100% COTTEN: THE TIME IS NOW - REALLY
8/3/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 3, 2006
Football season is here.
The Deacs have reported. The Turf is down. All we need now is a few practice reps and the Syracuse Orange.
When you folks all head to Groves Stadium and fill it for the opener on September 2 you're going to get your socks knocked off. The new artificial surface pops out like Barclay -oops! - Andrews through the B-gap. I've been over several times already just to stare at the improvement and instant "bigness" this turf gives Wake Forest. I remember not too long ago standing on Nebraska's similar style Field Turf and wondering what it would look like at Groves. Big - as in "big time" - is all I can think of. Those of you who have seen it already know what I mean. Those of you who haven't, well, bring an extra pair of socks just to be safe.
I've heard a very small minority argue that being one of only two ACC schools to have the turf (Boston College) will hurt the Deacs in recruiting. I see it quite differently. My take is that if it's good enough for many of the teams in the NFL, and most of our recruits want to play professionally, it gives us a recruiting advantage. That's the way I would spin it. At first I was hesitant. I like really nice grass fields. But the players really seem to like this surface. Score one for progress. And it's in. It's not going anywhere. I for one am glad and think you will be, too. Plus it will look fantastic on television - and radio!
And how about the plans for Deacon Tower - the next phase of the Groves Stadium renovation due for a Fall 2008 completion if everything goes as planned with Premium Seating sales and fundraising? Many of you were wowed at the terrific presentation at Bridger Fieldhouse recently and have already committed to making it happen. When this thing gets built we for sure will need some new Gold Toes. I've had the privilege of being in a lot of stadium facilities over the years, and from the plans that I've seen Deacon Tower will be as nice as any of them. There will be bigger facilities but none any better with regard to detail and function.
But as excited as I am about what's going on between and above the bricks at Groves Stadium, I'm even more fired up about the prospects of the Deacs' football future. Coach Grobe and his staff are good teachers, and for the first time since Grobe arrived from Ohio - can it be six years ago already? - he has a number of players who have been learning for five full years. I agree with the coach that the only way for the Deacons to compete in the ACC is with veteran players, and with the passage of time now they should keep rolling in season after season to help Wake Forest take that next step.
Quarterback Ben Mauk will play a huge role in 2006. I think on that we all will agree. I saw him on campus the other day and noticed something a little different in the way he carried himself. Ben has always been a very nice young man. But his nature has been one of reservation and few words. When we passed he was laughing and talking to someone on a cell phone, but he looked me in the eye, smiled and said, "Hi Stan." He seemed different - in a way.
Maybe he just knows what time it is.