Wake Forest Demon Deacons
2007 SEASON IN REVIEW:
Jim Grobe is finally reaping the benefits of a highly talented team in Winston-Salem and the results speak volumes of late. The 2007 campaign was no different, as Wake Forest finished the year with a 9-4 mark, including tying for second place in the ACC's Atlantic Division at 5-3.
Things certainly didn't look that way at the season's start, as the Demon Deacons dropped their first two games to Boston College (38-28) and Nebraska (20-17). However, Grobe rallied the troops, who went on to capture eight of their last 10 games in the regular season, with the two losses coming in back- to-back games against Virginia (17-16) and Clemson (44-10).
With eight wins, Wake Forest earned its second straight bowl bid, this one to the Meineke Car Care Bowl, where it topped Connecticut, 24-10.
2008 ANALYSIS
OFFENSE:
The Demon Deacons were nothing special on the offensive side of the ball in 2007, ranking in the middle of the pack in most statistical categories, including total offense (sixth in the league at 340.4 ypg). The one area that Wake usually dominated, the ground game, ranked fourth in the ACC (143.2 ypg). There are five starters returning on this side of the football in 2008, including at quarterback and tailback.
Junior QB Riley Skinner led the nation in completion percentage as a sophomore, connecting on 72.4 percent of his passes. However, his 12 touchdowns were overshadowed by his 13 interceptions. Grobe's hope is that with another year under his belt, he will make better decisions downfield.
"What I've seen of Riley this past spring was a much more mature quarterback, a guy that is pretty focused on taking care of the football, making first downs."
Skinner will need to find new favorite targets with the loss of three of his top four outlets from last year, including standout Kenny Moore, who set an ACC record with 98 receptions. Senior WR Chip Brinkman is the top returner on the outside, pulling down 27 balls in 2007.
The ground game should be a strength once again, with sophomore Josh Adams getting the majority of the carries. He was outstanding as a freshman, earning Second-Team All-ACC honors and being tabbed the ACC Rookie of the Year, after rushing for 953 yards and 11 TDs in nine starts.
The team must replace several players along the offensive line, including All- ACC center Steve Justice and it remains to be seen just what Grobe has up front.
DEFENSE:
The Demon Deacons return nine starters on the defensive side of the ball and is the ACC's most veteran unit, with as many as eight starters being seniors. Only sack leader Jeremy Thompson (6.5 sacks) is gone among the top nine tacklers from 2007.
The secondary is probably the strength of the unit, led by safety Chip Vaughn, who led the team in tackles (105) and PBUs (14) last year and cornerback Alphonso Smith (44 tackles, 10 PBUs), who earned Second-Team All-American honors after posting an impressive eight interceptions (school record).
The linebacking corps returns intact, made up of the senior trio of Aaron Curry (99 tackles, 10.5 TFLs, three sacks, four INTs), Stanley Arnoux (66 tackles 3.5 sacks, two INTs) and Chantz McClinic (45 tackles, 2.5 sacks). Curry is the top playmaker among the group, returning three INTs for TDs last season.
Who exactly will step up along the defensive front is still a real concern, although junior nose tackle Boo Robinson is a load (6-2, 326) and is coming off a 2007 season that saw him tally 26 tackles and three sacks.
SPECIAL TEAMS:
Wake Forest may just have the best placekicker in the ACC in the form of senior Sam Swank. The 6-2 veteran has hit nine of his 12 opportunities from beyond 50 yards in his career and is coming off a 2007 season in which he was 18-of-21, with a long of 52 yards. He also handled the punting duties and averaged nearly 40 yards per attempt last season. He will once again resume both roles this year.
OUTLOOK:
The Demon Deacons will rely on a veteran-laden defense early on, until the offense gels, but this very well may be Grobe's best team to date, including the one that won the ACC title two years ago.
Grobe is quick to deflect any credit for what he has accomplished over the last couple of seasons.
"We've been able to bring in the right kids. It's what fosters that environment. I'd be lying to you if I told you that I thought it was me, it's not me, it's just having the right type of kids."
The non-conference slate includes the season-opener at Baylor and a trio of home games against Ole Miss, Navy and Vanderbilt (regular-season finale). Wake certainly has the talent to sweep those four games. ACC opponents that invade Winston-Salem include Clemson, Duke, Virginia and Boston College. The team must travel to Florida State, Maryland, Miami and NC State, but avoids Virginia Tech altogether.
