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Wake Forest football 2020 outlook

They wanted him to force balls to inexperienced WR who he didn’t think were open.

Making a jump that might not be true about forcing throws. Could be they were open and Jamie either lacked confidence in the WRs or in his arm as he never seemed the same after the injury. Unfortunately his injury vs. Louisville closely coincided with losing Surratt/Washington, so will never know how much might have been his confidence in himself post injury vs. new WRs, but clearly our O changed as Jamie took the run wayyyyy too much.

What is undeniable is that Jamie didn't give his WRs any chances. Against Duke when we could have worked to get them going we ran 66 to 25 passes. Duke didn't have a good passing D either. Most stark is vs. the Cuse when he chose the run 19 times vs. 13 passes (including an INT) whereas Sam had 43 passes to 25 runs. Pretty sure the Cuse D didn't change when Hartman came in and the mix completely flips between Jamie and Sam. Not to mention Sam's clear effectiveness vs. the Cuse while Jamie struggled. That game to me tells me everything we need to know and that this O will be just fine with Sam.

Not to say it couldn't have been better with a healthy Jamie and WR corps, but I would be willing to bet Sam will put up some gaudy #s rivaling what Jamie did early on.
 
So not worried about Hartman. The key to the offense will be getting some OTs that really step up. Clapp and Elomnus look huge now. If they can match great technique with their size, we'd be in good shape.

The reports on Elmonus have ranged from "a project " to "ready to play." He needs to be closer to the latter than the former. The move of Zach Tom says that there weren't two backup tackles ready to step in and start.
 
What is undeniable is that Jamie didn't give his WRs any chances. Against Duke when we could have worked to get them going we ran 66 to 25 passes. Duke didn't have a good passing D either.

It was a monsoon that game. We ran the ball as a clear gameplan, I don't think it's fair to blame Jamie for that.

Your point against Cuse is probably valid, but it was clear by end of the year that Jamie was injured, so I don't think using a sample size of one game is a fair way to compare how Jamie and Sam each approached our offense.
 
As promised:

Short review of Newman's game:
https://www.pff.com/news/college-top-10-college-football-quarterbacks-returning-2020

Short videos to back up NFL potential; a nice concise review:
https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/news/why-the-2020-nfl-drafts-best-kept-quarterback-secret-has-first-round-potential/

Georgia homer dissing us ad nauseum (our OL, or RBs, our slow breaks at WR) to justify why Newman is going to be so great at Georgia - some of it interesting though - how Newman holds DEs and LBs with his ability to run freeing up stuff:

 
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What I don't get is if the QB was running the RPO the way Clawson wanted, why not call more pass plays or replace the QB?

He's not a helpless bystander here.
 
Well he obviously wanted to redshirt Hartman, so there's that. Hartman also started the FSU game and couldn't put the ball in the endzone, rain notwithstanding. And we've seen a pretty high ceiling with Newman. It's just a few plays a game that he was screwing up. Started the season 7-1.
 
Well he obviously wanted to redshirt Hartman, so there's that. Hartman also started the FSU game and couldn't put the ball in the endzone, rain notwithstanding. And we've seen a pretty high ceiling with Newman. It's just a few plays a game that he was screwing up. Started the season 7-1.

This. I admit I am looking at this through rose-tinted glasses. I like how Sam runs the RPO, and like it a bit better than how Jamie ran it. But it is also true that Jamie was work for defenses physically. He froze DEs and LBs because they knew if he kept it, they had a 230lb man to bring down and they saw the tape - All ACC linebacker Chazz Surratt was embarrassed by Jamie at the goal line. Sam is not going to get DEs and LBs to pause that half second or second the same way that Jamie did until he really earns that.

But I'll say it again, Sam's RPO was different - it was faster, he threw more often and he whipped it around. I do think this wears defenses down mentally. It reminds me a little bit of playing defense against basketball teams who pass it really well, the Warriors, Spurs with Tim and Manu. Defenses get tired of turning their heads every which way and not knowing where the ball is going play after play after play. Again, this is rose-tinted glasses to some degree, but also based on Syracuse and Louisville film. Sam has the throws; he has also has more catcheable balls on those 15 yard slants. Not sure why. He's not Russell Wilson, but Jamie was more likely to throw the bullet pass needed or not. Sam can throw a bullet, but also throw a softer ball when the coverage is softer.

I also think the narrative and challenge is there for Sam to really grab a hold of. Not only did he sit out most of last season after starting the first 7 games of his college career, the ACC narrative the next six months is going to be all Trevor Lawrence and Sam Howell. Howell, rightfully so IMO, is considered a top 10 QB returning in college football with Lawrence and Newman. Newman is gonna get tons of press heading into his Spring game and then those early season big games Georgia has, and UNC is going to likely be a pre-season top 25 team with their dynamic superstar QB. Lots for Sam to work for and focus on. Mamba that sunovabitch. BTW, while I think Howell is really really good, I would not be surprised if he was disappointing next year through the first 2/3s of the year, making a lot of turnovers. I expect (hope) he is more cocky than he should be. He's going to be a handful though for the next 2+ years.
 
