The Winston Salem Daily
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5 Point Stance - A Final Look at the Wake Forest Roster
1) Position Battle
Quarterback
Throughout camp, there has a been much speculation about what Coach Boyle will do at the Qb position. Junior holdout Justin Wolford has the experience, but sophomore Kendall Hinton has as stronger arm and far more speed, which may make him a better fit for the spread aspect of Coach Boyles Offense that he is implementing. This could be a battle that changes throughout the year as the first year Coach optimizes his playbook. There seems to be both under center and spread option sets in his book, and if the Deacs are forced to rely on one style or the other, that may determine which quarterback gets the majority of the snaps.
2) Stars to watch
Cam Serigne, Tight end
Serigne is going to be a big player in Coach Boyles scheme, whether it be as a receiver in play action under center, or a pass-catcher out of the spread. He's a veteran leader on the offense and the team looks to him to bring the intensity to games.
Marquel Lee, Linebacker
Perhaps the Demon Deacon with the best chance at all-conference honors, Marquel Lee is the heart of this young defense. The team will look to him the same way they do to Serigne for leadership and big plays. Lee has the ability to be a force in run - d while also being able to stay with the speedy backs that litter the ACC, from Dalvin Cook to Wayne Gallman.
3) Don't Sleep on Him
Tabari Hines, WR
The dynamic sophomore receiver sold out in the spring game, going for over 120 yards. Hines currently is third on the depth chart, earning him the sleeper pick, but his top end speed may see him as the focal point of a few plays in the spread offense this season.
4) Areas of Concern
Offensive Line
The offensive line may be the weakest link on this admittedly generally unspectacular Demon Deacon roster. There is not much quality talent, and, unlike some of the other positions on the team, little underclassmen potential. The O line is a crucial cog of any football team, and Coach Boyle has stressed how much importance this unit has in a winning team. Whichever quarterback lines up under center this season for Wake forest must get used to scrambling real soon.
The many question marks surrounding the youth of the team
The large amount of underclassmen on the Wake Forest roster is both a positive and a negative. As a first year coach looking to rebuild, my guess is that Coach Boyle is happy that the team is so young. it will give the coach an opportunity to mold and develop his players. However, the lack of senior leadership and immediate game experience could be detrimental to the team's success in the early stages of the season. Specifically, at key positions such as defensive end and outside linebacker, there is little experience. There are also no upperclassmen on the Wake Forest depth chart at the running back position. Again, this could be a good thing, if everyone plays beyond their years and develops well. Things may be rough early on, however, since many of these players are unproven at the college level.
5) Pipelines
The Demon Deacons have at least 4 recruits from seven different states. This is a surprisingly widespread distribution of talent for a team who is traditionally not a strong recruiting school. If Coach Boyle can maintain and build these connections, it will go a long way toward supporting his program rebuild.
Thats all for today folks, I know we all cannot wait for the season to start! Just a few more days until we have college football once more! This is Carlton Gilbert of the Winston-Salem Daily saying: GO DEACS!