O'NEIL: Wolford Leads Improved Offense
9/8/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
By Brad O'Neil, WakeForestSports.com
Winston-Salem, N.C. - This is the preferred method of dealing with the Football Championship Subdivision: Hand the visitors a lopsided defeat in addition to the game check.
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons, whose struggles with FBS neophyte Gardner-Webb in the opener presaged a trying 2014 season, surely feel better about themselves today in light of Thursday's 41-3 verdict over Elon, a more established if still struggling FBS program.
The Deacs gradually wore down the Phoenix along the line, and quarterback John Wolford took advantage with misdirection-based intermediate passes and the longest run by a Deacon QB since 1968.
Still of sound body and mind, Wolford appears to have more help this time around. He and his teammates rang up 591 yards of total offense, the program's highest total since a 598-yard effort at Virginia on Oct. 25, 1975.
In all, 13 Deacons caught passes – a fact explained to some extent by Wolford's ability to fake to one side, make the proper read and accurately throw the middle screen to the other side. It also helped that his receivers caught the ball. In last year's-opener, drops resulted in two interceptions unfortunately charged to Wolford's record.
"The receivers did a great job," Wolford said. "The O-line did a great job. You work so hard in the offseason. Everyone commented last year about being how bad we were statistically. I think this shows how hard we worked, but it's one game. It's a one-week season as coach always says, so now our focus is to Syracuse."
The improvement might also stem from the influx of new talent. Freshmen – three of them true rookies and one a redshirt – combined to make 12 catches for 200 yards. Chuck Wade, Wolford's top target at Bishop Kenny High School in Jacksonville, Fla., made a compelling first impression.
Again, we interrupt this message for a caveat. Guarantees of continuous success based on one game against a clearly undermanned opponent are often foolhardy. But if you listened to coach Dave Clawson late Thursday night, you could find reason for optimism.
"Guys were making plays after the catch," he said. "How many of those swing passes that we threw today that became 10 or 12 yard plays were two-yard plays a year ago?"
This matters because Clawson doesn't always speak like this. As recently as last week, he said running back may be "by committee" all year. Translation: "I don't know that we have a singularly great running back, and there's no guarantee that one will emerge."
Sure, ACC pass-rushers might have sacked Wolford and prevented the scramble that became a 70-yard touchdown dash in the decisive second quarter. But no matter how indirect or improbable the route, the sophomore deserved it after a rookie campaign spent disproportionately on his back.
Again, his coach was effusive rather than elusive.
"How about Wolford's run? I don't think anybody would have expected him a year ago to ever make a run like that," Clawson said. "I've said time and time again that he's in better shape, he's moving better, and he's more athletic than people give him credit for."
The Deacs were twice as productive against the Phoenix as they were in last year's opener, and time will probably suggest the 2014 Gardner-Webb crew and the 2015 Phoenix are comparable in quality.
Of course, the more reliable indicator of Wake Forest's progress comes at Syracuse on Saturday, Sept. 12. The Deacs and Orange are similarly situated – or at least that's the common presumption – in the ACC. But if this were the stock market or television ratings, the year-over-year numbers resulting from Thursday would be undeniably encouraging.
