Wake Forest Athletics
Wake Forest Football Spring 2000 Outlook
3/21/2000 12:00:00 AM | Football
March 21, 2000
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Wake Forest enjoyed its most successful football campaign under Head Coach Jim Caldwell in the fall of 1999, as a class of 26 seniors led the Demon Deacons to a 7-5 overall record and an Aloha Bowl victory on Christmas Day. The '99 season marked a major turning point for the program, and the Demon Deacons will look to build on that success in the coming year.
However, the loss of those 26 seniors -17 of whom were starters - leaves the Deacs' spring roster a bit thin. Wake Forest enters the spring campaign with numerous spots in the lineup up for grabs and a host of talented young players who are eager to fill those roles. The shorter roster will give Caldwell and his staff the chance to evaluate those young players more closely to find which of them will emerge as the Deacs' leaders for 2000. While Caldwell has no plans for any major changes to the the Deacs' offensive and defensive schemes, expect to see some position shifts at the end of the spring evaluation period.
"The great benefit of the spring season for us this year is that it will give us the opportunity to assess our talent and personnel," Caldwell said. With a reduced number of players we'll be able to get a very good feel for all of them and their strengths and weaknesses, and we can make adjustments accordingly."
DEFENSE
The cornerstone of the '99 Deacons was their defense, a unit which ranked among the nation's top 35 in every single statistical category. Wake lost nine of 11 starters from that imposing lineup, however, returning only second-team All-ACC defensive end Bryan Ray and cornerback Keyshorn Smith, both rising seniors. Ray posted a breakthrough campaign in '99 and firmly established himself as one of the top pass-rush specialists in the ACC. In his second year on the front line after converting from linebacker, Ray ranked second in quarterback sacks, collecting 10 for losses of 71 yards on the year. He also rated third in the league in tackles for loss with 19. As the Deacs' top returning tackler (52 hits), Ray will be expected to take on a larger leadership role this season.
The rest of the front line looks pretty thin, however, as tackles Fred Robbins and Kelvin Shackleford are gone, as are Kelvin Jones and Brad Smith, who split time at the other end, and reserve Rufus Taylor. In addition, rising senior Da'Vaughn Mellerson and junior Milo McGuire will miss the spring season while recovering from knee injuries. Big things are expected from rising junior Nathan Bolling (16 hits, 2 TFL), who had a strong '99 season and should earn a starting nod at one of the tackle spots. Rising sophomores Calvin Pace and Montique Sharpe should also have an opportunity to step up. Look for the Deacon coaches to move a few offensive linemen to the other side of the ball to help the depth problem up front.
All three of the Deacs' starting linebackers departed, most notably the "dynamic duo" of inside LBs Kelvin Moses and Dustin Lyman. But while the Deacs have their youngest linebacking corps in quite some time, it may also be their most talented. Rising junior Ed Kargbookorogie (13 tackles, 1 sack) has seen significant playing time over the past two seasons, particularly as a true freshman in '98 when Lyman and Moses were out with injuries. Rising senior Nick Bender (17 tackles) and junior Marquis Hopkins (18) also have solid experience, and sophomores Jamaal Argrow (9) and Roderick Stephen (8) showed great promise in their first season of play. Redshirt freshman Dion Williams will also compete for time, and spring newcomers Marcus Nesbitt and Kellen Brantley should contribute right away.
The secondary also has a strong crop of youngsters ready to step up after losing the outstanding senior trio of cornerback Reggie Austin and safeties DaLawn Parrish and David Moore. In addition to starter Keyshorn Smith (35 tackles, 1 int) at one cornerback spot, rising junior Adrian Duncan also returns (38 tackles, 3 int). Duncan split time with Smith at the corner in '99 and earned the starting nod in the Aloha Bowl due to his strong late-season play. At the safety spots, rising juniors Tehran Carpenter (14 tackles, 2 int) and Michael Clinkscale (7 tackles) come into the spring with the most playing experience after seeing significant time in '99, while rising sophomore Walter Simmons and junior Chris Justice could also contend for starting jobs. Redshirt freshmen Obi Chukwumah and Ricky Perez will also look to carve themselves roles in the backfield.
