Nonconference football schedules and UNC

[TheReff]

Have no idea when WF re-upped with Army, and don't mind playing them sporadically, but don't understand why Army is our most regularly scheduled OOC opponent over the next decade.

Army is a pain the arse to prepare for; even though they are competitive, WF gets little credit for playing Army; the game creates no buzz for the program; even with the Wakeyleaks controversy, Army will never be any kind of rival. Wish WF would drop 3 of the upcoming Army games to schedule other, more compelling opponents. Would like to see WF schedule a home and home with SC. WF recruits heavily in SC; the games would be fun and competitive; the game would create at least regional interest and draw big crowds.

If WF is going to schedule OOC games against ACC teams, would like to see WF work in games against UVA and VT for the same reasons as above.

We play Army & Navy because they are fun away trips and against like academic institutions. Simple enough. It is an absolute blast to travel to both of these places to play them and I would much rather have them then somebody like La Monroe, Utah State [although it was a nice trip to go see Yellowstone while out there for that game] and much better than Vandy EVER!

 

[Wakeforest22890]

FWIW, I can't believe any WF fan/alumnus would rather play Elon, Norfolk State or Liberty rather than UNC when they are not WF's crossover opponent from the other ACC division.

If you don't want to play/beat UNC, why even have a football program at all?

Right but that isn’t the trade off. Unc isn’t out because an FCS is in. Nor is UNC likely off because Liberty is on - liberty likely replaces the ODU/Utah State team of the schedule. If you wanna argue we should play UNC instead of Vandy or Ole Miss I’m down with that except for the occasional shot at an SEC school mixed in with the UNC series.

 

[wsc8521s]

We should play UNC every year anyway in a sane world. Shouldn't have to go out of our way to schedule them

 

[skinnydeac]

Obviously, we have limits on how many FCS teams we can play. We’re going to play one every year, so play one inside the recruiting footprint and make sure they get taken to the woodshed. We’re also going to have uNC and ND a lot of years, so I’m all for balancing that with an absolutely horrible G5 team.

 

[jamesda3]

FWIW, I can't believe any WF fan/alumnus would rather play Elon, Norfolk State or Liberty rather than UNC when they are not WF's crossover opponent from the other ACC division.

If you don't want to play/beat UNC, why even have a football program at all?

I just want to win and go. Owning every year if that means a Liberty, Elon, Rice, and Bowling Green so be it

 

[jamesda3]

I believe ten years of sustained bowls winning most is necessary for Wake to take the next step of being a perennial 8-10 win team

 

[DeacDaddy]

I agree with those of us chasing bowls. I’ve always felt we have been to and won way too few bowls as a program to downplay their importance. If that means we thrash some easier programs on occasion to make that happen, so be it. We will still play an OOC P5 and a decent conference schedule. We need to become known as a winning football program. We actually have a shot to change our long term perception under Clawson. The four straight bowls thing gets/will get mentioned a lot.

I know bowls don’t have the luster they once did, but the fact is the system is set up whereby many recruits and media members consider them important, and we’re playing within that system, and I want us to do what it takes to climb the ranks in that system. Because you never know when climbing the ranks puts you into the playoff conversation, if all the chips fall right one day (esp if they ever expand the playoffs...).

 

[Deaconblue]

The twenty extra practices allotted to bowl teams are another important issue. Teams can use some of that practice time as an early "spring practice" and work the young guys in the team offense and defense schemes, not just have them run scout team plays of the opponent.

During the season, teams prepare for the next opponent in a week most of the time. That is really 4 or 5 practices. That leaves a lot of pre-bowl practices to be split between more prep for the game and working the young kids in the team's offense and defense schemes. 7-10 practices can be huge for developing young guys. Even moreso when it is repeated year after year. That could be 30 extra practice sessions for guys who don't play much before RS Junior season.

 

[sportsmed86]

The twenty extra practices allotted to bowl teams are another important issue. Teams can use some of that practice time as an early "spring practice" and work the young guys in the team offense and defense schemes, not just have them run scout team plays of the opponent.

During the season, teams prepare for the next opponent in a week most of the time. That is really 4 or 5 practices. That leaves a lot of pre-bowl practices to be split between more prep for the game and working the young kids in the team's offense and defense schemes. 7-10 practices can be huge for developing young guys. Even moreso when it is repeated year after year. That could be 30 extra practice sessions for guys who don't play much before RS Junior season.

This is by far the greatest developmental aspect of bowls but to me, the best thing is the kids love being treated like kings and have a blast.