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Wow, Biff! Perceptive take. All valid points.

Clawson gave his honest evaluation of Newman and explained why the offense will be different next year.
 
Wolford's senior year was the best execution of the RPO under Clawson

Jamie's version of the RPO involved a power running game that neither Wolf nor Sam could/can do, but the passing element relied heavily on great individual WR play more than scheme

Sam's version is more similar to Wolf's, which has me hopeful
 
Wow, Biff! Perceptive take. All valid points.

Clawson gave his honest evaluation of Newman and explained why the offense will be different next year.

Clawson also gave an honest (critical) evaluation of Hartman at halftime of the FSU game when discussing red zone deficiencies: "we had a man open and the QB needs to complete that throw" or similar verbiage
 
The reports on Elmonus have ranged from "a project " to "ready to play." He needs to be closer to the latter than the former. The move of Zach Tom says that there weren't two backup tackles ready to step in and start.

OL is a MAJOR question mark entering this season.
 
Well he obviously wanted to redshirt Hartman, so there's that. Hartman also started the FSU game and couldn't put the ball in the endzone, rain notwithstanding. And we've seen a pretty high ceiling with Newman. It's just a few plays a game that he was screwing up. Started the season 7-1.

True, but the schedule was pretty soft the first 8 games.
 
With all due respect, I read a number of articles on newman by guys who watched all of his game film who called him a top5 qb. In all of college football heading into next year. Remember the throw to washington over the middle against unc? That was 3rd and 18 I think. It was also his 3rd or 4th read. I'll link the article later this morning.

He faded down the stretch for sure - and it certainly coincided w losing Washington and surratt, but he usually picked up 6+ yards on his scramble runs so I understood the reads.

All that said, excited to go w Hartman. He puts more pressure on defenses mentally. He throws the slant well and fearlessly- and he gets everyone to the line fast. There was a reason he broke down cuse when newman couldn't. He was whipping the ball around.

Newman struggled when he was inaccurate. He throws a less catchable ball as well, so accuracy is paramount. I hope hartman spends the spring working on his deep throws w greene and surratt

The shame but not a worry is no Hartman to Sage this Spring due to injury. They will have chemistry.
 
Well he obviously wanted to redshirt Hartman, so there's that. Hartman also started the FSU game and couldn't put the ball in the endzone, rain notwithstanding. And we've seen a pretty high ceiling with Newman. It's just a few plays a game that he was screwing up. Started the season 7-1.

Yes we all know you loved Jamie and hate Hartman, but Jamie was not good at the end of the year when it mattered he Givensed the bowl game
 
Yes we all know you loved Jamie and hate Hartman, but Jamie was not good at the end of the year when it mattered he Givensed the bowl game

That is way too harsh on Jamie. He put the effort in the bowl game. Some of his runs showed he was trying hard. It was not a game where he was near 100% on his reads. Some of that was the Mich State D-line crushing the middle of the Wake O-line. Tough to make good reads when your guards are pushed into the mesh point.

But Jamie made a lot of bad reads that ended as QB keepers when receivers were open. Possible his shoulder hurt more than he let on. Or he may have gotten gun shy about throwing much after Sage and Scotty were gone.
 
My concern is Hartman is not as physical and big as Newman, hence, more likely to be injured. Jamie was beat up (as was Wolford) but his size was a deterrent to major injury. Hartman has already broken a leg.

Second, the O-line just isn't going to be as good, at least not early in the season. It will be important to see if Hartman can survive the first 6 games.

A 6 win season would be an accomplishment given the schedule, IMHO.
 
My concern is Hartman is not as physical and big as Newman, hence, more likely to be injured. Jamie was beat up (as was Wolford) but his size was a deterrent to major injury.

Is this even true about more likely to be injured? Why is this a common assumption for QBs? Russell Wilson doesn’t get injured more than Cam Newton. Drew Brees doesn’t get injured more than Ben Roethlosberger.

Newman was a very physical runner, something that Hartman will be less of. If anything I’d expect Newman to be more likely to injury than Hartman based on how they play, but I don’t think freak injuries (bones breaking, concussions, etc) are impacted much by the size of the person getting hit and more so by the frequency with which they get hit.
 
Also, I know it’s a common opinion, but the idea that a 6 win season would be an achievement for Clawson’s program at this point is laughable. I don’t give a shit about the schedule, and I doubt he does either.

Regardless, the only games I’m seeing that should be marked down as expected L’s are Clemson and Notre Dame, so I’m not even sure where the hell that idea comes from. Do people really expect that we lose to App, Miami, FSU, AND Louisville? Like that should just be an expectation? That’s lame.
 
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