Wake Forest NCAA 12 Dynasty: Competitive Football Would be Nice!

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  • Knickerbocker91
    MVP
    • Jun 2010
    • 3231

    #46
    Re: Wake Forest NCAA 12 Dynasty: Competitive Football Would be Nice!

    Eh, with a BCS Championship Game like that I think I'm going to have to watch it with the mute button on lol...all they're going to be talking about are the controversies both schools got themselves in.

    As for the the Military Bowl, congrats! I'm still not happy you beat Virginia Tech but I'll live lol. Temple is definitely not going to be a pushover, Bernard Pierce and Matt Brown make for a ridiculously scary backfield for the Owls. Hope you're linebacker are ready to take them down, good luck.
    My Dynasties

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    • waytofailself
      MVP
      • Feb 2011
      • 1522

      #47
      Re: Wake Forest NCAA 12 Dynasty: Competitive Football Would be Nice!

      Originally posted by Knickerbocker91
      As for the the Military Bowl, congrats! I'm still not happy you beat Virginia Tech but I'll live lol. Temple is definitely not going to be a pushover, Bernard Pierce and Matt Brown make for a ridiculously scary backfield for the Owls. Hope you're linebacker are ready to take them down, good luck.
      Ha, unfortunately my run defense, especially up the middle, has been my weak link all season.
      The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH 2k8 Legacy - Ended)

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      • waytofailself
        MVP
        • Feb 2011
        • 1522

        #48
        Re: Wake Forest NCAA 12 Dynasty: Competitive Football Would be Nice!


        We have a Winner

        Andrew Luck, QB Stanford
        1614 Votes
        265-424, 3764 Yds, 143 Car, 708* Yds, 49 Total TD

        Luck really separated himself from the pack in the late part of the season. His numbers just continued to pile up while other players had off games. He received around 80 more first place votes than Pryor, and that was the difference. Good luck in Buffalo next season!

        Also Receiving Votes:
        Terrel Pryor, QB Ohio State: 1464
        Ryan Tannehill, QB Texas A&M: 797
        Asher Clark, HB Air Force: 792
        Trent Richardson, HB Alabama: 23


        Wake Forest Player Honors

        Corey Porter: First Team All American, 1st Team All-ACC DT
        24 Tak, 8 TFL, 6.5 Sacks, 1 FF, 4 FR

        Brian Graham: Second Team All American, 2nd Team All ACC FS
        34 Tak, 6 TFL, 5 INT, 1 TD, 10 DEF, 3 FF, 1 FR

        Patrick Mitchell: Second Team All ACC HB
        196 Car, 971 Tds, 5.0 YPC, Long 92, 8 Rush TD, 29 Rec, 347 Yards, 12.0 YPR, 3 Rec TD

        Carl Benjamin: Second Team All ACC DT
        25 Tak, 13 TFL, 7.5 Sacks, 2 FF

        Interesting that despite Wake's porous run defense its DTs would get post season honors. Porter was especially a surprise, especially since he is first team All-American. But both tackles have had success getting to the QB all season. Mitchell had a few explosive games and did even more damage in the receiving game. 5.0 YPC is great, especially when he is usually running from the shotgun. And Brian Graham proved to be a ball hawk when entering the season many thought the Sophomore was the weak link of the Deacon defense. Congratulations to all.

        * ed note: this is actually more yards on the ground than Luck had in a season I simmed with named rosters. Weird, because' he's a pocket passer with the default rosters.
        The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH 2k8 Legacy - Ended)

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        • waytofailself
          MVP
          • Feb 2011
          • 1522

          #49
          Re: Wake Forest NCAA 12 Dynasty: Competitive Football Would be Nice!


          Military Bowl 2011

          vs
          White, Wake Forest Almost Throw it All Away

          On paper this appeared to be a close match up, but the game did not start that way at all. Wake Forest showed the same form it had the last few weeks of the season to dominate the Temple Owls. But Temple refused to be put away, and if there was more time in the game or another quarter to play Wake Forest might not have won by a final score of 28-21.


          Matt White finds an open Mike Dunbar for a first down.

          The game started off well for Wake Forest as they moved the ball down the field early with a drive that masterfully mixed runs and passes from a number of formations. Unfortunately for the Deacons, star HB Patrick Mitchell was knocked out of the game in the red zone with a concussion -- Senior Charles Broussard would have to step up and fill in for the All-ACC player. Despite the setback, Matt White managed to scramble for the score a few plays later.



