Wake Forest Athletics
Resilience Observed
7/14/2026 11:56:00 AM | Football
A lot of people have a "Riley Skinner story." This is mine. In the Fall of 2007, the Wake Forest football team was pitted against Maryland. It was late in the third quarter and Wake was behind by 21 points. I looked at my husband and said, "Time to go home; I have seen enough." The game ended in overtime with Wake Forest winning 31 to 24. I declared that I would never leave another game when Riley Skinner was quarterback and I didn't.
Becoming the quarterback for Wake Forest involved a most unusual story for Riley. For two years, he led Bolles High School in Jacksonville, Florida, as the starting quarterback. His senior year, the team went undefeated and won the 3A State Championship. Riley had broken many school and state records. With his history, expectations for recruitment by Division 1 schools were strong Nothing happened. Riley was seriously thinking about ending his football career and going to the University of Georgia as a student. However, this story ended with a different outcome.
Wake Forest heavily recruited John Russell, a defensive tackle, and Riley's teammate at Bolles. John had made an early commitment to Wake, and the coaching staff arranged several trips to watch John practice. During these visits, Riley's high school coach persuaded the coaches to also consider Riley. Although Wake Forest had previously signed a quarterback that year, a call to head coach Jim Grobe resulted in Grobe's trip to Bolles for a look. Along with his observations and the persuasiveness of Riley's high school coach, a scholarship eventually was found. Riley's scholarship was the last one offered just eight days before signing.
A redshirt freshman in 2006, Riley was listed as third string quarterback at the beginning of the season. Wake Forest was ranked as the last team in the conference and had only won three ACC games the year before. During the opener against Syracuse, the starting quarterback, Ben Mauk, broke his arm and dislocated his shoulder requiring reconstructive surgery. On the sideline, another story emerged: Riley had trouble locating his helmet. Once found, he entered the game, but a disastrous first snap resulted in a fumble recovery. Riley never looked back and the rest was history. Wake Forest finished the season with eleven wins and three losses, won the ACC championship game, and played in the Orange Bowl. No one expected this kind of a season, not even Riley.
Riley was named ACC Rookie of the Year at the end of the 2006 season. Over his career, he was and remains the winningest quarterback in Wake Forest football history with 31 victories. He led the nation in 2007 in pass completions, and he set numerous Wake Forest records in passing efficiency, completions, and touchdowns.
One of the most revealing statistics suggests that Riley had the ability to bounce back and lead the team to a winning outcome. During the years between 2006 and 2008, Wake Forest won 10 games when they were behind at half or in the third or fourth quarters, a season of comeback games. In a game against Ole Miss, they marched down the field with only 53 seconds left and won the game with a field goal.
Riley was not fast or big for a college quarterback. But he had an exceptional throwing arm as well as gifted teammates on both offense and defense. He had a sixth sense of knowing when to move and where to stay in the pocket. He was described as "poised in the pocket." His timing and spatial awareness were excellent. Yet, trying to understand the story of his unexpected success, there seemed to be a quality about Riley that was unique. Barry Faircloth, Executive Associate Athletic Director for Development and Sales ('93) reflected, "he had a different mental make-up that made him special."
Riley says that he realized in the transition from high school to college ball, he did not have the luxury of relying on size and speed to be successful. He could no longer run over defensive ends. He had to adopt a different style of play and it involved a lot of learning and thinking. During his redshirt year, he increased his skill in reading defenses as well as understanding the complexity of the offense. Being prepared became his number one priority both physically and mentally. He spent untold hours watching film and always wondered if he had watched enough. His regimen required effective time management and organizational skills due to demands on both the field and the classroom. Playing football and being successful academically required the time equivalent of two full time jobs. Wake Forest did not make academic concessions for its athletes in entrance requirements, and Riley not only passed this hurdle, but he chose to major in business which required passage of certain classes to be admitted to the Business School. He effectively dealt with intellectual demands both athletically and academically.
