Wake Forest Athletics
Camp Chronicles: Demon Deacon Offense Looking to Continue Historic Stretch
8/6/2021 2:43:00β―PM | Football
Running back Christian Beal-Smith and wide receiver Jahmal Banks will look to play key roles in a Wake Forest offense that is coming off a program-record 36.0 scoring average per game in 2020.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- As the Wake Forest football program is now four weeks away from Opening Night at Truist Field presented by Lowe's Foods on Friday, Sept. 3, the Demon Deacons took to the practice field for the second time in fall camp on Friday morning.
Over the past four seasons, the Demon Deacons have formed into one of the most explosive offenses in the country. The Deacs might be coming off their most explosive season yet, averaging a program-best 36.0 points per game.
Additionally, Wake Forest has had 10 games of 50 points or more over those four seasons, which ranks second in the ACC behind just Clemson.
A big part of their success on offense has been the ability to run and throw. Christian Beal-Smith will be counted on as the number one running back in 2021 after a breakout campaign last season while Jahmal Banks is looking to become the next in a long line of successful Demon Deacon wide receivers.
Both spoke after the second practice of fall on how the offense and their position groups are shaping up for the season.
Beal-Smith is back (With some help)
Christain Beal-Smith heads into the new season as the most experienced ball carrier in Wake Forest's backfield. The redshirt junior holds a career average of 4.96 yards per carry, the third-best mark in Demon Deacon history, and needs 384 yards to crack into the top 20 in Wake Forest history and 1,045 to move into the top-10.
Offensive Coordinator Warren Ruggiero has felt Beal-Smith's impact as a running back and on special teams.Β
"We know Christian Beal (Smith) can play," Ruggiero said. "He's played a million snaps and we feel confident in our ability to win with him."
Ruggiero also knows how important the position can be to the team's overall success, as many running backs also are special team contributors throughout the season.Β
"When you look at the running back position, that's the body type that plays a lot of special teams," Ruggerio said. "Christian Beal-Smith has always played a lot of special teams. If you only have one or two healthy backs, then you can't play them on special teams. We're hoping to have three-or-four guys who are playable."
Freshman Justice Ellison and redshirt sophomore Christian Turner, a transfer from Michigan, are both names to watch to join Beal-Smith in the backfield, creating a formidable three-man running back rotation that Ruggiero alluded to.Β
"Justice Ellison got in there toward the end last year and did a nice job when we needed him as a true freshman," Ruggerio said. "In the spring and summer, we were looking for him to make strides. He got a lot of reps in the spring and has really come along. He's very mature, but not many kids play as a true freshman if they're not."
"He's a young back that's looking really good," Beal-Smith said. "He has a nice work ethic. He's on the sleds every day. He's just trying to be the best he can be every day."
Throughout preseason camp, the Deacs are looking forward to seeing Turner continue to grow and feel more comfortable in The Old Gold & Black as the season approaches.Β
"He brings everything," Beal-Smith said. "He has it all. He's going to be an important piece of this offense."
"When we took Christian Turner mid-year, the spring was very important for him," Ruggiero said. "He put in a ton of work learning the offense before spring ball, and had a nice spring."
Beal-Smith understands the importance of having a plethora of running backs who are ready to tote the rock at any given moment, especially during a long season.Β
"It gives everybody rest throughout the season so we can be healthy going into November and December games that are really important in the ACC," Beal-Smith said. "Having those backs is going to be good throughout the season so everybody can stay healthy."
Running back know how to achieve the "Good to Great" mantra
After reaching their fifth-straight bowl game in 2020, head coach Dave Clawson challenged the program to take the next step. The Deacs have adopted the motto, "Good to Great" for the upcoming season.Β
With the talent and depth, Christian Beal-Smith believes the running backs can do their part by staying within themselves as well as focusing on the small details in other areas of their game.Β
"It's mainly staying healthy and just sticking to our roles, doing what we have to do," Beal-Smith said. "In this offense, you have to block and you have to learn how to pick up blitzes. We got a scholarship because we can run the ball, so we have to do the little things like blocking, knowing your assignments and being able to catch the ball out the backfield. So being good to great, you just have to step up and become more than just a running back."
Banks continuing to improve under Coach Higgins
Jahmal Banks is looking to become the next in a long line of successful wide receivers that wide receivers coach Kevin Higgins has helped produce. Currently the Demon Deacons have five wide receivers in the NFL including Sage Surratt (Detroit Lions), Kendall Hinton (Denver Broncos), Greg Dortch (Arizona Cardinals), Alex Bachman (New York Giants) and Scotty Washington (Cincinnati Bengals).
