(Photo Credit: Grant Halverson/Getty Images/AFP)
Key Players Returning:
RB Justice Ellison, WR Jahmal Banks, WR/PR Taylor Morin, WR/KR Ke’Shawn Williams, OG Michael Jurgens, OG Nick Sharpe, OT Spencer Clapp, OT DeVonte Gordon, DE Jasheen Davis, DE Kendron Wayman, LB Dylan Hazen, LB Chase Jones, CB Caelen Carson, CB DaShawn Jones, NB Evan Slocum, FS Chelen Garnes, SS Malik Mustapha, PK Matthew Dennis and PT Ivan Mora.
Key Players Departing:
QB Sam Hartman, RB Christian Turner, WR Donavon Greene, WR AT Perry, OG Sean Maginn, OG Lioc Ngassam Nya, OT Je’Vionte Nash, DE Rondell Bothroyd, DE JaCorey Johns, DT Kobie Turner, DT Tyler Williams, LB Ryan Smenda, CB Gavin Holmes, CB JJ Roberts, CB Isaiah Wingfield, NB Jermal Martin Jr., and DS AJ Williams.
Top 10 Recruits:
4 Star Recruits: WR Micah Mays Jr. (North Palm Beach, Florida).
3 Star Recruits: WR Walker Merrill (Tennessee transfer), LB Jacob Roberts (North Carolina A&T transfer), EDGE Tyler Walton (Suwanee, Georgia), CB Antonio Robinson (Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky), LB Jaquez Keyes (Ironton, Ohio), WR Hilton Alexander II (Douglasville, Georgia), LB Aiden Hall (Pleasant Grove, Alabama), EDGE Kerrington Lee (Palm Beach Gardens, Florida) and DL Chris Marable (Hilton Head Island, South Carolina).
2022 Results:
G01 VMI W 27-17
G02 @ Vanderbilt W 45-25
G03 LIBERTY W 37-36
G04 #5 CLEMSON L 45-51
G05 @ #23 FSU W 31-21
G06 ARMY W 45-10
G07 BOSTON COLLEGE W 43-15
G08 @ Louisville L 21-48
G09 @ #22 NC State L 21-30
G10 #15 NORTH CAROLINA L 34-36
G11 SYRACUSE W 45-35
G12 @ Duke L 31-34
BOWL vs. Missouri W 27-17
Misc. Team Information:
2022 Record: 8-5 (6th in ACC Atlantic)
Home: 5-2
Away: 2-3
Neutral: 1-0
ACC: 3-5
Non-AAC: 5-0
Head Coach: Dave Clawson
Wake Forest: 59-53
Career: 149-132
Bowls: 5-4
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Mitch Griffis (29-41, 348 yards, 70.7%, 8.5 avg., 5 TD, 1 INT)
Rushing: Justice Ellison (170 car., 699 yards, 4.1 avg., 6 TD)
Receiving: Taylor Morin (47 rec., 575 yards, 12.2 avg., 9 TD)
TDs Scored: Jahmal Banks/Taylor Morin (9)
Sacks: Jasheen Davis (7)Tackles: Chase Jones (74)
Tackles For Loss: Jasheen Davis (14)
Interceptions: 5 tied (1)
Pass Deflections: Caelen Carson (7)
Forced Fumbles: Malik Mustapha (2)
Kick Returns: Ke’Shawn Williams (12 ret., 235 yards, 19.6 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Taylor Morin (17 ret., 128 yards, 7.5 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: Matthew Dennis (12-14 fg/fga., 86%, 57-58 93 pts.)
Punting: Ivan Mora (40 punts, 1630 yards, 40.8 avg., 15 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters
QB: 12 Mitch Griffis (RS SO)
RB: 6 Justice Ellison (JR)
WR: 80 Jahmal Banks (JR)
WR: 2 Taylor Morin (RS JR)
WR: 13 Ke’Shawn Williams (JR)
TE: 20 Cameron Hite (RS JR)
LT: 52 Spencer Clapp (RS SR)
LG: 55 Michael Jurgens (RS SR)
OC: 74 Luke Petitibon (RS SO)
RG: 70 Nick Sharpe (RS SO)
RT: 62 DeVonte Gordon (RS JR)
KR: 13 Ke’Shawn Williams (JR)
PK: 99 Matthew Dennis (RS SO)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 30 Jasheen Davis (JR)
DT: 91 Kevin Pointer (RS JR/TR)
DT: 55 Bryce Ganious (JR/TR)
DE: 5 Kendron Wayman (JR)
LB: 21 Chase Jones (SR)
LB: 40 Jacob Roberts (SR/TR)
NB: 14 Evan Slocum (JR)
CB: 1 Caelen Carson (JR)
CB: 10 DaShawn Jones (RS SO
)FS: 9 Chelen Garnes (SR/TR)
SS: 3 Malik Mustapha (JR/TR)
PR: 83 Taylor Morin (RS JR)
PT: 96 Ivan Mora (RS JR)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: C
Running Backs: B
Wide Receivers: B
Offensive Line: B
Defense
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: B
Secondary: B
Special Teams
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: B
Kickers: A
Punters: C
Schedule:
09/02 ELON PHOENIX | Wake Forest leads the series 3-0. The Demon Deacons won (49-7) the last meeting between schools in 2009.
09/09 VANDERBILT COMMODORES | Wake Forest trails the series 7-10. Last season’s 45-25 win was the first meeting between schools since 2013 and their last series loss (21-23) was in 2013.
09/16 @ Old Dominion Monarchs | Wake forest won (42-10) the only prior meeting between schools in 2021.
09/23 GEORGIA TECH YELLOW JACKETS | Wake Forest trails the series 8-23. The Demon Deacons lost (24-38) the last meeting between schools in 2017.
10/07 @ Clemson Tigers | Wake Forest trials the series 17-70-1. The Demon Deacons are 0-10 since 2013 and their last series win (12-7) dates back to 2008.
10/14 @ Virginia Tech Hokies | Wake Forest trails the series 13-25-1. The Demon Deacons won (23-16) the last meeting between schools in 2020.
10/21 PITTSBURGH PANTHERS | Wake Forest trails the series 0-2. The Demon Deacons lost (21-45) the last meeting between schools in 2021.
10/28 FLORIDA STATE SEMINOLES | Wake Forest trails the series 9-30-1. The Demon Deacons are 3-6 since 2013 and their last series loss (17-38) was in 2018.
11/02 @ Duke Blue Devils | Duke trials the series 41-59-2. The Demon Deacons are 4-5 since 2013 and their last series win (45-7) was in 2021.
11/11 NC STATE WOLFPACK | Wake Forest trails the series 42-68-6. The Demon Deacons are 5-5 since 2013 and their last series win (45-42) was in 2021.
11/18 @ Notre Dame Fighting Irish | Wake Forest trails the series 0-5. The Demon Deacons lost (27-56) the last meeting between schools in 2018.
11/25 @ Syracuse Orange | The series is tied 6-6. The Demon Deacons are 5-5 since 2013 and their lasts series loss (30-39 OT) was in 2019.
Predictions:
Home: 4-2
Road: 2-4
Neutral: 0-0
ACC: 3-5
Non-ACC: 3-1
Overall: 6-6 (8th in ACC)
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