Skinner Gets Familiar With New Receivers in First Spring Scrimmage
4/5/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
April 5, 2008
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - In what started out as a rain-soaked affair Saturday morning at BB&T Field the Wake Forest passing game took center stage in the first scrimmage of the spring as Riley Skinner completed 14 of 20 attempts for 232 yards and a touchdown.
"There was good competition again, our guys really like to play and they got after each other pretty good today," Wake Forest head coach Jim Grobe said. "(There were) too many mistakes and too many busted assignments but our guys like to compete and that's what the spring is for. Right now, our key is to let the young guys have a shot."
Tight end Ben Wooster accounted for 147 yards receiving with catches of 34 yards, 35 yards, and a touchdown reception for 63 yards. On the touchdown, Wooster found himself behind the secondary and made a tough catch in traffic over outstretched arms of the Deacon defense then ran 15 yards for the score.
"It's Ben's time to step up," Grobe said. "He should've played more last year but when you've got John Tereshinski and Zac Selmon in front of you, that makes it hard. He needs to step up. I like our tight ends right now. They can run and catch the football."
Tailback Josh Adams recorded nine yards on six carries in limited action, but scored on a one yard run in the third series of the day.
"We didn't get a lot of push in the running game today," Grobe said.
Receiver Demir Boldin had six catches for 60 yards.
"We hung our hat on Kenny Moore last year and we never quit hanging our hat on Kenny Moore," Grobe said. "I think everyone realizes this year that we're looking for go-to guys. My guess right now is that Demir can be a go-to guy."
Second-string quarterback Brett Hodges looked comfortable running the offense and finished 7 of 12 for 120 yards and two touchdowns. One of the scores came early in the scrimmage when receiver Nicholas Schulz lost the Deacon secondary down the left sideline and scored untouched from 65 yards out.
Chip Brinkman also hauled-in a Hodges strike for a touchdown. The senior was forced to out-jump his defense counterpart three yards into the endzone and came down in the front corner with both feet inbounds for the score. Brinkman totaled two catches for 31 yards.
The defense was not without its highlights as Wake quarterbacks were under constant pressure throughout the scrimmage. With the quarterbacks protected by the officials, no complete sacks were made, but whistles were blown often to stop play before a potential knockdown of the quarterback.
Cornerback Mike Williams intercepted Skinner at the six yard line as the offense was threatening to score. Skinner was under pressure and lofted the pass from about the 30 yard line.
On the last play of the day, linebacker Chantz McClinic tipped a Skylar Jones pass that bounced-off the back of a Wake Forest offensive lineman and back into McClinic's hands as the redshirt senior returned the ball down the right sideline for a big gain.
Skylar Jones was a dual threat in the game as the redshirt freshman was 3 of 4 passing for 22 yards and rushed for 34 yards from the quarterback position. Jones also lined-up as a wide receiver and made two catches for five yards.
The Deacons' next scheduled practice is set for Tuesday evening at the Doc Martin Football Practice Complex on the Wake Forest campus.