          Wake's defense also proved to be opportunistic early. Although the offense could not take advantage of an early fumble recovery, later the defense took care of business itself when Darren Hall jumped a route and rocketed 52 yards for a score to put Wake Forest up 14-0.

          But the Temple Owls had no quit in them. No, they were only beginning to fight.



          On the very next kickoff after the pick-6, the Owls took the return all the way to the house thanks to some sweet moves by Dale Yancey. The Owl defense continued to stall the Mitchell-less Deacon offense, and Temple was beginning to make a game of it.

          But credit the Wake defense for continuing to force Temple mistakes. The Demon Deacon's DT duo of Corey Porter and Carl Benjamin combined to make one of the key plays of the game when Porter sacked and forced Temple QB Cameron Jones to fumble. Benjamin was right there to swoop up the ball and rumble 18 yards for his first career touchdown. And although Wake Forest had further opportunities to increase the lead, their drives continued to falter and they entered the half up 21-7 on the Owls.


          All-American DT Corey Porter Gets the Sack-Fumble Combo

          Wake Forest was able to take advantage of an errant Temple pitch-out early to get great field position near the end of the third quarter. But signs were starting to show that embattled sophomore QB Matt White might be coming unhinged. Having already thrown one pick in the 3rd quarter, White managed to scramble for his 2nd touchdown score of the day.



          The problem? Coach Shapiro and his OC had dialed up the right call with quick slants near the goal line, but White chose to tuck it and run despite having two receivers open on the play. Just the same, points are points, and Wake was in commanding position 28-7 at the end of the 3rd quarter.

          Commanding position except that White threw another pick to close the 3rd that was almost returned for a touchdown. Temple, working in a "score now" mindset, easily scored a TD on a roll out pass the next play. Meanwhile, white would throw 4 picks on the day before getting pulled for Holt. But the turnovers were beginning to put too much pressure on the defense and give the Owls confidence. With another short field, the Owls scored on a one yard run by by stellar running back John Koch -- who could have had a far bigger day if the Owls had not been playing from behind.

          But fortunately for the Demon Deacons, Holt's stabilizing presence ended the turnover machine. The calls were simple: hand the ball off to Broussard and run out the clock. Temple, who chose not to go for the onside kick, looked gassed and could not stop Wake's suddenly alive rushing attack. Credit Holt with the save despite only needing to make 1 pass to convert a 3rd down, the Deacons managed to hold on, force Temple to burn all its time outs, and bleed the last 4 minutes off the game clock.

          Temple (7-5) at Wake Forest (6-6)
          Dec 28, 20111234F
          Temple0701421
          Wake Forest7147028
          Top Performers
          Temple
          D. Yancey, 172 KR Yards, TD
          T. Johnson, 8 Tak, INT, 2 Def
          Wake Forest
          C. Porter, 2 Tkls, TFL, SCK, FF, FRec
          C. Benjamin, 2 Tkls, TFL, FRec, TD
          Team Stats Comparison
          TemWake
          First Downs815
          3rd Down Efficiency4-115-11
          4th Down Efficiency1-10-0
          Total Yards202251
          Passing Yards107170
          Rushing Yards9581
          Penalties-Penalty Yards2-151-5
          Turnovers44
          Time of Possession12:5119:09
          Scoring Summary
          FIRST QUARTER SCORINGTemWake
          1:34(Wake) M. White, 7 Yd Run07
          SECOND QUARTER SCORINGTemWake
          7:27(Wake) D. Hall, 52 Yd INT Return014
          7:16(Tem) D. Yancey, 98 Yd Kickoff Return714
          3:39(Wake) C. Benjamin, 18 Yd Fumble Return721
          THIRD QUARTER SCORINGTemWake
          2:58(Wake) M. White 9 Yd Run728
          FOURTH QUARTER SCORINGTemWake
          7:56(Tem) Z. Buckley, 3 Yd Pass from C. Jones1428
          4:39(Tem) J. Koch, 1 Yd Run2128
          Temple
          PASSINGC/ATTYDSTDINT
          C. Jones11-1910711
          RUSHINGATTYDSAVGTD
          J. Koch14614.31
          C. Jones9283.10
          R. Grant362.00
          RECEIVINGRECYDSAVGTD
          J. Koch4287.00
          R. Grant22412.00
          Z. Buckley2126.01
          C. Baker12626.00
          J. Lowery11212.00
          Wake Forest
          PASSINGC/ATTYDSTDINT
          M. White13-2616204
          B. Holt1-1800
          RUSHINGATTYDSAVGTD
          C. Broussard16533.30
          M. White6111.82
          P. Mitchell4164.00
          J. Little177.00
          RECEIVINGRECYDSAVGTD
          M. Dunbar46215.50
          G. Bailey34515.00
          B. Hansen2136.50
          P. Mitchell11919.00

