Wake Forest Athletics
A Battle Expected Saturday at Truist Field
9/16/2021 9:16:00 PM | Football
“They are two plays away from being 2-0 and probably nationally ranked. Florida State is still Florida State and is still one of the iconic brands of college football. I have a great respect for this program, coaching staff and this is going to be a hard fought game.” - Head Coach Dave Clawson
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- A new season starts Saturday.
After two non-conference victories over Old Dominion and Norfolk State in the opening two weeks of the season, the Demon Deacons prepare for a new test against their first Atlantic Coast Conference opponent.
The Florida State Seminoles (0-2) roll into Truist Field for a 3:30 p.m. ET in a game that will air nationally on ESPN.
It marks the renewal of a game that was played every year from 1992 to 2019. Last season's edition was not played due to schedule changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite dropping their first two games of the season, the Demon Deacons (2-0) know they will be in for a competitive and hard fought game on
"They are two plays away from being 2-0 and probably nationally ranked," head coach Dave Clawson said. "Florida State is still Florida State and is still one of the iconic brands of college football. I have a great respect for this program, coaching staff and this is going to be a hard fought game."
Despite not playing Florida State in his first season at the school last year, Wake Forest is still familiar with Coach Mike Norvell's teams. The Deacs faced the now season-year Seminole coach in the 2018 Birmingham Bowl when he was leading the Memphis Tigers. Clawson also has plenty of familiarity with another member of their staff as well.
"Mike (Norvell) is an excellent football coach," Clawson said. "He knows what he's doing. He's an excellent offensive strategist. Their defensive coordinator was on my staff at Richmond and I recommended him to Mike when he was at Marshall when he was looking for a defensive coordinator during the bowl game."
The ACC schedule is here and it all starts in less than 48 hours from now.
Honoring Our New Hall of Fame Members
Two of the best Demon Deacons of the Jim Grobe era are set to be forever enshrined in Wake Forest lore this weekend as quarterback Riley Skinner and kicker Sam Swank will enter the Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame.
"I wanted to congratulate Riley Skinner and Sam Swank who are being inducted into the Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame," Clawson said.
Swank was the 2006 ACC Championship MVP en route to earning First Team All-America honors from multiple publications, helping Wake Forest be the only North Carolina team to win a conference championship in the ACC Championship game era. He also goes into the weekend as the Demon Deacon record holder in points and field goal makes.
His former teammate Skinner will be joining him. The quarterback is the all-time yardage and touchdowns record holder while also accumulationing 31 career wins, the most in program history. He made his mark early in his career, capturing 2006 ACC Rookie of the Year while helping the Deacs to the ACC Championship.
"During their time here, they did unbelievable things led by head coach Jim Grobe," Clawson said. "Their run here is still the high water mark for a three-year period."
On the hardwood, the Demon Deacons will be enshrining one of the best to ever come through the school in Chris Paul.
"Chris Paul is also going in, which is a really big deal," Clawson said. "It was cool to have him at practice a few years ago. When he showed up, I didn't need to say anything. Chris Paul is there. Anything that I said they weren't going to listen to anyway.
Pro Deacs Shine in Week One
With the addition to the ranks of Kendall Hinton earlier this week, the Demon Deacons now have six active players on 53-man rosters around the NFL. Hinton was activated to the Denver Broncos roster off the practice squad as a wide receiver.
Last season he was one of the best stories in the NFL, coming in to be the team's starting quarterback on 24-hours notice due to players on the COVID-19 list.
"It's also exciting to see so many of our guys do well in the NFL," Clawson said. "One of our goals here is to recruit players and develop players that can go on and have a future in football after they leave here."
Two of the players that shined in week one were Cincinnati Bengals defensive back Jessie Bates III and Denver Broncos linebacker Justin Strnad.
Bates III helped lead his team to a week one overtime win with a team-best nine tackles in the game including a crucial one in overtime to help force a fumble. The 2020 All-Pro continues to elevate his game as one of the best players at the position in the entire league.
After a season-ending injury during training camp a season ago, Strnad made his much awaited debut with the Broncos after being drafted by the franchise in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
He got on the board in game one recording his first of what could be many tackles at the pro level.
