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Retained Grobe Staff

Not really true anymore. Most teams spend significant time on special teams these days, especially coverage and return units. The problems generally result from the lack of true coaching of kickers, as well as poor depth that makes it difficult to sustain good special teams units. A lot of teams (Wake included) end up balancing out whether to play starters on special teams (causing more fatigue and risking injury) or playing 2nd and 3rd teamers who just aren't that good.

Ok, fine. Few teams seem to see much results from all the time/effort they now spend on special teams, so we can gain a nice advantage if we're great at it.
 
Not really true anymore. Most teams spend significant time on special teams these days, especially coverage and return units. The problems generally result from the lack of true coaching of kickers, as well as poor depth that makes it difficult to sustain good special teams units. A lot of teams (Wake included) end up balancing out whether to play starters on special teams (causing more fatigue and risking injury) or playing 2nd and 3rd teamers who just aren't that good.

Seems like special teams used to be a place where we'd see guys make their mark while they were playing behind upperclassmen. Josh Gattis was probably the best punt coverage guy I have ever seen at Wake. Now our ST is just dreadful. We look so slow out there.
 
Remember the year we allowed an average punt return of like 2 feet?
 
Yes, I think the longest return we allowed was something like 4 yards.
 
Swank. It was 2008. We allowed 12 returns for 9 yards for an average of 27 inches.
 
Himebauch was the only coach that showed emotion and passion on the sideline during games. Doubt he'd be out on the road wooing recruits with Clawson if he wasn't being retained. He's still new and has the resume' so I'm IN on this.
 
Auburn last year only allowed 5 returns for 4 yards which is crazy because they must have punted a lot.
 
Himebauch was the only coach that showed emotion and passion on the sideline during games. Doubt he'd be out on the road wooing recruits with Clawson if he wasn't being retained. He's still new and has the resume' so I'm IN on this.

Are the OC and DC even in Winston yet? Would he hire a new OL coach without them on board? I think this is a temp thing unless we hear otherwise.
 
Tons of 40 yard fair catches IIRC.

I'm sure punt returners saw AC destroy that dude for Baylor and decided a fair catch was just fine. As long as it was properly signaled.
 
Ph -

Are the OC and DC even in Winston yet? Would he hire a new OL coach without them on board? I think this is a temp thing unless we hear otherwise.

If there here or en route this a.m. they'll get settled over at Graylin, sign-in/check-in with the Boss and probably hit the phones/road recruiting in assigned areas other than Himey. These guys either know each other personnally or know 'of' each other so I see no problem in the Boss making the hire of Himey. The OC guy coming probably said 'got it' to Clawson.
 
Don't assume Himebauch is staying. He is paid through 12/31, and he is most likely just helping transition players from the old staff to the new staff. He might get the job, but the fact he is on the road doesn't mean anything right now.

this. its an awkward situation but happens all the time, especially when new staff is staying behind to coach a bowl game
 
this. its an awkward situation but happens all the time, especially when new staff is staying behind to coach a bowl game

Do the coaches who stay behind get the free bowl game swag? Maybe he needs a free XBox One to give his kid for Christmas
 
I know it's on the players to go out and make things happen, but our WRs were horrid this past year (obviously not talking about Camp). I was really disappointed that Stubblefield didn't have more of an impact on their performance.
 
Wake's new OC and DC are busy coaching up BG for their bowl game against Pitt.

It will be interesting to see if Clawson actually retains any of the recently dismissed staff. I would think that it would be prudent to do so for several reasons; but that would presumably mean releasing a member of his BG staff.
 
Wake's new OC and DC are busy coaching up BG for their bowl game against Pitt..

Pretty sure the Special Team's coach is the one who is staying on an interim basis to do that (and then hopefully joining us, but I don't recall hearing a definite on him yet). I have a hard time believing the OC/DC aren't out on the recruiting trail with Clawson and Himey now that they are confirmed to be coming to Wake.
 
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OC and DC are both recruiting for Wake right now. They'll be back at Bowling Green for the bowl game but they are out recruiting for Wake right now (until Sunday) since the dead period is quickly approaching.

12-16 is the start (some restrictions start on 12/15) of the dead period. Getting in front of current commits and future recruits by then is important so they get a face to a name & voice. Clawson and whoever can then call those recruits once a week or send them letters/info over the dead period. Basically get the initial pitches in for the new staff then maintain contact for the dead month and have a leg up on closing out the recruiting in late January.
 
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Jonathan Himebauch ‏@COACH_HIMEY 58m
Good to be back on the road spending time with future Deacs with @CoachClawson tonight. #GoDeacs

This sounds like a positive sign that Himebauch will be back at Wake. Remember, all the assistants were asked to be gone the day after Grobe resigned. Clawson was reported interviewing the outgoing Wake staff Wednesday. I doubt he would have someone "back on the road" trying to secure the recruits and then let him go in a few weeks. Coach H. had a pretty good pedigree when he got to Wake, and many thought he was a significant positive hire. That said, his bio is not yet back on the WF web site. Just the new HC, the assistant AD for football, Ethan Reeve, and the grad assistants.
 
A new piece on WFU sports:

"Although only 46, Clawson has been the boss for 14 years and is one of the most seasoned coaches ever to take on an ACC gig. In fact, of all of the previous 82 hires ACC schools have made while members of the conference, only one delivered a leader with more college head coaching experience than this one. That would be Wake Forest's choice in 1987 of Bill Dooley, who had run the programs at North Carolina and Virginia Tech for 20 total years before coming to Winston-Salem."

Interesting that he is the second most experienced HC to move to any ACC program (if you believe this - I haven't fact checked), and second only to Bill Dooley in terms of HC experience. Bill Dooley was an unusual case, as he seemed to have been lured out of retirement to coach at Wake.

If Clawson stays five years at Wake (his track record so far is five years per stop) and gets an offer he can't refuse from one of the football elite, I think I would be OK, because it would most likely mean Wake has been in the mix for, or won a conference championship and has been to multiple bowl games. By that time he may just bleed old gold and black and stick around for a while longer.
 
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