Wake Forest Athletics
Weekly Press Conference Video & Quotes: Sept. 13
9/13/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
By Wake Forest Athletic Communications (@WakeFB)
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Following Wake Forest's 24-14 victory over Duke to open ACC play Sept. 10, head coach Dave Clawson, senior offensive lineman Josh Harris and redshirt senior Josh Banks met with the media to preview the Deacs' upcoming contest against Delaware on Saturday.
Head Coach Dave Clawson
Opening statement...
"Obviously it was a good win against Duke. I am really proud with how we played and the way we competed. We didn't get off to a good start. We went 3-and-out, gave up a 17-play drive for a touchdown and then went 3-and-out again. I thought our guys kept playing hard on both sides of the line of scrimmage. We created three turnovers and had seven explosive plays. We found a way to win a one-score game in the fourth quarter. That is two weeks in a row that we have found a way to do that. It is certainly a departure from last year where we had seven of them and only found a way to win two of them. This season, we have to find a way to win close games and we have done that two weeks in a row. Like a week ago, there are mistakes and corrections you have to make. There were plenty of those that we had to start addressing at practice today. Offensively, we can't keep getting off to a slow start. Defensively, we defended the run really well, but at times our coverage broke down. Our third down defense was really good in the second half, but not so good in the first half. Our punt protection was better, but our punt coverage was not good. We gave up two big punt returns that really affected field position. We are still a work in progress and need to improve."
"Certainly Delaware is one of the traditional powers of FCS football. This is a program that has won multiple national championships. In my biased opinion, I think they are in the best FCS conference in the country, the CAA. I coached in that league for many years and Delaware was always one of the teams that had a chance to win the national championship. Joe Flacco, Rich Gannon, their tradition is full of great players. Coach Brock is a very good coach. He has coached at the highest levels of college football. He has been an offensive coordinator at Kansas State. He was at Rutgers, he coached at BC and North Carolina. He has been building a program. When I talk to people in this league, they feel this is the best team he has had at Delaware. They have 17 returning starters, nine on offense and eight on defense. On offense, they are an extremely physical football team. The average size of their guards and tackles is about 6-6, 290. The running backs are 210, 220 and 230. They are physical football team. Their quarterback, Joe Walker, has a very live arm. He is a great athlete who can beat you with his feet and is very much a dual threat. They have explosive receivers. It is a well thought-out offensive scheme. They ran the ball, last year, against North Carolina for over 270 yards. Their whole offense is back and we will be challenged physically this week. We are going have to play very well on defense. Their defense has their entire secondary, entire linebacker corps and one tackle return. Their linebackers are very physical and are guys who could play in this conference. If you look at the North Carolina film from last year, they covered those guys. This is a very good football team. Every week is a one-week season. When you schedule FCS games, these are generally the ones you don't want to schedule. This is a really good football team from a good conference. I always think the biggest difference between FCS and FBS is the difference in scholarship numbers. They have 63 and we have 85. Generally the difference should be depth, but when you play those teams early in the season when they are healthy, it is less of an issue."
On the Duke win as a sign of progress of the program:
"I don't want to make it bigger than it was. It was a big win for our program. We beat another ACC team, on the road, who is an in-state rival. That is a huge win for our program. But in terms of validating what we did, it is still a work in progress. It only means something if we can carry it through and keep improving and win more games. We could tell how our kids reacted after the game, it was a big one for us. Duke is a rival. It was important to get that win and start off well in the ACC. I hope I can look back and say this was a turning point. It only means something if we continue to progress and improve as a football team."
Senior center Josh Harris
On the importance of the offensive line's performance against Duke:
"It was important and it was good to see things come to fruition. We know what we can do and we know what we are capable of. We worked hard all offseason and have a good group of guys along the offensive line. It was good to see all of the hard work come together and be able to run the ball like we did."
On Saturday's result improving the offensive line's confidence moving forward:
"It can improve our confidence a lot. We ran the ball well last week and we want to do it again throughout the season. We have 10 more games in the regular season, but to be able to run the ball like that against a very good Duke team improves our confidence a lot.
On RB Cade Carney's game against Duke:
"He's been working like that every day in practice. He's impressed us a lot, all the way from spring ball to summer and the work he's put in. We all knew what he was capable of and it was good to see it come to fruition."
Redshirt senior defensive tackle Josh Banks
On the importance of the win against Duke:
"It was the biggest win yet thus far, since the new coaching staff came here. I mean it's about time, as a team, to make the big step. It was huge for us."
On if he enjoys a physical game as a defensive player:
"Oh yeah. In my head I think of it as a boxing match—it could last 12 rounds."
On the difference in the "mental game" from last year to this year:
"In some ways I feel like the mental aspect is still there; it's just that there are more guys on board. I mean we traveled with 72 and I feel like we had all 72 guys have that mental edge and that little extra ‘umph'. I feel like all 72 guys had it this game. You just feel it in the locker room."