Last season, Jaquarii Roberson was the breakout player at wide receiver with a program-record 102.9 yards per game. Banks is looking to soak up knowledge from the veteran wide receiver coach as well as improve continuing to grow off the field.
"Coach Higgins, he is an amazing coach," Banks said. "He is an amazing person and father. He loves to throw in these jokes, these little things he calls nuggets. He loves that you give us motivation and give us things to look for and critiques us so we can be the best we can be."
In order to continue his growth, Higgins has told Banks to continue to attack every day with the same energy.
"His advice is to be the same person every day and just not to wait to practice five or practice six," Banks said. "He talks about how we got to do this or that better because Clawson always talks about how great teams don't really have bad practices. So, it's imperative for us to keep that same energy, whether we drop a ball or we miss an assignment that we just be that same person, and that we continue to grow as a team and as a unit."
Banks growing connection with Sam Hartman and quarterbacks during offseason
Part of taking the next step on the field this season for Banks is improving his connection with the quarterback room. During this offseason, Banks and quarterbacks like Sam Hartman have taken extra time to help strengthen their connection on the field.
"It's a lot better," Banks said. "Everything's a lot better. That big summer transitioning from COVID to opening things up helped us a lot. In the indoor, we were allowed to throw more without masks. We're allowed to throw it on our own accord. Our chemistry is getting there with all the quarterbacks."
Last season, a similar work ethic from Jaquarii Roberson helped build one of the best tandems in the ACC. It helped Roberson end the season with 926 yards and eight touchdown receptions, both which rank in the top 10 in program history.
"Me and Sam during the offseason and then in quarantine when I got back from Boston, I got with Sam down in Lake Norman a few times," Roberson said. "We made that connection. In practice, I'm always yelling at and talking to Sam, telling him to get me the ball. I want to be a ball hog."
Over the past four seasons, the Demon Deacons have formed into one of the most explosive offenses in the country. The Deacs might be coming off their most explosive season yet, averaging a program-best 36.0 points per game.
Additionally, Wake Forest has had 10 games of 50 points or more over those four seasons, which ranks second in the ACC behind just Clemson.
A big part of their success on offense has been the ability to run and throw. Christian Beal-Smith will be counted on as the number one running back in 2021 after a breakout campaign last season while Jahmal Banks is looking to become the next in a long line of successful Demon Deacon wide receivers.
Both spoke after the second practice of fall on how the offense and their position groups are shaping up for the season.
Beal-Smith is back (With some help)
Christain Beal-Smith heads into the new season as the most experienced ball carrier in Wake Forest's backfield. The redshirt junior holds a career average of 4.96 yards per carry, the third-best mark in Demon Deacon history, and needs 384 yards to crack into the top 20 in Wake Forest history and 1,045 to move into the top-10.
Offensive Coordinator Warren Ruggiero has felt Beal-Smith's impact as a running back and on special teams.Β
"We know Christian Beal (Smith) can play," Ruggiero said. "He's played a million snaps and we feel confident in our ability to win with him."
The man who makes us run π¨π¨@beal_christian | #MixtapeMonday π© pic.twitter.com/qPjP8NpUpi
— Wake Forest Football (@WakeFB) June 14, 2021
Ruggiero also knows how important the position can be to the team's overall success, as many running backs also are special team contributors throughout the season.Β
"When you look at the running back position, that's the body type that plays a lot of special teams," Ruggerio said. "Christian Beal-Smith has always played a lot of special teams. If you only have one or two healthy backs, then you can't play them on special teams. We're hoping to have three-or-four guys who are playable."
Freshman Justice Ellison and redshirt sophomore Christian Turner, a transfer from Michigan, are both names to watch to join Beal-Smith in the backfield, creating a formidable three-man running back rotation that Ruggiero alluded to.Β
"Justice Ellison got in there toward the end last year and did a nice job when we needed him as a true freshman," Ruggerio said. "In the spring and summer, we were looking for him to make strides. He got a lot of reps in the spring and has really come along. He's very mature, but not many kids play as a true freshman if they're not."
Getting shifty, @JusticeEllison1 π¨π¨ pic.twitter.com/ngRd1gS0Km
— Wake Forest Football (@WakeFB) August 6, 2021
"He's a young back that's looking really good," Beal-Smith said. "He has a nice work ethic. He's on the sleds every day. He's just trying to be the best he can be every day."