The Demon Deacons have set a school record with 20 wins over the last two seasons. With a favorable schedule, posting a third straight winning season is almost a lock and it is not out of the question to think that Wake Forest could be playing for its second league title in the last three years.
By Scott Haynes, Senior College Football Editor
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Baylor Bears
2007 SEASON IN REVIEW:
Ask most college football fans to sum up their thoughts regarding Baylor football in one word and you are likely to hear everything from "mediocre" to "underachieving" to downright "terrible". The Bears haven't posted a winning season since 1995 and despite a 3-1 start to the 2007 campaign, it was more of the same in Waco last year as BU failed to win a Big 12 game (0-8) and finished a dreadful 3-9 overall. The three wins came against the likes of Rice, Texas State and Buffalo, not exactly what anyone would consider top-notch competition.
Head coach Guy Morriss was obviously not the answer and subsequently shown the door following yet another dreadful season, making room for former Houston head man Art Briles. The hiring of Briles is considered something of a coup for Baylor which needed an infusion of excitement to rally the fan base and hopefully turn the corner toward better times. The Bears have won just 11 of 96 Big 12 games all-time and haven't claimed a league title since sharing the Southwestern Conference crown back in 1994. There is a new sheriff in town and with him comes a new attitude. One the Baylor administration, students, players and fans hope will lead to a lot more success on the football field.
2008 ANALYSIS
OFFENSE:
The Baylor offense, while not totally devoid of talent, needs to become more consistent and show vast improvement in all areas for the team to climb out of the Big 12's basement. Briles' high-octane, pass-happy approach will help, but the players are the ones who need to make it happen.
Any one of three QBs could see significant playing time, including returning starter Blake Szymanski who threw for more than 2,800 yards and 22 TDs a year ago, but he was picked off 18 times. Former Miami Hurricane Kirby Freeman is in the mix as is highly-touted freshman Robert Griffin. "Theyre all really good. We can win with them," Briles has said of his quarterbacks. "I thought all the quarterbacks played really well. Im proud of the way they led through the spring. All three of those guys are good players, really good players."
Whomever lines up under center, he will have the good fortune of throwing to a solid group of receivers, highlighted by junior speedster David Gettis and junior TE Justin Akers. Both stand at least 6-4 and will provide big targets down field.
The BU run game was abysmal last season, averaging a mere 77.8 ypg to rank 113th in the country, so the hope is that sophomore Jay Finley and senior Jacoby Jones can raise the bar and help take some of the pressure off the passing game. The offensive line returns four starters, among them senior tackles Jason Smith and Dan Gay.
DEFENSE:
Up is really the only direction the Baylor defense can go after allowing more than 461 yards and 37 points per game last year. The team ranked last in nation in turnover margin at -18. A total of six starters are back from that unit, but with another year of experience and a new defensive philosophy, guys like LB Joe Pawelek and FS Jordan Lake could flourish. Lake posted 120 tackles and two INTs last season, while Pawelek has logged 185 tackles the last two years. Both were named to the All-Big 12 Second Team in 2007. Lake had off-season shoulder surgery but he should be ready to go come the season opener.
Another guy to keep an eye on is senior DT Vincent Rhodes, a 305-pounder who will likely be the team's stop-gap in the middle. Jason Lamb is a 6-6 junior who could develop into one of the Big 12's better pass rushers after notching five sacks in '07. Despite a lack of depth along the defensive line, Briles is excited about the prospect of his defense kicking it up a notch and showing the rest of the conference that the Bears aren't going to be pushed around any longer.
SPECIAL TEAMS:
Sophomores Shea Brewster and Derek Epperson are back to handle the kicking and punting chores, respectively, and both are hoping to show improvement from their rookie campaigns. Brewster combined with Caleb Allen to knock through just 6-of-14 FG attempts in '07, while Epperson averaged just under 40 yards per punt.
Still, Briles anticipates his special teams to play an important role in the team's overall success. "I feel real good about the kicking game. I thought (Shea) Brewster had a great spring and (Derek) Epperson did a great job. And then our snapper, Carter (Brunelle). Those guys performed at the level they have to perform at."
OUTLOOK:
Baylor will play arguably the toughest schedule in the Big 12 this season, with three BCS conference teams slated in the first month, followed by a league docket boasting Oklahoma, Nebraska, Missouri and the other three Lone Star State schools. Briles obviously wants to get off to a fast start, but so much will depend on the play of his QB coupled with developing a consistent ground game. The BU defense will need to play well above its means and the team as a whole has to shed the negative vibes of the past and focus all its energy on the task at hand.