          Coach's Take: You can win pretty, you can win ugly, or you can hang on tooth, claw, and nail to win. Temple is a great team with a lot of fight, and we came in with a good game plan. We made some mental mistakes, but credit our offensive line and Charles Broussard: they were able to grind out the last few minutes of clock to seal the game. Sometimes a team gets on a run and that's what it's going to take. But today was our day.

          What's Next: Wake Forest and Temple are both finished for the season and each team is already preparing to hit the recruiting trail again.
          Last edited by waytofailself; 08-15-2011, 01:48 PM.
          The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH 2k8 Legacy - Ended)

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          • waytofailself
            MVP
            • Feb 2011
            • 1522

            #50
            Re: Wake Forest NCAA 12 Dynasty: Competitive Football Would be Nice!


            Bowl Results

            Military Bowl
            Wake Forest 28 Temple 21

            New Mexico Bowl
            Minnesota 24 Idaho 20

            Beef O’Brady’s Bowl
            West Virginia 52 Southern Miss 28

            New Orleans Bowl
            SMU 41 FIU 3

            Las Vegas Bowl
            TCU 42 Arizona 29

            Poinsettia Bowl
            San Diego State 42 Louisiana Tech 23

            Hawai’i Bowl
            UCF 32 Fresno State 25

            Little Caesars Pizza Bowl
            Michigan 31 Western Michigan 3

            Belk Bowl
            Syracuse 47 Maryland 24

            Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl
            Hawai’I 28 Washington 21

            Music City Bowl
            Florida 28 Virginia Tech 9

            Independence Bowl
            Connecticut 30 North Carolina 13

            Champs Sports Bowl
            Notre Dame 49 Georgia Tech 28

            Humanitarian Bowl
            Nevada 17 Ohio 10

            Holiday Bowl
            USC 49 Texas Tech 24

            GoDaddy.com Bowl
            Miami University 42 Troy 21

            Cotton Bowl
            Oklahoma State 55 Georgia 28

            Armed Forces Bowl
            Northern Illinois 26 ECU 13

            Sun Bowl
            Oregon 24 Florida State 21

            Texas Bowl
            Penn State 38 Baylor 14

            Liberty Bowl
            Tulsa 42 Cincinnati 25

            Insight Bowl
            Illinois 34 Missouri 31 (OT)

            Chick-Fil-A Bowl
            Miami 30 Ole Miss 27

            Outback Bowl
            Mississippi State 34 Wisconsin 7

            Gator Bowl
            Michigan State 35 LSU 28

            Capital One Bowl
            South Carolina 38 Nebraska 27

            BBVA Compass Bowl
            Arkansas 28 Louisville 3

            Alamo Bowl
            Texas 43 Utah 40 (3OT)

            Ticket City Bowl
            Houston 23 Northwestern 17



            #3 Alabama 17 vs #20 Pittsburgh 28
            No BCS Title Game hangover? Alabama was not mentally prepared for the Panthers. After taking a lead into the half, the Panthers scored the last 14 points to stun the Crimson Tide.



            #5 Oklahoma 37 vs #4 Stanford 31 (OT)
            In a game for the ages, Oklahoma wins by scoring a touchdown in overtime in one play. Stanford worked hard to overcome a 10 point deficit in the 4th quarter, but they could not close the deal in OT.


            #22 NC State 52 vs #11 Air Force 24
            NC State limited Asher Clark to his lowest rushing output of the season as the Wolf Pack got on a roll early and trounce the sentimental favorite of the BCS field.



            #6 Texas A&M 36 vs #8 Boise State 23
            Ryan Tannehill didn't win the Heisman, but he does outgun Kellen Moore and the Broncos. After a high scoring first half, both teams were able to lock down the other. Texas A&M's final score to seal away the game came on a fumble return for 77 yards.


            Championship Game Presented by Allstate

            #2 Auburn 31 vs #1 Ohio State 35
            Auburn went into the 4th quarter with a comfortable lead, but Terrel Pryor led the Buckeyes to two touchdown drives in the final four minutes. The game featured a combined 400 total yards of rushing, but it was a mistake free game that will be remembered as much for Pryor's heroics as Auburn's last minute collapse.