Throughout preseason camp, the Deacs are looking forward to seeing Turner continue to grow and feel more comfortable in The Old Gold & Black as the season approaches.Β
"He brings everything," Beal-Smith said. "He has it all. He's going to be an important piece of this offense."
"When we took Christian Turner mid-year, the spring was very important for him," Ruggiero said. "He put in a ton of work learning the offense before spring ball, and had a nice spring."
Full speed ahead π¨π¨ pic.twitter.com/sSHFUtptCI
— Wake Forest Football (@WakeFB) April 10, 2021
Beal-Smith understands the importance of having a plethora of running backs who are ready to tote the rock at any given moment, especially during a long season.Β
"It gives everybody rest throughout the season so we can be healthy going into November and December games that are really important in the ACC," Beal-Smith said. "Having those backs is going to be good throughout the season so everybody can stay healthy."
Running back know how to achieve the "Good to Great" mantra
After reaching their fifth-straight bowl game in 2020, head coach Dave Clawson challenged the program to take the next step. The Deacs have adopted the motto, "Good to Great" for the upcoming season.Β
With the talent and depth, Christian Beal-Smith believes the running backs can do their part by staying within themselves as well as focusing on the small details in other areas of their game.Β
"It's mainly staying healthy and just sticking to our roles, doing what we have to do," Beal-Smith said. "In this offense, you have to block and you have to learn how to pick up blitzes. We got a scholarship because we can run the ball, so we have to do the little things like blocking, knowing your assignments and being able to catch the ball out the backfield. So being good to great, you just have to step up and become more than just a running back."
Banks continuing to improve under Coach Higgins
Jahmal Banks is looking to become the next in a long line of successful wide receivers that wide receivers coach Kevin Higgins has helped produce. Currently the Demon Deacons have five wide receivers in the NFL including Sage Surratt (Detroit Lions), Kendall Hinton (Denver Broncos), Greg Dortch (Arizona Cardinals), Alex Bachman (New York Giants) and Scotty Washington (Cincinnati Bengals).
πππ π ππ€π§ππ¨π© β‘οΈ @Lions
— Wake Forest Football (@WakeFB) May 1, 2021
Congrats, @SageSurratt_14 #NFLDraft | #ProDeacs π© pic.twitter.com/5GR4ZvVKfk
Last season, Jaquarii Roberson was the breakout player at wide receiver with a program-record 102.9 yards per game. Banks is looking to soak up knowledge from the veteran wide receiver coach as well as improve continuing to grow off the field.
"Coach Higgins, he is an amazing coach," Banks said. "He is an amazing person and father. He loves to throw in these jokes, these little things he calls nuggets. He loves that you give us motivation and give us things to look for and critiques us so we can be the best we can be."
Player! https://t.co/wgBvOiGIuR
— Coach Kevin Higgins (@CoachKHiggins) April 20, 2021
In order to continue his growth, Higgins has told Banks to continue to attack every day with the same energy.
"His advice is to be the same person every day and just not to wait to practice five or practice six," Banks said. "He talks about how we got to do this or that better because Clawson always talks about how great teams don't really have bad practices. So, it's imperative for us to keep that same energy, whether we drop a ball or we miss an assignment that we just be that same person, and that we continue to grow as a team and as a unit."
Banks growing connection with Sam Hartman and quarterbacks during offseason
Part of taking the next step on the field this season for Banks is improving his connection with the quarterback room. During this offseason, Banks and quarterbacks like Sam Hartman have taken extra time to help strengthen their connection on the field.
"It's a lot better," Banks said. "Everything's a lot better. That big summer transitioning from COVID to opening things up helped us a lot. In the indoor, we were allowed to throw more without masks. We're allowed to throw it on our own accord. Our chemistry is getting there with all the quarterbacks."
Last season, a similar work ethic from Jaquarii Roberson helped build one of the best tandems in the ACC. It helped Roberson end the season with 926 yards and eight touchdown receptions, both which rank in the top 10 in program history.
1β£ to π@WakeFB's Jaquarii Roberson has been named to the @biletnikoffawrd Preseason Watch List!
— Wake Forest Sports (@DemonDeacons) July 24, 2021
π°: https://t.co/uSp79GcqIm#GoDeacs π© pic.twitter.com/Ve6AKXpTp5
"Me and Sam during the offseason and then in quarantine when I got back from Boston, I got with Sam down in Lake Norman a few times," Roberson said. "We made that connection. In practice, I'm always yelling at and talking to Sam, telling him to get me the ball. I want to be a ball hog."
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