OFFENSE
Offensively the Deacs must cope with the loss of eight starters, including their season MVP, tailback Morgan Kane, and their Aloha Bowl MVP, quarterback Ben Sankey. Together, Kane and Sankey were the keys to Caldwell's run-oriented attack in 1999, combining for 92 percent of the Deacs' total offense (3062 of 3488 total yards).
Caldwell has no plans to change his emphasis on the ground game offensively, and will look to young players to carry on the torch that the departing seniors have passed on. At quarterback, Deacon fans should get their first good look at highly-touted rising sophomore C.J. Leak, who enters the spring as Wake's starting signal caller. Leak appeared in six games last season, albeit for brief periods of time, connecting on just 6 of 18 passes for 59 yards and adding 27 yards on the ground. An outstanding athlete with tremendous skills, Leak worked with WFU's second-team offense in practice last season, absorbing a complex offensive system and preparing to take the offensive reins. Leak will be pushed by another talented sophomore in James MacPherson, who boasts a strong arm and also took reps with the second team last year.
With Kane's departure, Caldwell will look to several young running backs as new ground threats. Rising senior Chris McCoy is the Deacs' top returning rusher, although with Kane carrying the ball a school-record-tying 275 times in '99, McCoy had only 32 carries for 128 yards. McCoy is a powerful runner who is also dangerous out of the backfield, however. Rising sophomores Jamie Scott (15 carries for 55 yards) and Tarence Williams (10 for 50) also showed great promise in limited action last year. A major key to the continued success of the Deacon running game will be the return of fullback Ovie Mughelli, a rising sophomore who established himself as a bruising blocker in his first season last fall. Mughelli will be counted on to continue to open holes for the tailbacks in 2000, and may see the ball in his hands more often as well. The return of junior Matt Myers to the squad should solidify the fullback spot for the Deacs.
When the Deacs do choose to go to the air, they will have a solid core of returning receivers to throw to, despite graduating one of the program's all-time best, Jammie Deese. Rising junior Jimmy Caldwell (19 catches for 161 yards), the coach's son who caught the game-turning 56-yard touchdown pass in the Aloha Bowl, leads a talented crop of youngsters with speed and sure hands. Rising senior Ira Williams led the team with a gaudy 16.5 yards per catch average in '99 (13 for 214), while junior speedster John Stone (7 for 75) and sophomore Fabian Davis (6 for 80) are also proven targets. At tight end, rising sophomore Ray Thomas and redshirt freshman Josh Warren will look to fill James Lik's (19 for 211) shoes. Newcomer Mark Moroz will also compete at the tight end spot.
Three starters on the offensive line are gone, including guards Sam Settar and Brian Wolverton, who barely missed a snap in the past three seasons. Wake does return two of the conference's rising stars in center Vince Azzolina and tackle Michael Collins, however. Both are rising juniors who started every game last year and were consistently outstanding in both run and pass blocking. Key returnees who will look to step in here include rising junior guard Michael Moosbrugger, who started four games last year when Settar was injured, as well as senior tackle Chris Blank and sophomore centers/guards Tim Bennett and Masanori Toguchi. Senior tackle Marlon Curtis, who has missed much of the past two seasons with shoulder problems, will also provide a veteran presence if healthy. Junior Marcus Kisner and transfer Blake Henry will miss the spring season after undergoing offseason knee surgery, but spring newcomers Seth Houk, a junior college transfer, and David Walters will help bolster the offensive line ranks.
SPECIAL TEAMS
The kicking game lost one of the best players in program history in Matthew Burdick, who left as the Deacs' all-time field goal leader. Rising junior Tyler Ashe will look to step into the placekicking slot after showcasing a powerful leg on kickoff duty the past two years. The punting job will be up for grabs between junior Matt Brennie, who averaged 36.6 yards per punt in the first 10 games last year, and sophomore James MacPherson, who punted impressively in the last two games when Brennie was nagged by a back injury.
