Ky Smith, Ky Smith, Ky