            Last edited by waytofailself; 08-15-2011, 07:31 PM.
            The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH 2k8 Legacy - Ended)

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            • waytofailself
              MVP
              • Feb 2011
              • 1522

              #51
              Re: Wake Forest NCAA 12 Dynasty: Competitive Football Would be Nice!


              Meet the Newest Deacons
              Recruiting Update: End of 2011 Season

              Signing day has come and gone, and Coach Shapiro and co. have snagged Wake Forest the #34 class in the nation. According to Shapiro, he was mainly looking for role players who could grow and work together -- so he seems to have a very long term plan. However, unlike prior coach Jim Grobe, Coach Shapiro is not opposed to starting true freshmen. "It all comes down to putting the most talent on the field who can help us win."

              So first, here is the list of recruits who have officially signed with Wake Forest:

              Wake Forest Recruiting Class of 2011-2012
              NAME (OVR)
              POSCLASSHOMETOWNHTWTCALIBER
              Curtis Jenkins (78)
              QBHSCathedral City, CA5'11180
              Jaymond Leak (59)
              SSHSElon College, NC6'0"186
              Larry Smith (64)
              FSHSWilliamston, NC6'0"174
              Tim Howard (63)
              DTHSFort Benning South, GA6'1"274
              David Ferguson (59)
              TEHSCountry Club Est, GA6'3"260
              Bruce Brown (60)
              HBHSHope Mills, NC5'10"190
              Stanford West (65)
              DEHSDunwoody, GA6'1"232
              Kendall Welsh (60)
              MLBHSHuntington, VA6'3"208
              Greg Johnson (66 HB)
              ATHHSPanama City, FL6'0"161
              Jordan Williams (64)
              WRHSTimberlake, VA5'11"196
              T.J. Davis (63)
              QBHSConway, FL6'3"184
              Jeff Harrison (64 WR)
              ATHHSMorganton, NC6'2"185
              Jake Collins (66 C)
              ATHHSHallandale, FL6'8"333
              Tommy Talley (64)
              GHSRockingham, NC6'3"290
              Andrew Bass (66)
              OLBHSRed Springs, NC6'0"188
              Pierre Williams (73)
              PHSHangerstown, MD6'0"216
              Matt Peters (65)
              TEHSCocoa, FL6'3"231
              Matt Woods (65)
              WRHSChamblee, GA6'1"202

              Biggest Storyline
              : Coming out of nowhere to sign Curtis Jenkins (QB #6). There is no denying Jenkins' talent, as the scrambling QB run faster than many running backs. But his diminutive stature, along with his reckless style and questionable accuracy, seemed to scare off many teams. "He was not even on our radar at first," said Coach Shapiro,"and we were not on his. But after doing some digging in October we learned that Jenkins had not made any commitment about where he was going to school -- unlike other QBs so highly rated by Rivals. We were his first scholarship offer." Apparently talks were a success (ed note: lucked into two 2x recruiting bonuses with him. FYI recruiting is on All-American).

              Coach Shapiro added, "Of course, Jenkins did not just come to us because we were the first to offer. We had to push hard and it came down to the wire. But in the end he really liked what we do with the Spread. That was the difference."

              Of course, that was not the only difference. With Wake Forest unsettled at the QB position, Jenkins has a very good shot at starting all four seasons. During the season, the only other team to show interest in Jenkins was Western Kentucky. However, the biggest wrench in Wake Forest's pursuit was when E.J. Manuel left ACC rival Florida State after his only season as a full time starter. With a void at QB, Jenkins was the best QB available.

              In the end, Jenkins went with the team who could promise the most playing time. Going forward, the Deacons will be building around their new man under center.

              Biggest Surprise: Jake Collins (C), the 6'8" 333 LBS monster both literally and what he has shown in early training. He is a big body that's hard to move -- but in High School he pursued wrestling until his body weight became too high for him to legally compete. With no football experience, he played offensive and defensive line his senior year of high school and proved that he could be a big body on the field. Collins will definitely need a year to develop, but with Wake's two centers being seniors next year Collins could be groomed to take their place.

              Possible Letdown
              : Bruce Brown (HB #73) was one of the first targets for Coach Shapiro, but it looks like Brown might have been a high volume wonder. He got a lot of carries in high school, but seems to have trouble breaking away from elite high school players in multiple all-star games. Maybe some time to develop will help him adjust to the next level.