By Frank Haynes, Senior College Football Editor
2007 SEASON IN REVIEW:
Jim Grobe is finally reaping the benefits of a highly talented team in Winston-Salem and the results speak volumes of late. The 2007 campaign was no different, as Wake Forest finished the year with a 9-4 mark, including tying for second place in the ACC's Atlantic Division at 5-3.
Things certainly didn't look that way at the season's start, as the Demon Deacons dropped their first two games to Boston College (38-28) and Nebraska (20-17). However, Grobe rallied the troops, who went on to capture eight of their last 10 games in the regular season, with the two losses coming in back- to-back games against Virginia (17-16) and Clemson (44-10).
With eight wins, Wake Forest earned its second straight bowl bid, this one to the Meineke Car Care Bowl, where it topped Connecticut, 24-10.
2008 ANALYSIS
OFFENSE:
The Demon Deacons were nothing special on the offensive side of the ball in 2007, ranking in the middle of the pack in most statistical categories, including total offense (sixth in the league at 340.4 ypg). The one area that Wake usually dominated, the ground game, ranked fourth in the ACC (143.2 ypg). There are five starters returning on this side of the football in 2008, including at quarterback and tailback.
Junior QB Riley Skinner led the nation in completion percentage as a sophomore, connecting on 72.4 percent of his passes. However, his 12 touchdowns were overshadowed by his 13 interceptions. Grobe's hope is that with another year under his belt, he will make better decisions downfield.
"What I've seen of Riley this past spring was a much more mature quarterback, a guy that is pretty focused on taking care of the football, making first downs."
Skinner will need to find new favorite targets with the loss of three of his top four outlets from last year, including standout Kenny Moore, who set an ACC record with 98 receptions. Senior WR Chip Brinkman is the top returner on the outside, pulling down 27 balls in 2007.
The ground game should be a strength once again, with sophomore Josh Adams getting the majority of the carries. He was outstanding as a freshman, earning Second-Team All-ACC honors and being tabbed the ACC Rookie of the Year, after rushing for 953 yards and 11 TDs in nine starts.
The team must replace several players along the offensive line, including All- ACC center Steve Justice and it remains to be seen just what Grobe has up front.
DEFENSE:
The Demon Deacons return nine starters on the defensive side of the ball and is the ACC's most veteran unit, with as many as eight starters being seniors. Only sack leader Jeremy Thompson (6.5 sacks) is gone among the top nine tacklers from 2007.
The secondary is probably the strength of the unit, led by safety Chip Vaughn, who led the team in tackles (105) and PBUs (14) last year and cornerback Alphonso Smith (44 tackles, 10 PBUs), who earned Second-Team All-American honors after posting an impressive eight interceptions (school record).
The linebacking corps returns intact, made up of the senior trio of Aaron Curry (99 tackles, 10.5 TFLs, three sacks, four INTs), Stanley Arnoux (66 tackles 3.5 sacks, two INTs) and Chantz McClinic (45 tackles, 2.5 sacks). Curry is the top playmaker among the group, returning three INTs for TDs last season.
Who exactly will step up along the defensive front is still a real concern, although junior nose tackle Boo Robinson is a load (6-2, 326) and is coming off a 2007 season that saw him tally 26 tackles and three sacks.
SPECIAL TEAMS:
Wake Forest may just have the best placekicker in the ACC in the form of senior Sam Swank. The 6-2 veteran has hit nine of his 12 opportunities from beyond 50 yards in his career and is coming off a 2007 season in which he was 18-of-21, with a long of 52 yards. He also handled the punting duties and averaged nearly 40 yards per attempt last season. He will once again resume both roles this year.
OUTLOOK:
The Demon Deacons will rely on a veteran-laden defense early on, until the offense gels, but this very well may be Grobe's best team to date, including the one that won the ACC title two years ago.
Grobe is quick to deflect any credit for what he has accomplished over the last couple of seasons.
"We've been able to bring in the right kids. It's what fosters that environment. I'd be lying to you if I told you that I thought it was me, it's not me, it's just having the right type of kids."
The non-conference slate includes the season-opener at Baylor and a trio of home games against Ole Miss, Navy and Vanderbilt (regular-season finale). Wake certainly has the talent to sweep those four games. ACC opponents that invade Winston-Salem include Clemson, Duke, Virginia and Boston College. The team must travel to Florida State, Maryland, Miami and NC State, but avoids Virginia Tech altogether.
The Demon Deacons have set a school record with 20 wins over the last two seasons. With a favorable schedule, posting a third straight winning season is almost a lock and it is not out of the question to think that Wake Forest could be playing for its second league title in the last three years.
