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Wake Forest football 2020 outlook

Well it is now officially time for Clawson to shake some things up. Offensive scheme, redshirts' management, some new coaches on defense and special teams. Will be interesting to see if and what changes he makes. Look forward to Spring Game.
 
If someone transfers to Wake for his final year to be Hartman's back up, then he probably sucks. I'll take my chances with Kern. He looked pretty good in limited action.


Wake priority for incoming transfer probably should be cornerback. Next probably is offensive line, tackle most likely. Grad transfer fifth year guy would be good. Maybe one of the top 10 teams has a 4* guy who couldn't crack the rotation as a rJr. and he would like to spend a year as a starter.
 
One thing for certain - Wake can't run the same RPO with Hartman as with Newman.
 
ESPN tag line.

Newman to transfer.
Team has 3 QB’s; incoming recruit, RSoph also enter portal.

I’ve started drinking as it is New Years, but that confuses me.
 
One thing for certain - Wake can't run the same RPO with Hartman as with Newman.

First of all, I hope they do change things some with the offense - mainly having more running plays that don't begin with a slow mesh-point handoff. However, I don't see that as having anything to do with the QB. Hartman ran the same offense in the second half of the Louisville and Syracuse games and the entire FSU game and didn't pretty damn well. In fact, the mesh-point seemed to be a little faster when he ran it - the backs got the ball a little quicker and he pulled it down for passes quicker. The one area where we really need to improve next year is in the ability to pick up two/three yards when we need one/two. After failing miserably at that in the first few games, the coaches pretty much had Jamie just plow into the line and drag forward to pick those up as the season progressed. I think it is safe to say that Sam will not be as successful at doing that - nor do we really want him to try very often.
 
First of all, I hope they do change things some with the offense - mainly having more running plays that don't begin with a slow mesh-point handoff. However, I don't see that as having anything to do with the QB. Hartman ran the same offense in the second half of the Louisville and Syracuse games and the entire FSU game and didn't pretty damn well. In fact, the mesh-point seemed to be a little faster when he ran it - the backs got the ball a little quicker and he pulled it down for passes quicker. The one area where we really need to improve next year is in the ability to pick up two/three yards when we need one/two. After failing miserably at that in the first few games, the coaches pretty much had Jamie just plow into the line and drag forward to pick those up as the season progressed. I think it is safe to say that Sam will not be as successful at doing that - nor do we really want him to try very often.

I assume we'll be a lot more pass heavy. Obviously some of this was towards the end of games, but Hartman was in at QB for roughly 105-110 minutes of game time this year (60 vs. FSU, 39 vs. Syracuse, 6-7 vs Louisville, 1 vs MSU), which equates to over 450 passing yards per game.
 
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Another change that could be made without major revamping of the offense is speed. Vary the speed of plays. Run some fast, in 12 seconds or so. Run others more slowly. Particularly, set up quickly, with a play ready to run, and if the defense sets up quickly to match, hold, wait, and maybe change the play before the snap. Defense still won't be able to substitute. If the defense is slow to react, Wake could run a play with the defense out of position.
 
Michigan just ran a nice play for the TD. Jet sweep by slot receiver toward QB pre snap, arriving at QB just before QB gets snap. QB could hand off there. Instead, keeps the ball, does quick RPO mesh (or is it play action fake?) with RB. Freezes defense. Easy toss to wide open WR in corner of end zone. Wake's Josh Gattis given credit for play design. That could work well as part of Wake RPO base offense.
 
Michigan just ran a nice play for the TD. Jet sweep by slot receiver toward QB pre snap, arriving at QB just before QB gets snap. QB could hand off there. Instead, keeps the ball, does quick RPO mesh (or is it play action fake?) with RB. Freezes defense. Easy toss to wide open WR in corner of end zone. Wake's Josh Gattis given credit for play design. That could work well as part of Wake RPO base offense.

Speaking of slots, I have some weird feeling Jaquarii Roberson might be a breakout player in the slot next season. He’s played behind Dortch, Tabari, and Kendall so he’s been pretty limited on game time, but think he has the skills to be pretty good in the slot.
 
Michigan just ran a nice play for the TD. Jet sweep by slot receiver toward QB pre snap, arriving at QB just before QB gets snap. QB could hand off there. Instead, keeps the ball, does quick RPO mesh (or is it play action fake?) with RB. Freezes defense. Easy toss to wide open WR in corner of end zone. Wake's Josh Gattis given credit for play design. That could work well as part of Wake RPO base offense.

Thought the same thing. Crazy to think Gattis was getting mad heat early in the season from Michigan fans.
 
Thought the same thing. Crazy to think Gattis was getting mad heat early in the season from Michigan fans.

As I was curious about Gattis’ perception, I was monitoring some UM message boards

Seems like many fans thought Harbaugh was still calling plays early in the season and gradually handed playcalling duties over
 
One thing for certain - Wake can't run the same RPO with Hartman as with Newman.

Agreed. Not sure why we would want to do so, either. Hartman is a hell of a quarterback. My only concern about Newman leaving is the diminished depth at QB.
 
Speaking of slots, I have some weird feeling Jaquarii Roberson might be a breakout player in the slot next season. He’s played behind Dortch, Tabari, and Kendall so he’s been pretty limited on game time, but think he has the skills to be pretty good in the slot.

I hope you’re right, but I haven’t seen anything from him that says he won’t get passed by whoever is next.
 
I hope you’re right, but I haven’t seen anything from him that says he won’t get passed by whoever is next.

6’1 with above average speed. If we do go back to the RPO heavy offense, he should be a big target to catch the 8-10 yard slant route. Won’t be a big play guy, but that’s why we have Greene and Surratt.
 
6’1 with above average speed. If we do go back to the RPO heavy offense, he should be a big target to catch the 8-10 yard slant route. Won’t be a big play guy, but that’s why we have Greene and Surratt.

A guy who can reliably give you 5-8 yards on a pass reception is a really valuable asset in the RPO. Makes the safety have to decide between pass coverage and run support. For whatever reason, there wasn't "the guy" who did that this past season. In 2018, Cam was that guy.
 
6’1 with above average speed. If we do go back to the RPO heavy offense, he should be a big target to catch the 8-10 yard slant route. Won’t be a big play guy, but that’s why we have Greene and Surratt.

I’m worried that he could be another Claude. Looks good on paper, but doesn’t produce much. He doesn’t seem to have the quickness and precise route running that make a great slot. I hope he proves me wrong.
 
A guy who can reliably give you 5-8 yards on a pass reception is a really valuable asset in the RPO. Makes the safety have to decide between pass coverage and run support. For whatever reason, there wasn't "the guy" who did that this past season. In 2018, Cam was that guy.

I wonder how many of these we attempted the last half of season vs first? Seems like they dropped off to about 0 especially in the games where Jamie struggled. Maybe teams were taking it away, but more likely, Jamie couldn't see them in time due to pass rush. With a tall QB we needed more quick throws to loosen up the D when they started "congesting" the LOS. I-2 seconds was probably the difference between a sack or incomplete pass or INT and a 5-8 yard gain.
 
The issue is depth. Once Hartman goes down, and he will, we do not have a proven backup. Kerns and Griffis will likely be good with more development, but neither is even close to being ready to step in. If we don’t get transfer QB, we are screwed.

I don't agree with this. Kerns will be fine.

The question for me is: Will Bowers pull his name out of the transfer portal and will Griffs be on campus in January. Those are the two key factors in QB depth IMO
 
Will BB&T Field be renamed Truist? When does the current naming rights agreement expire, if not renewed?
 
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