"To see Jessie Bates III play so well and get a win, to see Justin Strnad get his first tackle as an NFL player and to see all of the other guys on active rosters and practice squads, we're really proud of those guys," Clawson said.
After two non-conference victories over Old Dominion and Norfolk State in the opening two weeks of the season, the Demon Deacons prepare for a new test against their first Atlantic Coast Conference opponent.
The Florida State Seminoles (0-2) roll into Truist Field for a 3:30 p.m. ET in a game that will air nationally on ESPN.
It marks the renewal of a game that was played every year from 1992 to 2019. Last season's edition was not played due to schedule changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite dropping their first two games of the season, the Demon Deacons (2-0) know they will be in for a competitive and hard fought game on
"They are two plays away from being 2-0 and probably nationally ranked," head coach Dave Clawson said. "Florida State is still Florida State and is still one of the iconic brands of college football. I have a great respect for this program, coaching staff and this is going to be a hard fought game."
Despite not playing Florida State in his first season at the school last year, Wake Forest is still familiar with Coach Mike Norvell's teams. The Deacs faced the now season-year Seminole coach in the 2018 Birmingham Bowl when he was leading the Memphis Tigers. Clawson also has plenty of familiarity with another member of their staff as well.
"Mike (Norvell) is an excellent football coach," Clawson said. "He knows what he's doing. He's an excellent offensive strategist. Their defensive coordinator was on my staff at Richmond and I recommended him to Mike when he was at Marshall when he was looking for a defensive coordinator during the bowl game."
The ACC schedule is here and it all starts in less than 48 hours from now.
Honoring Our New Hall of Fame Members
Two of the best Demon Deacons of the Jim Grobe era are set to be forever enshrined in Wake Forest lore this weekend as quarterback Riley Skinner and kicker Sam Swank will enter the Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame.
"I wanted to congratulate Riley Skinner and Sam Swank who are being inducted into the Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame," Clawson said.
Swank was the 2006 ACC Championship MVP en route to earning First Team All-America honors from multiple publications, helping Wake Forest be the only North Carolina team to win a conference championship in the ACC Championship game era. He also goes into the weekend as the Demon Deacon record holder in points and field goal makes.
His former teammate Skinner will be joining him. The quarterback is the all-time yardage and touchdowns record holder while also accumulationing 31 career wins, the most in program history. He made his mark early in his career, capturing 2006 ACC Rookie of the Year while helping the Deacs to the ACC Championship.
"During their time here, they did unbelievable things led by head coach Jim Grobe," Clawson said. "Their run here is still the high water mark for a three-year period."
On the hardwood, the Demon Deacons will be enshrining one of the best to ever come through the school in Chris Paul.
"Chris Paul is also going in, which is a really big deal," Clawson said. "It was cool to have him at practice a few years ago. When he showed up, I didn't need to say anything. Chris Paul is there. Anything that I said they weren't going to listen to anyway.
Pro Deacs Shine in Week One
With the addition to the ranks of Kendall Hinton earlier this week, the Demon Deacons now have six active players on 53-man rosters around the NFL. Hinton was activated to the Denver Broncos roster off the practice squad as a wide receiver.
Last season he was one of the best stories in the NFL, coming in to be the team's starting quarterback on 24-hours notice due to players on the COVID-19 list.
"It's also exciting to see so many of our guys do well in the NFL," Clawson said. "One of our goals here is to recruit players and develop players that can go on and have a future in football after they leave here."
Two of the players that shined in week one were Cincinnati Bengals defensive back Jessie Bates III and Denver Broncos linebacker Justin Strnad.
Bates III helped lead his team to a week one overtime win with a team-best nine tackles in the game including a crucial one in overtime to help force a fumble. The 2020 All-Pro continues to elevate his game as one of the best players at the position in the entire league.
After a season-ending injury during training camp a season ago, Strnad made his much awaited debut with the Broncos after being drafted by the franchise in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
He got on the board in game one recording his first of what could be many tackles at the pro level.
"To see Jessie Bates III play so well and get a win, to see Justin Strnad get his first tackle as an NFL player and to see all of the other guys on active rosters and practice squads, we're really proud of those guys," Clawson said.
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