Wake Forest Athletics
Camp Chronicles: Returning Talent Has Allowed Depth to Develop at Own Pace
8/12/2021 6:17:00 PM | Football
The Deacs returned to the gridiron on Thursday morning after their first off day of camp.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- After a day off on Wednesday, the Wake Forest football team returned to the Doc Martin Practice Complex for the seventh practice of fall camp.
It marked the second time the Demon Deacons were dressed in full pads as they are almost just three weeks away to the Opening Night at Truist Field presented by Lowe's Foods on Friday, Sept. 3.
With nearly every player returning from a season ago, this spring allowed the younger players on the team to get important reps. This has helped the Deacs build depth across the board.
Two positions this will show this fall are along the offensive line and in the running back room. Wake Forest now will have a plethora of talent to turn to. The future is bright throughout the team.
Depth Along the Offensive Line Allowing for Extended Maturation of Younger #BeefBoys
With four of the five starters from a season ago looking to reclaim their positions for the beginning of the 2021 season, it has allowed the #BeefBoys to build some younger depth. It has also helped the younger Deacs on the offensive develop at their own pace.
One offensive lineman that has benefited from having the extra year of eligibility and maturation is newly named team captain, Michael Jurgens.
"It's the combination of the extra players, but also the age and experience level. We make a big deal about Michael Jurgens being a sophomore captain, but in reality he's already graduated and is in the MBA program. That's a fourth-year sophomore."
Clawson spotlighted two young #BeefBoys that would have had a bigger role on the line in a normal year of attrition due to graduation.
"In past years, this would be the year George Sell and Luke Petitbon would be starting. Now, they're close to being able to play, but we don't need them to start yet. When a guy goes down on the line, it's not like you're playing with a true freshman who's not ready yet."
CBS stepping into leadership role
Christian Beal-Smith returns as the most productive and experienced Demon Deacon in the offensive backfield. He heads into his redshirt junior season with a career average of 4.96 yards per carry, which ranks third in Wake Forest program history, and enters 2021 just 384 yards away from jumping into the top 20 in Wake Forest history for most career yards.
With younger Demon Deacons in the running back room like redshirt sophomore Christain Turner and freshman Justice Ellison, Beal-Smith is taking upon himself to take the younger ball carriers under his wing and lead the position group to new heights in 2022 by teaching them what he has learned during his collegiate career.
"I would say what I learned most by being here is just trusting the process and just doing the right things," said Beal-Smith. "Coaches really look at that in this program, they value good character on and off the field, and that you just respect others. That's what I've learned most from being here in my five years."
For Beal-Smith, this is a unique challenge that the Winston-Salem, N.C. native will have to navigate for the first time in his career.
"I'm the old one in the room now, I feel. Coach Hunt (running backs coach John Hunter) wants me to mentor all the young guys, especially the freshmen that just came in.
"We have CT (Christain Turner) and Justice (Ellison), who are still learning the offense as they're going. I'm really focusing on the younger guys, helping them out and making sure they're ready for this upcoming season because you never know what's gonna happen."
Opportunities presenting themselves for Ellison
One young player that has turned some heads this preseason camp is freshman running back Justice Ellison. As a true freshman a season ago, Ellison played in eight games. Against Louisville, the Ashburn, Va. native carried the ball nine times for a career-high 50 yards, including a longest rush of 17.
Due to the COVID pandemic, last year's camp presented different challenges compared to a normal preseason. As a freshman making the jump from high school to college, the transitional period was even harder than usual. The biggest takeaway for Ellison was how to work through difficult and challenging times.
"I would say just adversity," Ellison said. "Going through adversity during practices and not being able to see my family, not being able to see students on campus. Just keep that discipline and stay focused on your craft every day."
Ellison believes those trials and tribulations the Deacs suffered through last season will only make them stronger and meet the expectations of taking the next step this season.
"This year is a little bit more flexible of a camp," Ellison said. "We have team dinners. We do all this different stuff and it's more flexible for the team, but as far as the main goal, it's to stay disciplined, stay strong and prepare yourself for the season.
"Last year, it was more about having enough guys to play because of COVID and contact tracing, all this crazy stuff. Now, we want to go from good to great. That's our main goal."
"If you stay ready, you don't have to get ready, you know," Ellison said. "It's about being consistent and being ready. (When my time came) I was ready. I stayed humble. I stayed focused on staying with it. Don't worry about anything else, just stay focused."
With the likes of Christian Beal-Smith and Christain Turner in the backfield alongside him, Ellison, and the Deacs, will look to all three to tote the rock and carry the running back load this season.
"Just having it during the whole season," said Ellison. "We're going to have this great rotation. We have a great group of running backs this season so just staying healthy and staying focused. The game is very, very long so just being able to play through the first through fourth quarter is important."
It marked the second time the Demon Deacons were dressed in full pads as they are almost just three weeks away to the Opening Night at Truist Field presented by Lowe's Foods on Friday, Sept. 3.