The Deacons ranked among the nation's best in both kickoff and punt returns last fall, and a majority of the return game is back. Wake's biggest asset here is rising junior John Stone, who ranked as the nation's third-leading kickoff return man last year (29.9 ypr). Sophomore Fabian Davis (16.8 ypr) also received significant time on kickoffs last year. Top punt return man Reggie Austin is gone, but rising juniors Jimmy Caldwell and Adrian Duncan look to be fine replacements there.
2000 SCHEDULE (ALL TIMES TBA)
| Date | Opponent | Series |
| Aug. 31 | APPALACHIAN ST. | 13-6-1 |
| Sept. 9 | NORTH CAROLINA* | 30-64-2 |
| Sept. 16 | at Clemson* | 14-50-1 |
| Sept. 30 | VIRGINIA* | 11-30-0 |
| Oct. 7 | VANDERBILT | 3-5-0 |
| Oct. 14 | at Georgia Tech* | 6-16-0 |
| Oct. 21 | at Maryland* | 13-34-1 |
| Nov. 4 | DUKE* | 25-53-2 |
| Nov. 11 | FLORIDA STATE* | 2-15-1 |
| Nov. 18 | at Navy | -2-0 |
| Nov. 25 | at NC State* | 31-56-6 |
1999 RESULTS
(7-5 OVERALL, 3-5 ACC)
| Date | Opponent | Score | W/L |
| Sept. 11 | at Army | 34-15 | W |
| Sept. 18 | at Virginia* | 7-35 | L |
| Sept. 25 | NC STATE (25)* | 31-7 | W |
| Oct. 2 | RUTGERS | 17-10 | W |
| Oct. 9 | MARYLAND* | 14-17 | L |
| Oct. 16 | at Florida State (1)* | 10-33 | L |
| Oct. 23 | UAB | 47-3 | W |
| Oct. 30 | CLEMSON* | 3-12 | L |
| Nov. 6 | at North Carolina* | 19-3 | W |
| Nov. 13 | at Duke* | 35-48 | L |
| Nov. 20 | GEORGIA TECH (14)* | 26-23 | W |
| Dec. 25 | Aloha Bowl vs Arizona State | 23-3 | W |
PLAYERS TO WATCH IN 2000
Tyler Ashe - 5-11 178 Junior Placekicker
Excellent young kicker who lettered for the second time last fall ... has handled all kickoff duties for the Deacons for the past two years and will look to take over placekicking duties as well this year & possesses an exceptionally strong leg, booting the ball right-footed and soccer-style & the Deacs' best weapon on kickoffs, as his kicks are rarely returned ... booted 43 of 53 kickoffs into (or out of) the endzone in 1999, an 81 percent average ... 32 of those endzone kicks resulted in touchbacks ... tallied his first career tackle (an assist) on NC State's lone kick return ... got his first chance at field goal duty late in the UAB game, nailing both a 23- and a 46-yarder in the fourth quarter ... also attempted a 56-yarder vs. North Carolina as time expired in the first half, but the kick was blocked.
Vince Azzolina - 6-4 302 Junior Center
A key member of the Demon Deacon offensive line ... a talented up-and-coming player at his position in the ACC & earned his second varsity letter last fall ... possesses good footwork for his size and has excellent leg strength & a very intelligent player who brings an upbeat attitude and great work ethic to the practice field each day ... started all 12 games at center, playing nearly every offensive snap ... consistently received high marks from the Deacon coaches on his run- and pass-blocking abilities ... earned his first varsity letter as a redshirt freshman in 1998 when starter Marlon Curtis was sidelined with a shoulder injury & started four of the last five games of '98 at center ... topped the 300-lb figure in '99 after being listed at 289 in '98.
