Clawson Q& A

[WakeForestRanger]

We're not making a bowl game next year.

 

[Wrangor]

I don't expect us to go bowling next year but I do expect a much better product on the field even with a team that has much less talent then the previous year.

 

[ChaosDeac]

Change in philosophies

--- OFFENSE ---
Wake will be switching from a spread scheme to a multiple, no-huddle offense and possibly a more potent attack.

Ruggiero:
"We do a fair amount of spread concepts, but we're also under center. We're going to be in two backs. We're pretty simple scheme-wise, but we're pretty multiple formationally and personnel-wise. We do a little bit of everything."

"We were pretty balanced. We were one of only two teams in the country to have a 3,000-yard passer and 1,500-yard rusher. When everything is going right [and] we have the right people in there we're going to try and be balanced."

"Certainly we've had years where we've thrown it a bunch when we weren't as good at the run game [and] we had better players at the receiver position. What we have now I have no idea."


--- DEFENSE ---
The Demon Deacons will be switching from a 3-4 look to a 4-2-5 scheme, which should take advantage of the athleticism and speed of Wake's defenders.

Elko:
"I think then the next step for us is going to be how to short-term fit the personnel we have into the best scheme that we can to be successful. We're certainly not going to deviate from who we are and what we do."

"The basic philosophy is to get a lot faster and a lot more physical. I think we want to get guys on the field that can run and attack. We want to play with four d-linemen, put [them] in gaps and let them be vertical and attack and attack-minded and get a little bit faster at the linebacker position with that nickel, rover hybrid or however you call that fifth guy that's down there and then play with the same type of philosophy in the secondary."


--- SPECIAL TEAMS ---
This phase in Wake Forest football has not been a pretty one in recent years, but with a new a beginning optimism follows.

Scheier:
"It's [special teams] always been a passion of mine. A lot of my passion for it and my philosophies can probably be traced back to watching Beamer Ball as a young coach."

"I remember when I was at Columbia in '98 we actually took a staff trip to meet with the coaches at Virginia Tech. Again, there was a lot of connections. That was the gold standard for special teams, so here at Wake we're going to have an aggressive approach in all phases of special teams. We're going to come after people."

"We're going to put time in. We're going to devote practice time and meeting time to become affective game-changing in the special teams area."

"I think it [success in return category] boils down to how much time you invest in special teams and that has been something Coach Clawson has given us the time we need to be affective and the results prove themselves. We're going to devote it, and it's certainly isn't all scheme. It's not all personnel. It's not all just devoting time. It's not all just how you practice. It's a combination of all those things."

"[The] return game had been a real strength of ours at Bowling Green, and we're going to put the same into it, devote the same attention to detail, scheme things up the way we always have, find the right personnel and we will take what has been a struggle and a weakness here and turn it into a strength."

 

[PhDeac]

I love that they have a specific plan and can vary within that plan based on the personnel. They also have a long term objective in terms of where they want the program to be.

 

[Ball State Deac]

Premature to assess the expected win total until the roster shakes out after Spring practice (both for WF and for WF's opponents). Will be interested to get DC's take on each of the position groups after he has practiced and scrimmaged with the returning players. Heard a lot of good things about Tyler Cameron over the last two years. Want to hear DC's take on him after this Spring.

I suspect the Cameron era lasted about a half against FSU. One of the two true froshs (or both) will be taking the snaps.

 

[WRS]

I suspect the Cameron era lasted about a half against FSU. One of the two true froshs (or both) will be taking the snaps.

No way dude jamesda3 has him penciled in as our long-term starter along with Ragland at WR and a bunch of other guys who are no longer on the team.

 

[BillGeorge]

I love that they have a specific plan and can vary within that plan based on the personnel. They also have a long term objective in terms of where they want the program to be.

Agreed.

 

[BillGeorge]

I suspect the Cameron era lasted about a half against FSU. One of the two true froshs (or both) will be taking the snaps.

I will be interested to see what some actual QB coaching can do. One half against the #1 defense with limited snaps would make anyone look bad. We'll see....

 

[MBDeac08]

Yeah I wouldn't judge Cameron by what happened against FSU. Now if after a season of coaching (likely better coaching) he does the same thing against them, then write him off.

 

[Ball State Deac]

Not so much that he looked bad against FSU, but more that Clawson brought in two QBs in this class, and evidently, Cameron could not beat out Price. Those factors suggest to me that he won't be playing.

 

[BillGeorge]

Not so much that he looked bad against FSU, but more that Clawson brought in two QBs in this class, and evidently, Cameron could not beat out Price. Those factors suggest to me that he won't be playing.

Clawson took 2 QB's as he stated he doesn't know what he has. In what world would the former staff and HC give a soph the majority of snaps in practice and start him over a 4 year senior starter? We'll find out in short order I guess.

 

[Ball State Deac]

Clawson took 2 QB's as he stated he doesn't know what he has. In what world would the former staff and HC give a soph the majority of snaps in practice and start him over a 4 year senior starter? We'll find out in short order I guess.

Given your qualifer, I'd say that's a fair comment.