Riley always liked challenges and competition. His parents report that at the age of ten years, he went with a group of his buddies to play tennis. When his parents went to pick him up, they found him playing against the older members of the gym which Riley thought was "better competition." Liking competition involves making personal mistakes, and Riley accepted that mistakes would be made. When mistakes came, he wanted to understand what had happened and how to fix them. After throwing three interceptions in the 2007 Maryland football game, he asked himself what he had missed and what it would take to win the game. His thoughts were not catastrophic; he had confidence that by chipping away play after play he could make a difference. Mistakes did not have a negative impact on his immediate play. David Couch, former Wake Forest football and baseball player and athletic benefactor ('84), observed, "he had the memory of a goldfish. When bad things happened, he had a quick recovery. He let it go and moved on to the next play."
Riley was a "people person." He never wanted to let others down. He thrived as a quarterback because he saw his role as a servant leader. He was part of something bigger than himself—a team. When thinking back about being thrown into a situation that he didn't expect, he remembered feeling that the team had his back. He had developed positive relationships with his teammates prior to becoming the starting quarterback, and that rapport made the transition easier. He used humor to keep things light on the sidelines, and he did not let differences linger. His style was to talk things through rather than letting them fester. He never separated himself from the rest of the team and always gave credit to others. His humility remained apparent years later in his acceptance speech when inducted into the Wake Forest Hall of Fame. He had deep gratitude toward his fellow players and, as David Couch said, "he never threw anyone under the bus, not even the referees."
Riley had a calm demeanor. He was composed under pressure. Barry Faircloth observed, "when the lights went on, he seemed to calm down and was not overwhelmed." Big crowds were no different than smaller crowds; he reacted the same. In addition, he demonstrated emotional regulation—never too high and never too low. He was not rattled easily, and he never took himself too seriously. He had an amazing ability to be in the moment and call the play whether the team was up seven or down seven. He said he never looked at the scoreboard in the middle of the game and thought the game was over. All he could control was the next play and, if he continued to do things the right way, good things would happen. Riley was optimistic, but not naive. He perceived people and situations in a positive light. His high school coach was described by others as "old school," one who was hard on Riley with lots of correction and yelling. Yet, Riley remembered him as someone who taught him the importance of doing little things the right way and being accountable. He focused on and remembered the positive lessons from his mentor.
Riley's faith was described as the rudder of his life. Prayer was frequent; gratitude was the focus of his prayers. As in football, he didn't live in the ups and downs of the world around him. His faith anchored his priorities. He liked winning, but he kept football in perspective. When Wake lost and his father felt down over the loss, Riley would say: "Get over it, Dad. It is just a game." His identity and worth were not rooted in the scoreboard or in success or failure, but rather on the impact he had on others. His faith taught him to think of other people more than himself.
Riley lived in an environment of positive social support. His parents attended every one of his games, and he remembers how important it was to look up and see them in the stands. But Riley indicated that his parents were never demanding of athletic performance from him; they wanted Riley to do what he loved. Family support also came from his three siblings who attended games as frequently as possible as well as a long history of family members who were successful athletes. One of his most important fans was his future wife, who even though a Clemson Tiger, came to Wake Forest on Saturdays to cheer him on. Students, faculty, alumni, and fans were all encouraging when he had his chance to play. His parents reported that Riley received letters of support from people in the Wake Forest community reminding him to "know who you are." Most importantly, Riley was willing to ask people for support.
In thinking about Riley's accomplishments, in spite of all the stress and pressure that he faced as a college quarterback and student, the concept of "resilience" comes to mind.
Resilience is defined as the ability to adapt well in the face of adversity. It is bouncing back when you are behind. Resilience is no longer conceived of as a single trait but rather a constellation of qualities in an individual within a social context. It is not mental toughness nor is it just powering through difficulties. In fact, it requires the individual to perceive threats as challenges, to realistically appraise a situation and focus on what can be changed, and to tune into what is good. It involves being optimistic, using intelligence to solve problems, regulating emotions, and having an internal belief system. Resilient individuals are motivated to achieve and master situations; they exhibit self-confidence and have effective communication skills. They are grateful and make meaning in their lives. But resilience is a dynamic process and occurs in the context of positive social connections. Supportive parenting, close friendships, and positive relationships with others allow resilience to flourish.
In Riley's case, there was an abundance of qualities that suggested the presence of resilience, and his environment encouraged its expression. Most fans didn't know much about the personal attributes of Riley Skinner, but on Saturdays, his resilience was easy to observe. He played every down as if it was the first.
