Predict the final 8 games

Deaconblue said:

The first BC turnover was significant. It killed their first drive and led directly to a Wake score.

The one Wake turnover may have kept Sciba's string of made FG intact. If the pass had been incomplete, Wake would have had a fourth down at long FG range or short punt or go on fourth down. The int inside the BC10 was effectively a punt one down early.

Click to expand...

Not sure where that's coming from, the pick was on first down, so it was a really bad time to try to force it in there.

TexasDeac1 said:

The CSU /USU game was in miserable rain, snow , cold conditions. CSU has a terrible defense, and USU would have hung 60 on them easy in dry conditions. That being said, they could lose to LSU by 30+.

Click to expand...

Thank you. I did not know that fact. I'm sure it made a difference. I actually would prefer USU doesn't get blown out Sat....

Pazdadeac said:

7-5. Lose them all on the road, plus one at home. Beat Texas A&M again in some bowl because they'll be way over confident. i would love to clip Syracuse to go 8-4.

Click to expand...

I am happy to be wrong! Keep proving me wrong, Deacs!

80deacon said:

Thank you. I did not know that fact. I'm sure it made a difference. I actually would prefer USU doesn't get blown out Sat....

Click to expand...

If LSU looks ahead to the following week's game against gators I guarantee you they will be in a dog fight. LSU gave up 38 points to a not so good Vandy team, so I suspect we will see a lot of points. Just hard to outscore LSU as they have some weapons.

SI has us in the Orange Bowl against ND.

DEACS76 said:

SI has us in the Orange Bowl against ND.

Click to expand...

Months before we play them in Charlotte. I’ll take it though.

80deacon said:

I'm still concerned about our overall D, esp pass coverage. Wide open guys too often. Here's something I'd like some opinions on.....Utah State played 1-4 Colorado State at home and won 34-24. One USU td was a KO return and the other was grabbing the ball out of CSU's hands deep for another, similar to play on Jamie. Love only had 170 yds passing and a pick 6. I'm thinking a 30 pt+ loss to LSU this wknd.

Plus, Duke manhandled VT who moved the ball effectively at B.C. (outgained them IIRC) & basically lost by a td due to 5 TOs.

Click to expand...

I think VT quit since then

According to this 247 writer, our best case scenario is 11-1.
https://247sports.com/college/wake-...CC-best-case-scenarios-136384872/#136384872_3


Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Best case: 11-1, 7-1 — Nine wins was the ceiling we projected in August, but that glass ceiling has been shattered. After an impressive 5-0 start, this Deacs team is thinking New Year's Six if they can't beat Clemson and finish second in the ACC Atlantic as a nationally-ranked team. Florida State and NC State are two extremely important home games upcoming at BB&T Field. The finale at Syracuse would be one of the biggest games in program history if the Deacs can get past Clemson and Duke during the two weekends prior.

------

One of?

It would be soooo LOWF to beat Clemson and lose to Duke and 'Cuse.

Wakeforest22890 said:

Similarly, SP+ projections:

UL - 64.7%
FSU - 53.5%
NCSU - 59.1%
@VT - 54.7%
@Clem - 9%
Duke - 51.9%
@Syr - 51.9%

Expected wins: 8.44 - down from last week by .05 even though we got a win. Per SP+, Wake had a 15% post-game win expectancy.

Click to expand...

It's happening people. Get on the trolley now.

saltydeac said:

If LSU looks ahead to the following week's game against gators I guarantee you they will be in a dog fight. LSU gave up 38 points to a not so good Vandy team, so I suspect we will see a lot of points. Just hard to outscore LSU as they have some weapons.

Click to expand...

That statement would have been unthinkable 2 years ago when defense was all they had. The times they are a' changin'. Wake favored over VT and FSU? Who saw that coming?

I rewatched the BC-Wake game last night (the condensed version anyway), and listened to the BC post-game press conference, and here are my thoughts:

* We put a ton of pressure on opposing teams mentally and physically, specifically their defense. To the point that they eventually break at least on a few plays. We have huge receivers. We run out three different RBs all with different skillsets, and our QB is huge. This last one I sort of underestimated the importance of until the presser. His size alone is a factor. It is sort of like defenses feel when they oppose AJ Dillon and the BC OL and play action offense.