              Other Notable Recruits: Andrew Bass (OLB #115) surprised many people with his on field performance. Everyone knew he has blazing speed, but he has also proven to be adept at pass coverage and recognizing plays as well. With the Deacons being a bit thin at outside linebacker, Bass could possibly play a major role this year or in subsequent seasons. Matt Peters (TE #53) benefits from Wake Forest only having one tight end on the roster post graduation. Although he was recruited for his blocking technique, the undersized tight end has shown soft hands that could give him playing time in an H-Back role. Pierre Williams (P #19) has a strong leg but was not recruited by many schools because he did not start punting until an injury to his team's punter his junior year. The former linebacker and all conference soccer player showed he could boot the ball much farther down the field -- although he still have problems keeping the ball in the field.
              Last edited by waytofailself; 08-15-2011, 08:58 PM.
              The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH 2k8 Legacy - Ended)

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              • waytofailself
                MVP
                • Feb 2011
                • 1522

                #52
                Re: Wake Forest NCAA 12 Dynasty: Competitive Football Would be Nice!


                Texas Grumbles, But it's the Big East That Powers Up

                Rumors have been swirling ever since the messy settlement of Texas and the Big 12 a few years ago that the Longhorns are looking to go independent. Well, nothing has come of that yet, and the Big 12 can breathe a big sigh of relief. At least for this season. Although it is said that the Big 12 is interested in adding a few teams to bring back a championship game to the conference, the athletic directors of the conference could not come to any consensus and there was no movement.

                New Teams in the Big East

                The same cannot be said of the Big East, who looks to gain substantially both on the football field and the hardwood. In a move that could have long term implications, the Big East managed to add three teams along with Texas Christian -- who had already agreed to switch to the Big East in 2012. The full list of newcomers:

                TCU Horned Frogs
                Notre Dame Fighting Irish
                Temple Owls
                Central Florida Golden Knights


                All four teams of that list make sense at least from a football and basketball perspective, and both sports were motivation for the move. Notre Dame is a huge grab, and together with TCU catapults the Big East into one of the top tier BCS conferences -- although not on the competitive level of the SEC. Temple and Central Florida are both interesting grabs, but their basketball programs can hold their own. Also, finding their way into the new Big East will certainly help the exposure for their football programs.

                The Big East gets a championship game, which will be played in Washington, DC, and the two 6 team divisions are "North," and "South."

                Big East North
                Connecticut
                Rutgers
                Notre Dame
                Pittsburgh
                Syracuse
                Temple

                Big East South

                Cincinnati
                Louisville
                South Florida
                TCU
                UCF
                West Virginia

                Although some fans are ruffled about splitting up of some rivalry games, surely all the Big East schools will see a benefit of more TV dollars.

                Other Conference Movement News
                • After 1 year of trying to be an Independent, Brigham Young University has decided to return to the Mountain West Conference. Although BYU hoped to maintain its religious principles, recent economic woes have made it far more difficult for BYU to survive as an independent -- and with Air Force and Boise State both reaching BCS bowls last year the MWC looks to be no pushover.
                • North Texas has moved to Conference USA to take the place of UCF. Both sides felt the move was mutually beneficial, although North Texas will have a lot of work to do on the field unless they plan on staying in the C-USA basement. To compensate geographically for the new addition, Tulane moved from the C-USA West division to the East.

                Next Up: Wake Forest Off-Season Report
                The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH 2k8 Legacy - Ended)

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                • mm boost
                  MVP
                  • Oct 2009
                  • 1686

                  #53
                  Re: Wake Forest NCAA 12 Dynasty: Competitive Football Would be Nice!

                  Solid win for the bowl game man, that definitely helped your program. Hate to see O-State win the BCS, but at least NC State represented the ACC and defeated Air Force. I bet that was an interesting match-up, having Air Force in a BCS game. Can't wait to see how the new conference changes shake up the league.
                  Virginia Tech Hokies NCAA 2011 Dynasty Thread :
                  http://www.operationsports.com/forum...isfortune.html
                  (click this link for a good read and an in-depth storyline-driven dynasty, Hokies 5 year climb to the National Championship!)

                  Comment

                  • waytofailself
                    MVP
                    • Feb 2011
                    • 1522

                    #54
                    Re: Wake Forest NCAA 12 Dynasty: Competitive Football Would be Nice!

