What were some key takeaways from Wake Forest's spring game?
I was able to watch Wake's spring game tonight, and below are my impressions.
- The schemes seemed very vanilla. I understand that it was windy and the coaching staff probably wanted to limit the film that was available. Because of this, and that the teams were split and there were injuries, it's critical not to read too much into the spring game. However, I still believe there are meaningful takeaways.
- The running game is still a work in progress. I don't know if this is due to splitting up the offensive linemen, but both teams averaged fewer than 2 rushing yards per attempt. That will not get it done, and that number has to be much closer to 4 if Wake is going to make a bowl game.
- I was very impressed by Cade Carney. Carney is an early enrollee out of Davie County and he is a very physical back who does not stop moving his feet. He also showed great patience and a nice burst. He showed nice hands by making a catch out of the back field. I fully expect him to play as a true freshman and Wake has to do whatever possible to get him the ball.
- Scotty Washington had a great catch on a throw by Wolford. We've heard nice reviews from him during the spring and it was great to see him show off his hands.
- Kendall Hinton's decision making still has to improve. He forced a few throws, should have been picked off, and struggled with accuracy. He completed just 16 of 31 passing attempts, and took a bad "sack" that gave the Deacs a much harder field goal attempt. There's no denying his speed, and that add's a great dynamic to Wake's offense, but Wolford is still the better quarterback at this point.
- Wolford was very efficient and completed 80% of his passes (12-15) for 148 yards and a touchdown. He did throw an interception, but I thought he definitely demonstrated the most poise out of the quarterbacks.
- Jessie Bates had a very impressive game. He finished with 8 tackles, 1 forced fumble, and 1 pass broken up. He also had an impressive 17-yard punt return where he displayed his athleticism.
- Chuck Wade demonstrated his speed. He took a screen pass 73-yards to the house. This was partially due to missed tackles and poor angles, but Wake was greatly lacking playmaking ability. If Wake is going to struggle running the ball, then the team is going to have to rely on explosive plays to generate points.
- Paris Black had a few good pass rushes and I think he'll be a nice rotational player for the Deacs this year.
- I expect Wake Forest to utilize more bubble screens on run/pass options.
Those are my thoughts. What did you all think of the game?
