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Les Johns of Demon Deacon Digest - Reddit-style AMA on Wake Fall Camp

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LesJohns3D

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Good Thursday morning.

I'm guessing most here know me, but I'll do a short introduction for those who don't.

I'm Les Johns, and I cover Wake Forest athletics for the Scout.com site Demon Deacon Digest. Except for the final scrimmage that took place Friday, Wake fall camp has been open to the media — and I've been present for almost every rep.

While I'm putting together several position previews for my site today, I'll jump on here and answer any questions you might have about the Deacs as they get ready to open the season a week from today against Presbyterian.

There will be no hard sell on joining my site today, but I will include here a link to my Twitter and for our free newsletter. Though there is a VIP component to what we do, there's a healthy mix of free content that all can enjoy.

Let's have fun today! Ask away.
 
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Have you seen any Jet sweeps / Bubble / Tunnel screens to get playmakers the ball on the outside?
 
DeacsOrDie said:
Have you seen any Jet sweeps / Bubble / Tunnel screens to get playmakers the ball on the outside?
Click to expand...

I like the general way you phrased that. Clawson has verbally indicated many times starting at ACC Media days and continuing through camps that the playbook would be a bit more open this season with the amount of experience they have returning. There will be plays this season that work to get the ball on the perimeter to players like Arkeem Byrd and Greg Dortch. Don't expect everything to go straight through the tackles this year.
 
You have to build a team around one player for the next 5 years, who do you take?

Messi or Pulisic
 
Hi Les, from your observation, what caused the flip from DJ Taylor being the frosh linebacker who would play this year to Jake Simpson?
Who is Sean McGinn? He decommitted from ... Arkansas State to sign with us, was not expecting much from him before his redshirt junior year, if that
Tell us about Coby Davis and Ja'sir Taylor please
 
Do you agree with me that Colburn is better overall player than Carney?
 
Screamindemon3 said:
You have to build a team around one player for the next 5 years, who do you take?

Messi or Pulisic
Click to expand...

Breaking the rules already. It's a AMA about Fall Fall Football camp. Is it ok to go with a simple answer here and say Pulisic, because he's younger and American?

To marginally bring it all back to Wake, I covered my first Wake soccer match at Spry Saturday night after the Fall Sports Fan Fest, and interviewed coach Bobby Muuss after the 2-2 tie with UNCW.

Muuss kind of jabbed me when we met. "I follow you on Twitter, and love your work covering Wake athletics," He said. "I just figured you didn't like soccer."

Wasn't quite sure what to say to that, but I promised him I'd be out often this season. Good guy.
 
LesJohns3D said:
Breaking the rules already. It's a AMA about Fall Fall Football camp. Is it ok to go with a simple answer here and say Pulisic, because he's younger and American?

To marginally bring it all back to Wake, I covered my first Wake soccer match at Spry Saturday night after the Fall Sports Fan Fest, and interviewed coach Bobby Muuss after the 2-2 tie with UNCW.

Muuss kind of jabbed me when we met. "I follow you on Twitter, and love your work covering Wake athletics," He said. "I just figured you didn't like soccer."

Wasn't quite sure what to say to that, but I promised him I'd be out often this season. Good guy.
Click to expand...

You said Reddit style AMA, that means anything goes. Nice answer though, good work on twitter as well.
 
Breakout defensive player?

Is Bates going to repeat his freshman success?
 
Who do you think finishes the season with the most receiving yards?

Who do you think finishes the season with the most rushing yards?

Barring unforeseen injuries.
 
jaybone said:
Hi Les, from your observation, what caused the flip from DJ Taylor being the frosh linebacker who would play this year to Jake Simpson?
Who is Sean McGinn? He decommitted from ... Arkansas State to sign with us, was not expecting much from him before his redshirt junior year, if that
Tell us about Coby Davis and Ja'sir Taylor please
Click to expand...

Both the first two questions are relatively new developments that I'm frankly still trying to wrap my head around.

First on Simpson - My notes have DJ Taylor behind Jaboree Williams and Justin Strnad at the Buck position. I'd been led to believe that Simpson could play at both the Mike and the Buck spot, so perhaps his versatility gives him a nod. Aside from all that, however, we probably all need to consider that most of their meaningful freshmen reps should come in special teams. It might be that Simpson has provided better special teams production in camp, and thus has won over the spot.