Nathan Bolling - 6-4 270 Junior Defensive Tackle
One of the top young defensive players in the WFU program & has played both end and tackle, but primarily served as a backup on the inside this past fall ... an extremely tenacious defender with excellent quickness ... part of the Deacs' rotation on the front line in 1999 ... started at tackle in the Aloha Bowl and made five tackles ... tallied 16 tackles in 10 regular-season games, including nine solo hits, two TFLs and a pass break-up ... tied his career high with six tackles (4 solo) in the season opener at Army ... has added almost 30 pounds to his frame since first enrolling at WFU & dressed for every game in '97, but was still redshirted & played in all 11 contests in '98 and started three games during midseason & tallied 31 tackles, including six TFLs and three sacks in '98.
Jimmy Caldwell - 5-10 176 Junior Wide Receiver
The Deacs' leading returning receiver ... has very good speed and deceptive quickness & saw action in all 12 games of 1999 ... finished as the team's third-leading receiver with 19 catches for 161 yards (8.5 avg) in regular-season play ... made a spectacular 56-yard touchdwon catch in the Aloha Bowl, the turning point in WFU's 23-3 win ... had a career-high six catches vs. Duke (for 48 yards) and a career-high 61 yards (on 4 catches vs. Virginia ... also served as the Deacs' holder on PATs and field goals ... often utilized as the third receiver in three-receiver sets ... the oldest son of WFU head coach Jim Caldwell ... lettered as a redshirt freshman last fall ... caught three passes for 48 yards, all in the season finale at Georgia Tech & received the "Beattie Feathers Award" last spring as the most improved offensive player.
Michael Collins - 6-6 318 Junior Offensive Tackle
A key member of the Deacon offensive line ... an exceptionally physical player who really enjoys the "combat" and challenge of line play & started every game of the '99 season at left tackle and played nearly every offensive snap ... consistently rated highly by the Deacon coaches for his game performances this fall ... played in every 1998 contest at offensive tackle, beginning the year as a top reserve behind Willie Lam, but then taking over as a starter the final half of the schedule & started six games & dropped a few pounds in the last offseason (he had played at 330-plus in '98) and improved his quickness and footwork & dressed for all 11 games as a true freshman but was able to use that as a redshirt year & one of the top overall performers in the Wake weightroom.
Adrian Duncan - 6-1 188 Junior Defensive Back
A two-year letterwinner who saw significant action at cornerback this past fall ... a quick player who excels in man-to-man coverage & did not start a regular-season contest but split time with starter Keyshorn Smith, seeing extended action ... started in the Aloha Bowl and made a team-high eight tackles ... tallied 38 tackles in 10 regular-season games, including 30 solo hits, two TFLs, a sack and two pass break-ups .. also led the team in interceptions with three picks for 71 yards ... registered a career-high nine tackles (7 solo) vs. Georgia Tech with two key plays - an interception in the second quarter and the recovery of Tech's second onside kick with 2:27 remaining in the game (with the score at 26-23) ... earned ACC Defensive Back of the Week honors that week ... had three tackles, a sack and an interception vs. Florida State ... also had an interception vs. UAB ... one of the true surprise players in 1998, making a significant impact in the secondary & saw his first career action as the Deacs suffered injuries to both starting corners during the year ... netted 16 tackles ... redshirted the '97 campaign.
C.J. Leak - 6-4 220 Sophomore Quarterback
Highly-regarded freshman who served as a backup to starting QB Ben Sankey throughout the season ... one of three true freshmen to see action for the Deacs in 1999 ... appeared in six games, completing 6 of 18 passes (.333) for 59 yards with one TD and one interception ... the TD came against the nation's top-ranked team on a 1-yard pass to Fabian Davis on the final play of the Florida State game ... worked with the No. 2 offense in practice (along with James MacPherson) ... one of the most highly regarded high school prospects ever to commit to Wake Forest & ranked as the premier quarterback in the South by Fox Sports South and the top QB/athlete by the Blue Chip recruiting service & a SuperPrep All-American and the 27th-best prospect in the nation at any position according to The Sporting News & was all-state as a senior at Independence High where he threw for 2,420 yards and 28 touchdowns (with only 6 interceptions) & also averaged 9.4 yards per rush (74 attempts for 695 yds) and scored 13 times as a ball-carrier & led Independence to two consecutive trips to the state playoffs & three-year high school career numbers were 5,884 yards passing with 63 TDs and just 12 interceptions & ran for 1,425 yards (9.8 per carry) and 36 scores during that time as well.