By Scott Haynes, Senior College Football Editor
======================================
Baylor Bears
2007 SEASON IN REVIEW:
Ask most college football fans to sum up their thoughts regarding Baylor football in one word and you are likely to hear everything from "mediocre" to "underachieving" to downright "terrible". The Bears haven't posted a winning season since 1995 and despite a 3-1 start to the 2007 campaign, it was more of the same in Waco last year as BU failed to win a Big 12 game (0-8) and finished a dreadful 3-9 overall. The three wins came against the likes of Rice, Texas State and Buffalo, not exactly what anyone would consider top-notch competition.
Head coach Guy Morriss was obviously not the answer and subsequently shown the door following yet another dreadful season, making room for former Houston head man Art Briles. The hiring of Briles is considered something of a coup for Baylor which needed an infusion of excitement to rally the fan base and hopefully turn the corner toward better times. The Bears have won just 11 of 96 Big 12 games all-time and haven't claimed a league title since sharing the Southwestern Conference crown back in 1994. There is a new sheriff in town and with him comes a new attitude. One the Baylor administration, students, players and fans hope will lead to a lot more success on the football field.
2008 ANALYSIS
OFFENSE:
The Baylor offense, while not totally devoid of talent, needs to become more consistent and show vast improvement in all areas for the team to climb out of the Big 12's basement. Briles' high-octane, pass-happy approach will help, but the players are the ones who need to make it happen.
Any one of three QBs could see significant playing time, including returning starter Blake Szymanski who threw for more than 2,800 yards and 22 TDs a year ago, but he was picked off 18 times. Former Miami Hurricane Kirby Freeman is in the mix as is highly-touted freshman Robert Griffin. "Theyre all really good. We can win with them," Briles has said of his quarterbacks. "I thought all the quarterbacks played really well. Im proud of the way they led through the spring. All three of those guys are good players, really good players."
Whomever lines up under center, he will have the good fortune of throwing to a solid group of receivers, highlighted by junior speedster David Gettis and junior TE Justin Akers. Both stand at least 6-4 and will provide big targets down field.
The BU run game was abysmal last season, averaging a mere 77.8 ypg to rank 113th in the country, so the hope is that sophomore Jay Finley and senior Jacoby Jones can raise the bar and help take some of the pressure off the passing game. The offensive line returns four starters, among them senior tackles Jason Smith and Dan Gay.
DEFENSE:
Up is really the only direction the Baylor defense can go after allowing more than 461 yards and 37 points per game last year. The team ranked last in nation in turnover margin at -18. A total of six starters are back from that unit, but with another year of experience and a new defensive philosophy, guys like LB Joe Pawelek and FS Jordan Lake could flourish. Lake posted 120 tackles and two INTs last season, while Pawelek has logged 185 tackles the last two years. Both were named to the All-Big 12 Second Team in 2007. Lake had off-season shoulder surgery but he should be ready to go come the season opener.
Another guy to keep an eye on is senior DT Vincent Rhodes, a 305-pounder who will likely be the team's stop-gap in the middle. Jason Lamb is a 6-6 junior who could develop into one of the Big 12's better pass rushers after notching five sacks in '07. Despite a lack of depth along the defensive line, Briles is excited about the prospect of his defense kicking it up a notch and showing the rest of the conference that the Bears aren't going to be pushed around any longer.
SPECIAL TEAMS:
Sophomores Shea Brewster and Derek Epperson are back to handle the kicking and punting chores, respectively, and both are hoping to show improvement from their rookie campaigns. Brewster combined with Caleb Allen to knock through just 6-of-14 FG attempts in '07, while Epperson averaged just under 40 yards per punt.
Still, Briles anticipates his special teams to play an important role in the team's overall success. "I feel real good about the kicking game. I thought (Shea) Brewster had a great spring and (Derek) Epperson did a great job. And then our snapper, Carter (Brunelle). Those guys performed at the level they have to perform at."
OUTLOOK:
Baylor will play arguably the toughest schedule in the Big 12 this season, with three BCS conference teams slated in the first month, followed by a league docket boasting Oklahoma, Nebraska, Missouri and the other three Lone Star State schools. Briles obviously wants to get off to a fast start, but so much will depend on the play of his QB coupled with developing a consistent ground game. The BU defense will need to play well above its means and the team as a whole has to shed the negative vibes of the past and focus all its energy on the task at hand.
By Frank Haynes, Senior College Football Editor