Wake Forest Athletics
Passing Game Impresses In First Deacon Scrimmage
8/16/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 16, 2006
Today's Practices: Morning: Shells on campus. Night: Full pads for first scrimmage at Groves Stadium
Weather: Morning: 82 degrees and clear. Night: 78 degrees and clear.
Scrimmage Notes: Wake Forest has led the ACC in rushing offense four of the past five years, but it was the passing game that looked dangerous on Wednesday night at Groves Stadium... the Deacons completed seven passes of 30 yards or more... Deacon quarterbacks combined to throw for five touchdowns (two by QB Benjamin Mauk, two by QB Riley Skinner and one by QB Brett Hodges) and rush for one (QB Zach MacDowall)... WR Willie Idlette caught two touchdown passes... WR Kenneth Moore recorded at least 100 yards receiving... six different Deacons got reps as kickoff returners including Josh Gattis, Kevin Harris, Willie Idlette, Kerry Major, Kevin Marion and Alphonso Smith.
Quoting Head Coach Jim Grobe: "I told the kids that more than anything else that we were sloppy on both sides of the football. In the first live scrimmage, you can expect some of that. I thought offensively, we looked really jittery starting out almost like we were nervous. Then I thought the offense sort of settled down and did some good things. Defensively, we played in spurts. With the talent we play against, you can't play in spurts. In the kicking game, it's hard to evaluate because we're really doing more coaching than playing. All in all, after a first scrimmage, we have a lot of work left to do and that's what you would expect."
Scrimmage Highlights: On the first play of the scrimmage, RB Micah Andrews busted through the middle for a 12-yard gain... LB Jon Abbate and LB Aaron Curry combined to deliver one of the biggest hits of the night when they blasted RB Kevin Harris... On the next drive, CB Alphonso Smith chopped down RB Alonzo Chisolm after he made a catch out of the backfield... PK Sam Swank hit three field goals from 47 yards and one from 43... Swank routinely drilled his kickoffs seven or eight yards deep in the endzone... QB Benjamin Mauk found RB Micah Andrews on a swing pass for a 21-yard touchdown pass... on the next drive, CB Riley Swanson forced a fumble on an option pitch from QB Brett Hodges.... Mauk later hit WR Willie Idlette on the best throw and catch of the night, a 38-yard scoring strike hauled in by a leaping Idlette... playing with the scout team offense, true freshman RB Lucas Caparelli showed off his speed by zipping around the right corner for a 15-yard gain... QB Zach MacDowall scrambled for a 37-yard touchdown run... QB Brett Hodges completed a 33-yard touchdown pass to WR Kenneth Moore... CB Alphonso Smith broke up a pass in the endzone intended for WR Kevin Marion... QB Riley Skinner hit WR Kenneth Moore for a 53-yard gainer and moments later, found WR Willie Idlette for a 25-yard touchdown... DT Boo Robinson broke threw for a sack up the middle... FS Josh Gattis drilled TE Ted Randolph, but Randolph held on for the catch... QB Benjamin Mauk engineered an 80-yard drive with a 35-yard completion to WR Nate Morton who was well-defended by CB Riley Swanson... Mauk then hit WR Kenneth Moore and TE Zac Selmon before handing off to FB Richard Belton for a 1-yard touchdown plunge... on one of the final plays of the night, QB Riley Skinner completed a 4th down pass to WR Casey Hill for a 35-yard touchdown.
Injury Report: The following players did not practice today: TE Dan Callahan, OL Cannon Gaskin, SS Aaron Mason, WR Max Opamuratawongse and DE Matt Robinson
Next Practice: Thursday, 3:00 p.m. on campus
Next Scrimmage: Saturday, 1:00 p.m. at Groves Stadium