                    Originally posted by mm boost
                    Solid win for the bowl game man, that definitely helped your program. Hate to see O-State win the BCS, but at least NC State represented the ACC and defeated Air Force. I bet that was an interesting match-up, having Air Force in a BCS game. Can't wait to see how the new conference changes shake up the league.
                    Thanks. I definitely went from being excited about having such a huge lead in the 4th quarter to just hoping I could run for another first down and kill the clock.

                    And as much as I grew up an NC State fan, I'm a little disappointed that Air Force had to lose -- I was kind of hoping they'd go somewhere other than the Orange Bowl.

                    Of course, the biggest surprise to me in the bowl schedule is Pitt dropping Alabama. Things just keep looking up for the Big East (even though now looking I realize that I accidentally switched UCONN and Cincinnati and put them in the wrong divisions. Something to fix next year, right?).
                    The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH 2k8 Legacy - Ended)

                    Comment

                    • waytofailself
                      MVP
                      • Feb 2011
                      • 1522

                      #55
                      Re: Wake Forest NCAA 12 Dynasty: Competitive Football Would be Nice!


                      Off-Season Report and Season Preview

                      The Demon Deacons enter their first season of stability with Coach Shapiro. After a rocky 2011 season, Wake Forest finished strong with three straight wins and enter this season with a new found sense of optimism and looking to improve on their 7-6 season.

                      Coach Shapiro Goal Update
                      Current Security: 65%
                      Pending:
                      1. Finish 4th or Better in the ACC in One Season (>>>)
                      3. Sign 10 Top 1000 Prospect(s) in One Regular Season (<|>>)
                      4. Finish Each Season Ranked in the BCS Top 100 (<<<<|>>)
                      5. Win 8 Games in One Season (>>)
                      7. Grade A or Higher on 5 Campus Visits in One Season (>)
                      11. Grade B or Higher on 10 Campus Visits in One Season (<)

                      Accomplished:
                      2. Win 50% of Games vs Top 25 in One Season (>>>)
                      8. Beat a Rival Opponent (>)
                      10. Win 4 Games in One Season (>)
                      12. Win 25% of Your Games in One Season ( _ )

                      Failed:
                      6. Finish 6th of Better in the ACC Each Season (<<)
                      9. Finish 5th or Better in Conference Each Season (<<)

                      Wake Forest University Recruiting Ratings
                      Prestige (+1)
                      81 Overall (82 OFF 80 DEF)
                      Academic Prestige: A+
                      Campus Lifestyle: C
                      Coach Loyalty: C+ (+1)
                      Coach Prestige: C (+1)
                      Conference Prestige: B
                      Championship Contender: B (+1)
                      Athletic Facilities: B (+1)
                      Fan Base: C+
                      Pro Potential: B (+1)
                      Program Stability: A+ (+2)
                      Program Tradition: C+ (+1)
                      Television Exposure: C+
                      Team Needs: 2 OLB, DT, C, K

                      Off-Season Training Report

                      The question on everyone's mind at the end of last season was who going to be under center in Winston Salem next season? Well, Shapiro made it clear early that it was a competition between incumbent Matt White and freshman Curtis Jenkins. It did not take long for Jenkins to establish himself as the team's leader and the team's future.

                      He would get in receivers faces when they would drop a pass. He would go over to them when he overthrew a ball (something he did quite often). He would stay poised in the pocket and make plays with his feet when they were available. Sure, some fans are going to be wary turning to a true freshman to take the team to the next level, but Matt White's two years of starting experience did not translate to better play this spring. And despite White playing lip service to taking training seriously, he did not show up much different than from where he was at the end of the season (+2 improvement).

                      Another interesting position battle never materialized once camp started. James Cross (73 OVR, +5), a reserve linebacker who mainly played on special teams his first three seasons at Wake, showed up prepared and focused. There was some talk of freshman Andrew Bass (66 OVR) getting the start in place of last year's leading tackler Gavin Ingram. But Cross has taken advantage of his first opportunity to get consistent field time, and he outplayed almost everyone else on the defense. In fact, he did so well that Coach Shapiro went ahead and red-shirted Bass to give him a chance to grow. It remains to be seen whether Cross can ever fill in Ingram's shoes, but he's a great story of getting red-shirted only to have to wait four years for his shot.

                      At the end of the spring, Wake Forest got some good, albeit unsurprising news. Who was the best and most improved out of the gate? Well, it was players Coach Shapiro was already counting on to perform.