Chris McCoy - 5-7 216 Senior Running Back
The Deacs' leading returning rusher in 2000 ... a hard-nosed, hard-to-tackle ball-carrier and a quality receiver who can make yardage in the open field & two-year letterwinner ... played in all 12 games as a backup to tailback Morgan Kane ... also contributed on special teams ... carried the ball just 32 times, though, accumulating 128 yards (4.0 avg.) ... also caught four passes for 56 yards, including an 8-yard TD pass in the season-ending upset of No. 14 Georgia Tech ... posted career highs in carries (9 vs. FSU) and rushing yards (33 vs. NC State) ... also lined up as a kickoff return man on occasion ... in 1998, saw action in all 11 games in the backfield and was a contributor on special teams, too & did not see much playing time in the first half of the schedule, but emerged as a quality performer during the final four weeks & carried the ball only 15 times, but averaged a team-best 4.0 yards per attempt & more of a factor as a receiver, finishing fifth on the squad with 22 receptions & tallied a career-high 107 yards on six receptions vs. NC State & received the "Beattie Feathers Award" as the most improved offensive player in the spring of '98 ... appeared briefly in three contests in '97, gaining 18 yards on five carries and catching two passes & redshirted in 1996 after undergoing shoulder surgery.
Ovie Mughelli - 6-2 232 Sophomore Fullback
An invaluable part of the Deacons' potent ground attack in '99 ... possesses size, quickness and toughness & a true steamroller on the field who has demonstrated outstanding blocking ability ... blew open many a hole for 1,000-yard rusher Morgan Kane and the other Deacon running backs last fall ... a hard-nosed, physical player who simply loves to hit people ... the constant battering took its toll on his shoulders, however, as he suffered severe bruises and pinched nerves in both ... those injuries caused him to miss three games and hampered his playing time in other late-season contests ... carried the ball only 16 times on the year, but netted 80 yards for an impressive 5.0 average per carry ... had four carries for 32 yards vs. Georgia Tech, including a season-high 19-yard run ... redshirted the 1998 season, though he probably could have contributed right away ... added more than 30 pounds to his frame during that developmental season & ranks third on the team in the squat at 625-lbs & as a senior in high school, rushed for 2,167 yards and 29 touchdowns.
Bryan Ray - 6-3 250 Senior Defensive End
The Deacs' top returning defender in 2000 ... one of the top pass-rush specialists in the ACC, earned second-team All-ACC honors in 1999 & a three-year letterwinner who has started at defensive end the past two seasons ... found his way into the opposing backfield time and time again in '99 ... ranked second in the ACC with 10 sacks (for 71 yards), a figure which equals the second-highest single-season total in school history ... his 19 tackles for loss ranked third in the ACC and was also on the WFU single-season list ... recorded at least one TFL in 9 of 12 games and had one or more sacks in seven contests ... already ranks fourth on the Deacon career sack list (13) and seventh in TFLs (26) ... the team's fourth-leading tackler overall in '99 with 52 hits (34 solo) ... registered a career-high 12 tackles (9 solo), including two TFLs and a sack, in the season opener at Army ... followed that with seven tackles, three TFLs and two sacks vs. Virginia ... best game came the next week vs. NC State, though, when he collected six tackles, five TFLs and three sacks ... one of those sacks forced a fumble which set up a Deacon TD on the very next play ... earned ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week honors for that performance ... had eight tackles, three TFLs and two sacks vs. Duke ... tallied four tackles, two sacks and a fumble recovery in the Aloha Bowl ... a starter in nine of 11 games and a regular contributor in 1998 & put together a string of five consecutive outings in which he totaled five-or-more tackles & turned in an excellent performance at Clemson with six tackles, a sack, a forced fumble and four quarterback pressures & single-game high for tackles came at NC State when he recorded nine stops (5 solo) including a sack & finished ninth on the squad overall in tackles with 50...led the team in quarterback pressures with nine & originally a linebacker but switched to end during the 1997 season & did not play in first five contests of '97 & first appearance at end came in brief action at North Carolina & saw limited duty but earned his first varsity letter that year ... redshirted the '96 campaign.