* Piggybacking on the above, the fact that we also go fast - defenses often break down both mentally and physically against us. BC DID NOT break down physically, but they sort of did mentally (according to them) - it's the constant pressure and ability to sustain long drives without substituting.

* The fact that we commit few penalties and/or turnovers puts even more pressure on the opposing D

* We often force opposing offenses to play slightly out of character BECAUSE of the expectation that we are going to throw up yards and points. Our defense is way better and has been really good and not giving up too many huge plays, especially scoring plays of 20+ yards, but we don't really scare anybody as a defensive unit per se. But .. offenses put pressure on themselves because they want to keep our offense off the field and they know they can't commit stupid penalties or turnovers against us and win

* We don't have to blow defenses off the line of scrimmage on running plays. It is interesting to watch. I believe our goal as a unit is to hold up defensive lines and wait for them to panic and try and go left or right. When that happens, our OL just goes with and drives the lineman in the direction they chose, thus opening a hole. The delayed linebacker blitz seems to be the only way to go, but then if our RB takes that LB on and Newman keeps it, the TE pass or Slot pass, or even a WR cross is now open

* Because of the pressure the RPO puts on the defense, I don't really get the empty backfield strategy. As others have mentioned, we run Newman out of this about 75% of the time anyway, and now we don't have Carney to take on the LB. I keep waiting for us to set up some other play, but so far we seem to be "saving" it for some other opponent.

* All that said above, I am really excited about the rest of the season. I know each game is different and hard to predict, so I won't. Obviously, we have the talent and matchup problems to win every game on our schedule. I am sure we won't do that, or pretty sure at least, but I am already looking forward to going against Clemson. I am not a huge Lawrence fan. I think he blinks. I would love to see us get ahead 7-0 or 10-0 in that game and see if we can force Lawrence to make some mistakes. Other teams have. It wouldn't be a first.

* Quick starts for us just put that much more pressure on our opponents. We punt well, our FG kicker is great. Honestly, I think we could stand to be a bit more aggressive on playcalling going foward. I don't mean throwing the ball up for Surratt and Scotty to win 50/50 battles, I mean go fast like we did with Wolford. Throw to the slot. Throw screens to RBs, etc... I don't even think we need to call Newman running plays. They will happen organically when a pass read yields no great throwing option. We need to understand better how much pressure the makeup of our team offensively is putting on opposing defenses AND offenses. (I am sure we do, btw, I just think Coach Clawson has proven to be a relatively conservative play caller considering our high octane offense).

The Wake offense "flips the script" philosophically. Most offenses do something and the defense reacts to what the offense does. In Wake's long mesh point RPO, the offense snaps the ball and then waits for the defense to do something. After the defense commits to doing something, then Jamie reads that action and reacts to beat the defense's move.

Example:
4 D-line guys rush QB. 2 Linebackers come in run support. If safety also steps up in run support, then some wide receiver (Scotty, Sage, Kendall) has single coverage. Boom. Pass play for yards.

It's a lot on the QB to read and be patient, but eventually the defense does something that the Wake offense can exploit.

RPO provides opportunities to a QB similar to those of a point guard.

Every Clawson team has gotten better as the season unfolds. 100 percent of them.

This is such a smart team.

Louisville-Win
FSU-Loss
NC State- Win
Virginia Tech-Win
Clemson- Loss
Duke - Win
Syracuse- Loss

I kind of wish the accolades would die down now. We've gotten good press but our schedule has been pretty weak. We SHOULD be 5-0. I've been a Wake fan for 25 years...that unexpected wet fart loss is coming. Call me LOWF...but I've seen this movie before. We always lose one we (really) shouldn't...Wake gonna Wake.

bulletin board material

Brangus said:

I kind of wish the accolades would die down now. We've gotten good press but our schedule has been pretty weak. We SHOULD be 5-0. I've been a Wake fan for 25 years...that unexpected wet fart loss is coming. Call me LOWF...but I've seen this movie before. We always lose one we (really) shouldn't...Wake gonna Wake.

Click to expand...

If WF should be 5-0, then by your definition, Wake is not being Wake.

Also, since dogs win games every week. A lot of schools are “gonna Wake”