                      Training Camp Training Champs
                      JR HB Patrick Mitchell (80 --> 86 OVR)
                      JR DT Carl Benjamin (75 --> 81 OVR)
                      JR FS Brian Graham (74 --> 80 OVR)

                      Other Key 2012 Players

                      FR QB Curtis Jenkins (78 OVR)
                      Yes, he was spotlighted enough, but Jenkins needs to be mentioned again. Quarterback play was one of the major problems of Wake's 2011 season. It's hard to imagine a true freshman bringing stability, but that's exactly what the Demon Deacons need. And considering last year's QB revolving door, that might be a reasonable goal.

                      SR K Sean Gray (79 OVR)
                      Poor Sean Gray. He may not have the leg power of other kickers, but his calling card used to always be accuracy. Not last season, where he was better from 30 yards out than within 25 yards. And it wasn't even close. He needs to step up his game if Wake hopes to win some close games this year.

                      JR SS Maurice Evans (76 OVR)
                      It's always hard to replace an NFL draft pick, but filling in the team leader's shoes too? Evans, who played last year in dime situations, has to establish himself quickly in an every down role. Although he is excellent run support, he sometimes lost his man in coverage last year. That needs to change.

                      FR TE Matt Peters (65 OVR)

                      With only newly recruited tight ends on the roster, Peters established himself as the best of the bunch. He can block, he can catch, and he has a knack for finding the soft spot of the zone. This position was a huge question mark entering the spring. Consider that question answered.

                      SR C Clark Hall (80 OVR)

                      The offensive line is one of the stronger portions of the team, but Hall is being asked to play guard for the first time of his career. If he can make the adjustment, the offense will be running much more smoothly. If not, expect a lot of inside blitzes and swatted balls again.

                      Wake Forest Preseason All Americans
                      Despite having a defense that got sliced up at times last season, Wake Forest starts the year with some very nice, if surprising accolades. Three members of the Wake Forest defense have been voted Preseason All-Americans by the Associated Press:

                      DT Carl Benjamin
                      DT Corey Porter
                      FS Brian Graham


                      Interesting that with such a suspect interior run defense both defensive tackles get the accolade -- but each DT finished with over 7 sacks last season. Still, if Wake looks to improve they're going to have to get more from their linebackers.

                      Wake Forest Schedule
                      9/1 vs Army
                      9/8 vs Miami
                      9/15 at Georgia Tech
                      9/22 at Maryland
                      9/29 vs Florida State
                      10/6 vs San Jose State University
                      10/13 vs Boston College
                      10/20 at Clemson
                      11/3 at UVA
                      11/10 at Duke
                      11/17 vs NC State
                      11/24 vs Vanderbilt

                      Although Wake Forest does not have a terribly difficult out of conference schedule, one disappointment is that due to an error, UVA was scheduled to face Wake, thus giving the Demon Deacons and Cavaliers 9 conference games. How will this play out later in the season? Who knows, but no one picking up on this error was a huge error.
                      The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH 2k8 Legacy - Ended)

                      Comment

                      • waytofailself
                        MVP
                        • Feb 2011
                        • 1522

                        #56
                        Re: Wake Forest NCAA 12 Dynasty: Competitive Football Would be Nice!


                        Pre-Season Outlook

                        Ohio State is primed and ready to defend their title. Although they might not be the most talented squad in the country, they are well coached and have a lot of experience remaining on both sides of the ball.

                        NCAA Football Rankings - AP Top 25 - Updated: Aug 1, 2012
                        RKTEAM (VOTES)OVR
                        OFFDEF
                        1Ohio State
                        AB+A
                        2StanfordB+B+B+
                        3Alabama
                        AAA
                        4OklahomaA+A+A+
                        5South CarolinaAAA-
                        6OregonA+A+B+
                        7AuburnA+A+A
                        8Texas A&MB+BB+
                        9MiamiA-B+B+
                        10Mississippi StateAA-B+
                        11Michigan StateB+B+B+
                        12Boise StateB+AB-
                        13USCA-A-B+
                        14Oklahoma StateB+A-B
                        15WisconsinAAB+
                        16NebraskaAAB+
                        17Notre DameB+B+B-
                        18PittsburghB+B+B-
                        19Penn StateAA+B+
                        20NC StateB+B+B+
                        21TCUAA+B+
                        22Florida StateAA-A
                        23ArkansasAA+B
                        24UtahA-AB
                        25LSUA+A+A

                        There is not too much controversey in the polls at this point, but it remains to be seen how squads like Stanford, Texas A&M, and Florida State will handle losing their star quarterbacks. Meanwhile, look for teams like Penn State and LSU to possibly move up in the rankings in the future. Both squads have a lot of talented seniors who will be laying it all on the line this season.


