Ezell Bringing the Power Spread Offense to Wake Forest
7/30/2025 7:57:00 AM | Football
“We have an incredible group of guys, an incredible group of men that are going to represent Wake Forest the right way.” - Rob Ezell
After leading South Alabama to a prolific, top-level Sun Belt offensive production in 2024, Rob Ezell took on the challenge of rebuilding the Wake Forest offense with new Demon Deacon head coach Jake Dickert.
"Well, really getting to know Coach Dickert in the process when we were talking — I really felt his energy, his buzz," Ezell said about what led him to Winston-Salem. "He had a really good plan ultimately to win and have success with the way the landscape of college football has been changing.
"Wake Forest — feels like the last 20 years, certainly since I've been really watching football — it's been a really successful football program. I remember watching them play Pittsburgh in the ACC Championship Game, so I knew it was also a place where you can go win and have success. All those factors drove me and my family here, and we're happy about it."
The complete higher education experience at Wake Forest has been a refreshing and welcome sight for Ezell.
"I've been blown away by the level of community this campus has," he said. "I've been to other places — and I've been to some great spots — but sometimes you didn't even feel like you were working at a college. To have the football facility right in the middle of campus, to be able to walk over to the cafeteria and have lunch, and to be involved with the students and the faculty has been a really eye-opening, incredible experience.
"And as far as the players — they've been outstanding. They've taken to the new system, bought into what we're doing, and you can see the growth."
Spring camp definitely presented some challenges for Ezell and the Wake Forest staff, as they dealt with several injuries to players they expected to compete for spots on the eventual two-deep depth chart — especially on the offensive line.
"Yeah, and that's probably been one of the great things about the spring — the opportunity it presents for other guys to step up and get reps they otherwise wouldn't have gotten," Ezell said, looking at the silver lining. "In spring training, they're always going to get them in fall camp. But to see guys who are brand new to college football — it doesn't even matter that the offense changed—they're just new to college football, period.
"To see their growth and their ability to function as a unit, even as the lineup keeps changing and it's a different five in every series — the communication has gotten so much better as spring has progressed."
The five most-productive offensive seasons in Wake Forest Football history are 2017-22 with the innovative RPO approach of then offensive coordinator Warren Ruggiero and then head coach Dave Clawson. So far, Ezell is seeing high-level buy-in from the team as he implements his spread offensive philosophy.
"I've got a lot of respect for Warren and Coach Clawson," Ezell said. "These kids are highly disciplined and very attentive. Sure, there are some new things we're doing, but there's still some carryover. Offense is offense at the end of the day.
"You've seen the transition go smoother than maybe we would've even anticipated. That's due to their discipline and their mindset — being in the right spot and continuing to learn, grow, and progress. The spring was really fun. We have an incredible group of guys, an incredible group of men that are going to represent Wake Forest the right way."
The new staff under Dickert and Ezell has an intense focus on energy and that was evident after each practice in spring camp as the team started their workouts bouncing around with joy and then often stayed long after to focus on individual work.
"You don't want to leave the field," Ezell said. "You just wish you could keep going, because every day there's excitement, there's energy, there's guys flying around, there's great learning going on.
"You're seeing guys grow and develop — and that's probably one of the most rewarding things in coaching, seeing kids take that next step. That's what they're doing. So it's flying by, and you wish it would slow down."
"Well, really getting to know Coach Dickert in the process when we were talking — I really felt his energy, his buzz," Ezell said about what led him to Winston-Salem. "He had a really good plan ultimately to win and have success with the way the landscape of college football has been changing.
"Wake Forest — feels like the last 20 years, certainly since I've been really watching football — it's been a really successful football program. I remember watching them play Pittsburgh in the ACC Championship Game, so I knew it was also a place where you can go win and have success. All those factors drove me and my family here, and we're happy about it."
The complete higher education experience at Wake Forest has been a refreshing and welcome sight for Ezell.
"I've been blown away by the level of community this campus has," he said. "I've been to other places — and I've been to some great spots — but sometimes you didn't even feel like you were working at a college. To have the football facility right in the middle of campus, to be able to walk over to the cafeteria and have lunch, and to be involved with the students and the faculty has been a really eye-opening, incredible experience.
"And as far as the players — they've been outstanding. They've taken to the new system, bought into what we're doing, and you can see the growth."
Spring camp definitely presented some challenges for Ezell and the Wake Forest staff, as they dealt with several injuries to players they expected to compete for spots on the eventual two-deep depth chart — especially on the offensive line.
"Yeah, and that's probably been one of the great things about the spring — the opportunity it presents for other guys to step up and get reps they otherwise wouldn't have gotten," Ezell said, looking at the silver lining. "In spring training, they're always going to get them in fall camp. But to see guys who are brand new to college football — it doesn't even matter that the offense changed—they're just new to college football, period.
"To see their growth and their ability to function as a unit, even as the lineup keeps changing and it's a different five in every series — the communication has gotten so much better as spring has progressed."
The five most-productive offensive seasons in Wake Forest Football history are 2017-22 with the innovative RPO approach of then offensive coordinator Warren Ruggiero and then head coach Dave Clawson. So far, Ezell is seeing high-level buy-in from the team as he implements his spread offensive philosophy.
"I've got a lot of respect for Warren and Coach Clawson," Ezell said. "These kids are highly disciplined and very attentive. Sure, there are some new things we're doing, but there's still some carryover. Offense is offense at the end of the day.
"You've seen the transition go smoother than maybe we would've even anticipated. That's due to their discipline and their mindset — being in the right spot and continuing to learn, grow, and progress. The spring was really fun. We have an incredible group of guys, an incredible group of men that are going to represent Wake Forest the right way."
The new staff under Dickert and Ezell has an intense focus on energy and that was evident after each practice in spring camp as the team started their workouts bouncing around with joy and then often stayed long after to focus on individual work.
"You don't want to leave the field," Ezell said. "You just wish you could keep going, because every day there's excitement, there's energy, there's guys flying around, there's great learning going on.
"You're seeing guys grow and develop — and that's probably one of the most rewarding things in coaching, seeing kids take that next step. That's what they're doing. So it's flying by, and you wish it would slow down."
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Eni Falayi TD grab before the end of the half
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Demond Claiborne scores the Deacs' first TD of the day
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Wake Forest Football | Virginia Tech Trailer
Saturday, October 04