Clawon on DJ Taylor just a couple weeks ago, for instance: "He also has a knack for making plays. He was really more of a high school running back, so I thought he might be one of the last guys to catch onto things."

At offensive line, I believe they are trying to get a legit 10-deep with a true, ready-to-play backup listed at each position. So to do that, they will need to use one freshman, and Maginn appears to be the guy who impressed the most.

On Ja'Sir Taylor, what was mentioned most about him was his consistency and the fact that he never hit the proverbial wall in his first college fall camp. I was honestly a bit surprised with Sawvel told me a couple days ago that Taylor has been the No. 3 corner pretty much the entire camp, behind Amari Henderson and Essang Bassey.

I'll follow up with some thoughts on Coby Davis a little later today once I get into my notes and article on safeties.
 
AnonymousDeac said:
Who will be our starting QB and if you had to make the argument, why should it be the other guy?
Click to expand...

I think the starting quarterback against Presbyterian will be John Wolford. We should know for sure when the depth chart is released tomorrow. Wolford has had the better camp, and you could make the argument that with the talent returning at wide receiver — you want to use the most accurate passer to get those guys the ball.

The argument for Hinton, who also had a solid camp, is that all of the practice and scrimmage reps weren't totally live in terms of quarterbacks being considered down by just a touch. By rightly protecting the quarterback from potential injury, you've also greatly inhibited Hinton's strongest asset — the ability to make plays with his feet.

To me, it's amazing that these guys have competed against each other for six camps now and it's a razor-thin margin. It's a tough decision for Clawson. You have to believe either can lead them to a win a week from today. The bigger question to me is who starts a week from Saturday at Boston College.
 
LesJohns3D said:
Both the first two questions are relatively new developments that I'm frankly still trying to wrap my head around.

First on Simpson - My notes have DJ Taylor behind Jaboree Williams and Justin Strnad at the Buck position. I'd been led to believe that Simpson could play at both the Mike and the Buck spot, so perhaps his versatility gives him a nod. Aside from all that, however, we probably all need to consider that most of their meaningful freshmen reps should come in special teams. It might be that Simpson has provided better special teams production in camp, and thus has won over the spot.

Clawon on DJ Taylor just a couple weeks ago, for instance: "He also has a knack for making plays. He was really more of a high school running back, so I thought he might be one of the last guys to catch onto things."

At offensive line, I believe they are trying to get a legit 10-deep with a true, ready-to-play backup listed at each position. So to do that, they will need to use one freshman, and Maginn appears to be the guy who impressed the most.

On Ja'Sir Taylor, what was mentioned most about him was his consistency and the fact that he never hit the proverbial wall in his first college fall camp. I was honestly a bit surprised with Sawvel told me a couple days ago that Taylor has been the No. 3 corner pretty much the entire camp, behind Amari Henderson and Essang Bassey.

I'll follow up with some thoughts on Coby Davis a little later today once I get into my notes and article on safeties.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the answer! Really
 
TownieDeac said:
Breakout defensive player?

Is Bates going to repeat his freshman success?
Click to expand...

I've got two options here - Boogie Basham on the defensive line and Ja'Cquez Williams at rover.

Bates doesn't seem to be resting on his freshmen laurels. He's being applauded by coaches for his never-ceasing work ethic. He makes plays all over the field, has ridiculous instincts and great ball skills. Think we'll look back in a couple years and marvel at the late-recruiting cycle steal that Bates has ended up becoming for Clawson. He also juggles well.
 
Given how Wolford and Hinton are both injury prone, does Newman look ready play?
 
I like the development of Scotty Washington mostly because I think when you run long routes, you need a quality sub. We played Lewis so much last year, I think the CBs could cheat on him some when they saw how gassed he was and how unlikely he was to run a long route on the coming play.

That being said, the highlights I have seen don't show Washington using his length to go up and catch balls - he's run under well thrown balls. Is the staff over lavishing him with praise in order to prop up his ego so that he produces this year? Or he is producing in practice? Is it that or is Lewis still in the doghouse enough that they NEED Washington to be ready???

Also, what do you expect out of Dortch this year? And how do you see the running back rotation playing out?
 
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