Keyshorn Smith - 5-10 177 Senior Defensive Back
An aggressive, hard-working defender who started all 11 regular-season games at cornerback in 1999 ... three-year letterwinner ... netted 35 tackles on the year (24 solo) as well as two TFLs and a pass break-up ... made a key 35-yard interception return in the opener at Army, his first career pick ... netted a career-high seven tackles (6 solo) the next week at Virginia ... made six tackles at FSU ... split time with Adrian Duncan later in the year ... also a valuable special teams performer ... lettered in '97 and '98 primarily for his work on kick coverage units & played in eight games at corner in '98 & played a season-high 55 snaps vs. Navy with two starters sidelined by injuries & also played a key role in win at Maryland with a career-best five tackles (3 solo) & also contributed on kickoff coverage ... outstanding on kick coverage in '97, ranking second on the team with 10 tackles (7 solo) in that category & appeared briefly in five dates at corner & sat out '96 as a redshirt.
John Stone - 5-11 182 Junior Wide Receiver/Kick Returner
A youthful wide receiver with blazing speed who established himself as one of the nation's top kickoff return men in 1999 & played in nine games last fall, missing three contests with a toe injury ... led the ACC and ranked No. 3 in the nation in kickoff returns (29.9 ypr) ... returned a kickoff 99 yards for a TD vs. Duke, marking the longest return of any kind in school history ... caught seven passes for 75 yards (a 10.7 avg) in the last two regular-season games ... snared five passes for 67 yards (both career highs) vs. Duke ... scored a TD in the season opener vs. Army on a 15-yard reverse ... as a member of the WFU outdoor track squad, won ACC titles in the 100 and 200 meters last spring with school record times (10.37 and 20.61) & also a member of conference champion 4x100 relay squad with teammates Reggie Austin, Jammie Deese and Chris Justice & holds WFU indoor records in the 200 meters (21.52) and long jump (23'11.75") & appeared in all 11 games in '98 for brief periods of time & had nine receptions over six games & saw some action as a kickoff return specialist, totaling eight returns for 140 yards (17.5 per).
Ira Williams - 6-2 202 Junior Wide Receiver
A key individual in the Demon Deacon passing game in 1999 & has long arms and a strong, solid frame that can be a real advantage against smaller DBs & the team's fifth-leading receiver on the year, but averaged a team-high 16.5 yards per catch ... caught 13 passes over 12 games ... biggest day came against top-ranked Florida State, when he collected a career-high 62 yards on just two catches .. caught a 35-yarder in the first half (from Ben Sankey) and a 26-yarder (from C.J. Leak) on the game's final drive which resulted in the Deacs' lone TD ... caught a season-high four passes (for 24 yards) vs. Clemson ... the fourth-leading receiver in the Deacs' pass-oriented offense in '98 with 24 receptions & made receptions in nine of 11 contests & slowed by a rib injury in October ... had a season-high five catches (for 49 yards) in opener at Air Force & had two big plays against North Carolina - his season-long 43-yard catch set up one Deacon TD, and a 36-yard reception nearly helped the Deacs tie the game on final drive & had a career-best 91 yards receiving on the day vs. UNC ... made the travel squad but was redshirted in 1997.