With nearly every player returning from a season ago, this spring allowed the younger players on the team to get important reps. This has helped the Deacs build depth across the board.
Two positions this will show this fall are along the offensive line and in the running back room. Wake Forest now will have a plethora of talent to turn to. The future is bright throughout the team.
Depth Along the Offensive Line Allowing for Extended Maturation of Younger #BeefBoys
With four of the five starters from a season ago looking to reclaim their positions for the beginning of the 2021 season, it has allowed the #BeefBoys to build some younger depth. It has also helped the younger Deacs on the offensive develop at their own pace.
One offensive lineman that has benefited from having the extra year of eligibility and maturation is newly named team captain, Michael Jurgens.
"It's the combination of the extra players, but also the age and experience level. We make a big deal about Michael Jurgens being a sophomore captain, but in reality he's already graduated and is in the MBA program. That's a fourth-year sophomore."
"@Michael_jurgens is very committed, very smart and is one of those guys that has natural leadership skills." - @CoachClawson #GoDeacs 🎩 pic.twitter.com/2iycN9btRh
— Wake Forest Football (@WakeFB) August 11, 2021
Clawson spotlighted two young #BeefBoys that would have had a bigger role on the line in a normal year of attrition due to graduation.
"In past years, this would be the year George Sell and Luke Petitbon would be starting. Now, they're close to being able to play, but we don't need them to start yet. When a guy goes down on the line, it's not like you're playing with a true freshman who's not ready yet."
CBS stepping into leadership role
Christian Beal-Smith returns as the most productive and experienced Demon Deacon in the offensive backfield. He heads into his redshirt junior season with a career average of 4.96 yards per carry, which ranks third in Wake Forest program history, and enters 2021 just 384 yards away from jumping into the top 20 in Wake Forest history for most career yards.
Off and running 💨 pic.twitter.com/XCsJuZdwew
— Wake Forest Football (@WakeFB) August 9, 2021
With younger Demon Deacons in the running back room like redshirt sophomore Christain Turner and freshman Justice Ellison, Beal-Smith is taking upon himself to take the younger ball carriers under his wing and lead the position group to new heights in 2022 by teaching them what he has learned during his collegiate career.
"I would say what I learned most by being here is just trusting the process and just doing the right things," said Beal-Smith. "Coaches really look at that in this program, they value good character on and off the field, and that you just respect others. That's what I've learned most from being here in my five years."
For Beal-Smith, this is a unique challenge that the Winston-Salem, N.C. native will have to navigate for the first time in his career.
"I'm the old one in the room now, I feel. Coach Hunt (running backs coach John Hunter) wants me to mentor all the young guys, especially the freshmen that just came in.
"We have CT (Christain Turner) and Justice (Ellison), who are still learning the offense as they're going. I'm really focusing on the younger guys, helping them out and making sure they're ready for this upcoming season because you never know what's gonna happen."
Opportunities presenting themselves for Ellison
One young player that has turned some heads this preseason camp is freshman running back Justice Ellison. As a true freshman a season ago, Ellison played in eight games. Against Louisville, the Ashburn, Va. native carried the ball nine times for a career-high 50 yards, including a longest rush of 17.
Due to the COVID pandemic, last year's camp presented different challenges compared to a normal preseason. As a freshman making the jump from high school to college, the transitional period was even harder than usual. The biggest takeaway for Ellison was how to work through difficult and challenging times.
"I would say just adversity," Ellison said. "Going through adversity during practices and not being able to see my family, not being able to see students on campus. Just keep that discipline and stay focused on your craft every day."
Ellison believes those trials and tribulations the Deacs suffered through last season will only make them stronger and meet the expectations of taking the next step this season.
Getting shifty, @JusticeEllison1 💨💨 pic.twitter.com/ngRd1gS0Km
— Wake Forest Football (@WakeFB) August 6, 2021
"This year is a little bit more flexible of a camp," Ellison said. "We have team dinners. We do all this different stuff and it's more flexible for the team, but as far as the main goal, it's to stay disciplined, stay strong and prepare yourself for the season.
"Last year, it was more about having enough guys to play because of COVID and contact tracing, all this crazy stuff. Now, we want to go from good to great. That's our main goal."
"If you stay ready, you don't have to get ready, you know," Ellison said. "It's about being consistent and being ready. (When my time came) I was ready. I stayed humble. I stayed focused on staying with it. Don't worry about anything else, just stay focused."
With the likes of Christian Beal-Smith and Christain Turner in the backfield alongside him, Ellison, and the Deacs, will look to all three to tote the rock and carry the running back load this season.
"Just having it during the whole season," said Ellison. "We're going to have this great rotation. We have a great group of running backs this season so just staying healthy and staying focused. The game is very, very long so just being able to play through the first through fourth quarter is important."
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