Wake Forest Athletics
Demon Deacons Complete Third Full-Pad Practice
4/8/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
April 8, 2008
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The Wake Forest football team took the field at the Doc Martin Practice Complex in full pads Tuesday for the third time this spring for an hour and 45 minutes. This is the first practice for the Deacs since Saturday's scrimmage at BB&T Field.
"I think we've got some work to do, I don't think there's any question about that," Wake Forest head coach Jim Grobe said in his reaction to scrimmage game film.
"We probably threw the ball too much (Saturday), but the defense has a lot to do with that," Grobe said. "But the key for us next season will be our ability to run the football."
The Deacs focused on the punt coverage team early in practice as players were instructed on staying in their lanes and breaking down to tackle the punt returner. Cornerback Alphonso Smith took a large share of the punt returning duties.
The defensive backs, linebackers and defensive lineman worked on form tackling at about three-quarters speed. No one was tackled to the ground.
Quarterbacks worked a lot on meshing with fullbacks and tailbacks in the running game and simulated numerous hand-offs from all angles of the backfield.
After a passing scrimmage for a majority of the middle of practice the two sides, the defense in white and the offense in black, came together on the middle, FieldTurf plot to scrimmage 11 on 11.
The offensive line has been coming along, according to Grobe, who says they might be a little better this year in one facet.
"We weren't very consistent (Saturday), but we didn't run it a lot so it's hard to tell," Grobe said. "I'd like to run the football a little bit more and get a better look at those offensive linemen. I think protection-wise, we're a little better than we have been. Our guys in the pass protection are doing some good things."
The Deacs will return to practice on the Doc Martin Practice Complex on the Wake Forest campus Wednesday and Thursday at 5 p.m. and will scrimmage again at BB&T Field Saturday at 10:30 a.m.
