Wake Forest Athletics
WFU Post-Game Notes
8/30/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 30, 2003
The Wake Forest win:
-- lifts its all-time record to 367-553-34
-- raises its record in season openers to 49-50-3
-- moves its record against Boston College to 6-3-2
-- is the 58th straight game without being shutout
-- marks the 16th (of 25) games in the Jim Grobe era at WFU decided by seven points or less
-- means WFU has won three of its last four road season openers (also 1999 at Army, 2001 at ECU)
WFU Game Captains
#25 Quintin Williams, #77 Tyson Clabo
First Career Starts
On offense, seven players earned their first career starting nod: #17 Randolph (QB), #28 Barclay (RB), #5 Davis (WR), #95 Josh Warren (TE), #72 Bryant (LT), #75 Vallos (RG), #66 Adkins (RT).
Only three players on defense started for the first time in their careers at BC - all three along the line: #85 Nichols (LE), #52 Stukes (NT) and #91 Finklea (91).
Running Back Plague
The Deacon running back corps took hits early and often, as the No. 1, 2 and 3 backs on the depth chart all exited the game with injuries in the opening quarter. Starter Chris Barclay sprained an ankle on his first carry, a three- yard gain and did not return until the fourth quarter. Back-up Cornelius Birgs also sprained an ankle on his opening carry, but returned and was able to play most of the game. Third-string Dominic Anderson suffered a twisted left knee and did not return to the game.
First TD Scored By "D"
Wake Forest's first touchdown of the 2003 season was scored by the Deacon defense, when Jamaal Argrow caused a QB fumble and Warren Braxton picked it up and had 53 yards of open field into the endzone. Coming up with the turnover is not unfamiliar territory for either of these players, as Argrow played a role in four opponent fumbles last season and Braxton had two interceptions in addition to being involved in four fumbles as well.
For WFU, it is the first defensive touchdown since the Duke game on Oct. 12, 2002, when Kellen Brantley had a 29-yard interception return for a TD. It was the first fumble recovery for a TD since Bryan Ray fell on the ball in the endzone versus UNC in 2000.
Idlette on the Run
Redshirt freshman Willie Idlette's 75-yard touchdown run on WFU's first drive of the second half goes down as:
-- the 8th longest rush in school history
-- the 7th longest scoring run in school history
-- the longest rush since a 76-yarder by Kito Gary at East Carolina, Sept. 13, 1997
-- the 2nd-longest rush by a freshman (true or redshirt) in school history (rookie Morgan Kane had an 80-yarder in 1996)
Interestingly, Idlette had 29 more yards on that one run than the entire WFU offense had in the first half (46 yards).
Plackemeier's Punting Picks Up
Sophomore punter Ryan Plackemeier, a Ray Guy Award candidate, averaged 50.6 yards on four punts, over eight yards more than his average a year ago. Plackemeier was the beneficiary of a favorable roll, when, punting out of his own endzone in the first half, he slipped and pooched the punt, but the ball rolled at least 30 yards past midfield to go down in the books as a 55-yard boot. That wasn't his longest of the day, however, he kicked a 56-yarder in the fourth quarter.
Plackemeier also took on placekicking duties in the second half, as Matt Wisnosky missed a first-half PATand struggled on the ensuing kickoff. He missed a 44-yard field goal attempt but made good on two extra points.
Maybe They Like It?
Wake Forest's victory marks the second straight win (in as many games) on an artificial playing surface. The Deacs won the 2002 Seattle Bowl in Seahawks Stadium (which has FieldTurf) last Decemeber.
Anderson Makes Key Plays - Randolph Gets First TD Tosses
He didn't touch the ball until the fourth quarter, but Jason Anderson made two key catches - one on an important third-down play deep in BC territory and again when he caught a four-yard touchdown pass, the ninth of his career. Anderson extended a streak of nine straight games with at least two catches, and has scored three touchdowns over the last two outings (two in the Seattle Bowl). That scoring catch by Anderson also marked the first career TD toss for Cory Randolph. He added his second to Chris Davis on the go-ahead TD later in the quarter.
Receivers Have Big Days
Wake Forest has been the ACC's top rushing team the last two seasons, but when you lose your top three running backs in the first quarter, you look for other options. Senior receiver Anthony Young recorded a career high five catches - one more than the four receptions vs. Florida State last season. Sophomore Chris Davis had his first career touchdown on the go-ahead score with 1:47 remaining. Willie Idlette, in his collegiate debut, had two catches for 33 yards.
