Process-Oriented Growth Seen From Wake Forest Football by Justin Kramer

5/7/2026 8:30:00 AM | Football

The Baker Family Assistant Head Coach has made an impact on Wake Forest Football as the Demon Deacons look to build off of a nine-win season.

By: Les Johns

Justin Kramer came to Wake Forest the same way most of the coaches on Jake Dickert's inaugural staff did — by following someone he believed in.

He arrived in Winston-Salem in January 2025 after three seasons at Washington State alongside Dickert, having worked his way through Missouri State, Southeast Missouri State and Missouri before landing in the Pac-12. He was named the Baker Family Assistant Head Coach, a title made possible by a landmark commitment from Prentiss and Joan Baker, one of Wake Forest's most generous and longstanding families, and given a role that doesn't fit neatly into any traditional coaching box.

Which, as it turns out, suits him perfectly.

"Kind of when we put this together, we took an NFL model," Kramer said of his position. "That was one thing [Wake Forest Vice President/Director of Athletics John] Currie really challenged us with — coming up with a more modern football organization.

"My role as assistant head coach is kind of helping Coach Dickert handle all the football side of things. That's from our practice organization to watching tape, building out the team meetings, big on culture and team building, and just helping him keep a watchful eye on making sure we're staying on track."

It's a role that's growing across college football, a recognition that the demands on a head coach in the modern era require a trusted lieutenant who can manage the connective tissue of a program — the stuff that doesn't show up in a box score but determines whether a team holds together when things get hard.

In the first year in Winston-Salem, it held together exceptionally well. Wake Forest finished 2025 at 9-4, capping the season with a 43-29 victory over Mississippi State in the Duke's Mayo Bowl at Bank of America Stadium.

It was just the fourth nine-win season in program history and the fifth time in nine years the Deacs had reached eight wins or more, a standard only four other ACC programs can match over that span. Offensively, the Demon Deacons scored 30 or more points six times, averaged more than 28 points per game, and generated 27 plays of 30 yards or more, their most explosive output since 2022.

Perhaps the most striking single-unit improvement came up front. Under Kramer's direction, the offensive line surrendered just 17 sacks after giving up 42 the previous season, a leap from 125th nationally to a top-20 ranking in the FBS. Offensive tackle Fa'alili Fa'amoe, guard George Sell and center Devin Kylany each earned Honorable Mention All-ACC recognition.

Now into his second spring with the program, Kramer can feel the difference that a year of shared language makes.

"We have 27 guys that went through spring ball with us last year," he said. "You're starting to see the understanding of how we need to practice and the rhythm that goes with it. You notice it now — we get to day five, we're going to have live tackling, and the kids are prepared. They were ready for it. Last year, everything was brand new. Now we can give them a couple buzzwords and they can go out there and execute it."

The roster Dickert's staff assembled heading into the 2026 season brings together returning contributors, transfers and an incoming freshman class, a mix that requires daily, intentional work to turn into a cohesive unit.

Kramer has taken that work seriously, building culture infrastructure from the ground up.

"It just starts with intentionality," he said. "Every day you go about it, you've got to try to get these kids to connect, get them to talk. One of our spring objectives is communication. We started with these small groups before team meetings in the winter and just had a simple question: how would you like to be communicated with?

"Because we all don't know each other. And in those stressful, pressure-packed situations, how can I calmly communicate to you? The better we can communicate and connect, the more we're going to play for each other."

One mechanism for that is what the staff calls the team draft, breaking the roster into cross-sectional groups that mix players by position, class and background, then rewarding those groups for engaging with each other and the wider campus community.

"You see them at baseball games, tennis matches, all over the community," Kramer said. "We're rewarding them with points. Yes, we're having a competition, but at the end of the day, you're building bonds, you're building friendships. They're in the best time of their lives. I wish I could go back and play college ball — me and my four roommates, I still remember them to this day. A very diverse group from all different parts of the country. That's what the college experience is about."

On the field, Kramer's attention this spring has been split between managing the veteran core and integrating a freshman class he believes arrived at the right time.

"Coming in at mid-semester is the best time," he said. "You don't have the rush of the season. Things are a little bit slower. They get integrated into the team right away. If you have questions about the installs, you can come up and learn. We had four freshmen up here last night until about 8:30, just going over plays. I love to see it."

Among those freshmen, quarterbacks Gannon Jones and Grant Lawless have drawn particular notice. "Those guys are setting the tone and the tenor for that class," Kramer said.

The other name generating buzz heading into the spring scrimmage is Gio Lopez, the quarterback who arrived via the transfer portal after previously playing in the same offensive system under coordinator Rob Ezell at South Alabama.

"Gio's been great," Kramer said. "His synergy with Rob Ezell — just coming in already knowing the offense. He was really only gone for six months because Rob had been here for a year, but South Alabama was still running the same scheme with the same terminology. Being able to come back and right away immerse himself — he's really related to our guys.

"He's gotten to know the offensive line, the big boys, but you see him reaching across to the defensive side, developing relationships there. He brings great wisdom to the leadership council. Really excited about what steps he can take next."

Kramer settled in quickly once he and his family arrived. His wife Killian is from New Jersey, and Winston-Salem put them in an ideal spot geographically, close enough to both sets of parents to make it feel like home rather than another stop on a long coaching journey.

"You can get to the mountains in two hours, the ocean in three," he said. "The community has been awesome. Our kids are entrenched with sports. Couldn't ask for a better location."

The program he arrived to help build is two springs and a Mayo Bowl into what Dickert hopes is a sustained run. The foundation, in the locker room and on the field, appears to be taking shape.

"Every year is a restart," Kramer said. "You've got to start back from the beginning. But this team is right on pace with where we want them to be as far as our process goes."