                        Heisman Trophy Preseason Poll

                        Heisman Watch - Updated: Jul 31, 2012
                        NAMEPOSSCHOOL
                        Denard RobinsonQBMichigan
                        Rex BurkeheadHBNebraska
                        Marcus Lattimore
                        HBSouth Carolina
                        Roy FinchHBOklahoma
                        Eddie LacyHBAlabama

                        The field starts off with only a single QB -- that's a bit surprising considering the number of QBs that led the field last year. But these things happen in cycles. Still, there are a lot of names in play, and it is a long season. Robinson, while poised to have a great season, is hardly a consensus frontrunner.

                        Wake Forest is ranked #57 to start the season.


                        Pre-Season Projection

                        Miami (92 OVR)
                        NC State (89 OVR)
                        Florida State (95 OVR)
                        Virginia Tech (92 OVR)
                        Georgia Tech (89 OVR)
                        UNC (91 OVR)
                        Clemson (92 OVR)
                        Wake Forest (81 OVR)
                        Boston College (92 OVR)
                        Maryland (89 OVR)
                        Virginia (84 OVR)
                        Duke (86 OVR)

                        Honestly a little surprised to see Boston College ranked so low, but their late season slide really marred their early season success. Right now it looks like it's Miami or NC State's division to lose, although Florida State and Virginia Tech are in the mix like they are every year.
                        Last edited by waytofailself; 08-22-2011, 08:20 AM.
                        The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH 2k8 Legacy - Ended)

                        Comment

                        • mm boost
                          MVP
                          • Oct 2009
                          • 1686

                          #57
                          Re: Wake Forest NCAA 12 Dynasty: Competitive Football Would be Nice!

                          can't wait to see how the new season will play out. Jenkins sounds like he is going to be your future at quarterback, that will be interesting to follow for sure. Big year coming up!!
                          Virginia Tech Hokies NCAA 2011 Dynasty Thread :
                          http://www.operationsports.com/forum...isfortune.html
                          (click this link for a good read and an in-depth storyline-driven dynasty, Hokies 5 year climb to the National Championship!)

                          Comment

                          • gorillapittpray
                            MVP
                            • Aug 2010
                            • 1462

                            #58
                            Re: Wake Forest NCAA 12 Dynasty: Competitive Football Would be Nice!

                            good luck with Jenkins!!!!!

                            Comment

                            • moose141
                              MVP
                              • Dec 2007
                              • 3402

                              #59
                              Re: Wake Forest NCAA 12 Dynasty: Competitive Football Would be Nice!

                              Love this dynasty, just read through it and it's really well done. Also good to see Pitt pulling some upsets and picking up a BCS win Although hopefully the divisional split won't hurt their rivalry game with WVU.

                              Not a bad season for Wake either, hopefully you can keep them on the uprise and get at least an 8+ win season this year.
                              Check out my Pitt Panthers Dynasty (NCAA Football 14)
                              Subscribe to my YouTube channel moose141DM!

                              Pittsburgh Penguins - Pittsburgh Panthers - Pittsburgh Steelers - Pittsburgh Pirates - West Ham United
                              University of Pittsburgh Ice Hockey

                              Comment

                              • waytofailself
                                MVP
                                • Feb 2011
                                • 1522

                                #60
                                Re: Wake Forest NCAA 12 Dynasty: Competitive Football Would be Nice!

                                Originally posted by moose141
                                Love this dynasty, just read through it and it's really well done. Also good to see Pitt pulling some upsets and picking up a BCS win Although hopefully the divisional split won't hurt their rivalry game with WVU.

                                Not a bad season for Wake either, hopefully you can keep them on the uprise and get at least an 8+ win season this year.
                                8 wins would be good. If I can get good QB play then 8 wins is possible. Hopefully I can pull a few upsets along the way again.

                                Thanks for reading and following -- first game post incoming.

                                edit: and FYI: Pitt v WVU is a protected rivalry.
                                Last edited by waytofailself; 08-19-2011, 06:38 PM.
                                The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH 2k8 Legacy - Ended)

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