100% Cotten: Going Out In Style

11/19/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football

Nov. 19, 2007

by Stan Cotten - I thought my sweet grandmother would live forever. She almost did. But two weeks ago we buried her in the western North Carolina mountains. She gave us all she had for nearly 100 years. And then she was gone. Mursetis Young Hyatt was something special, and she will never be forgotten.

Wake Forest said so long to 17 seniors at the North Carolina State game. It was the 101st meeting between the old ACC and one time Wake County rivals - and I bet to a lot of the Wolfie Nation it seemed like most of those guys had played in about half of the games!

By my count enough fifth-year Deacons chased out after the Harley to fill a baker's dozen. Toss in Jeremy Thompson and Nick Jarvis - and two walk-on receivers - and the Class of 2007 was whole.

And it was ready.

Not since the Deacs beat Navy by a whisker on November 23rd of the Seattle Bowl season of 2002 had Senior Day gone as scripted. With a win. But the game with State not only went pretty much as Wake had planned, the Deacs left little doubt right out of the chute that they were determined to not let the day go by without the seniors tasting victory.

The defense set the tone, forcing the Pack offense out after three. And here came the offense. 63 yards, 10 plays and four minutes later Wake Forest was in the endzone. And it was fitting that one of those fifth-year seniors was the Deacon who found the game's first points. But it wasn't Kenneth Moore. Nor was it John Tereshinski. It was De'Angelo Bryant whose number was called, and his one yard plunge into the north endzone - just his seventh ever career touchdown - gave the Demon Deacons a lead they would never relinquish.

Bryant not only scored the first touchdown of the game, but he found paydirt again to end the first half hauling in Riley Skinner's six yard toss into the south endzone for a commanding 21-3 Wake Forest lead. It was the first touchdown catch of his career, and the one time safety turned tailback and now volunteer fullback had made the night one to remember.

"I was just out there trying to help my team," he told us after the game. "Had I missed that catch, though, I would have probably kept running up Deacon Hill and out of the stadium."

That would have been OK. I think the Deacs would have won without the touchdown, and I'm betting most of those fans on the Hill would have loved the chance to touch Bryant who embodies what this group has been about. Determination, courage, work and community.

And now - winning.

But the victory over the Pack was not the De'Angelo Bryant show. Far from it. This was as much of a team win as I can remember. And Jim Grobe knew it would have to be.

"The seniors can't win this game," he explained beforehand. "The underclassmen will have to do their part. They'll have to take on the responsibility that the seniors are going to need some help." And that's exactly what happened.

Ben Wooster got a hand on a Pack punt. Aaron Curry took an interception back 57 yards for a touchdown - the 19th such play in the Grobe era - and a true freshman, Jordan Williams, gave us a glimpse of the promise of the future with a 62 yard touchdown catch that left a State defender turned around and down before Williams was gone.

But Bryant and his senior mates made us proud, too. Zac Selmon and John Tereshinski blocked all night and caught passes when asked to. Nick Jarvis kept sailing the ball backward with a tight spiral like only a former quarterback could. Louis Frazier and Steve Justice pounded away in the trenches as did Zach Stukes and Jeremy Thompson. Aaron Mason and Kevin Marion made plays. Matt Brimm was hurt but ready. Delon Lowe was chomping at the bit, available and prepared if called on. Micah Andrews and his surgically repaired knee took the field one last time. And all Kenneth Moore did was break the single season record for catches in a season. He needed three but caught eight just for good measure.

And Matt Robinson? If you haven't heard, he gets a sixth year. Apparently he will play forever.

But like my grandmother, the time has come to say goodbye to this special group. They gave us all they had in the time they had. And we will not forget.