There is no one who follows Wake Forest football who is not fully aware of all the details of last year. And there is not a position group, individual coach, or player who does not feel some level of responsibility for it. But the changes that need to come from the offensive line feel different. With a lot on the line for Wake Forest this season, the line is going about its change in a much more unassuming manner.
The Work to Do
There is a lot of talk about personnel infusions at different positions. But even that takes on a different look with the offensive line. Last year’s version was often touted for how many combined snaps the group had, and how many games were under their collective belt. The point was that it was as veteran as any in the ACC, if not the country.
But the line was also an occasional source of frustration for head coach Dave Clawson. Wake, as a team only averaged a little over four penalties per game. They were 12th in the country in terms of the least amount of penalties and penalty yards surrendered per game. But the offensive line was responsible for three of those four week in and week out.
And this is where context and content merge. It was the ill-timed holding penalty that moved the offense outside the red zone. It was the false start that killed a third and short. They were the type of mistakes the most seasoned line in the conference was not supposed to commit.
And now veterans Spencer Clapp and Michael Jurgens are gone after extensive college careers in Winston-Salem. So where does that leave the 2024 version of the offensive line?
Tabacca Likes What He Sees
If offensive line coach Nick Tabacca has any concerns about his current unit, he isn’t showing it. “I think at this point, we feel good about it,” he told us this week when talking about the depth and leadership of the group. “You always want more so we are challenging guys to step up and progress.”
Head coach Dave Clawson did go shopping in the transfer portal during the off-season and came away with one new body. Keagen Trost spent the last four years at Indiana State, starting in four games last season. But beyond him, there is an acknowledgment that a cohesive offensive line is rarely created with a large number of plug-and-play guys who have not worked together as a unit. Tabacca is looking to rely on the guys who have been there and tried to do that for a few years at Wake.
That gets him to guys like center Luke Petitbon who has been voted a team captain for the upcoming season. “He’s got some very natural leadership abilities,” Tabacca said. Eric Russell and George Sell also will factor in significantly in terms of the success of the offensive line.
The Young Guys
There is also widespread agreement among players and coaches that big things can be expected from Uber Ajongo. The redshirt freshman’s name was brought up by Tabacca and by other linemen when we asked who had made the biggest strides since the end of last season.
He, redshirt freshman George Steih, and other younger players are getting more work in with the new camp system that Clawson implemented in the Spring. All of the live 11-on-11 drills are going on simultaneously on two fields. Clawson is hoping more players getting more snaps in real-time action will lead to an increase in players being actually game-ready when the season starts.
Tabacca is a fan of the new system. “I think it’s awesome,” he told us. “Playing o-line is all about banking reps. You learn something with every rep and it pays off.”
The Veterans
Two guys who have seen a huge number of reps already over their time at Wake are going to be counted on heavily this season. Nick Sharpe enters his fourth season at Wake Forest. “We’ve got to grow together as an offensive line, as a unit,” he said to us earlier this week. “The leaders have to lead in a way that the other guys want to follow us. The biggest thing for me is to make sure the younger guys want to follow a good leader.”
So, then what makes a good leader on the offensive line? “Making sure you’re not trying to coach up the younger guys on something you’re not doing right yourself,” Sharpe said. You have to make sure you are not just coming in every day and just checking a box.”
Asked to name that kind of leader, aside from himself, Sharpe did not hesitate in going to the gray beard of the group. Devonte Gordon enters his sixth and presumably final season at Wake Forest. “One of my biggest roles right is making sure nobody on the line gets too comfortable. That we are pushing everyone to compete each day,” Gordon told us.
Leadership
He said even though the number of combined starts for the group is not as high as in previous years, there is a familiarity across the line. “We have enough snaps together that we know each other’s game. We know what everybody is good at.”
Gordon also said that the new system for running the live scrimmaging during camp is going to impact the offensive line. “It means if you are in the 10-deep rotation, you have to prepare as a starter. Now more guys are getting that kind of time. We have a ton of real depth right now.”
Since Sharpe had a specific checklist of what makes for a good leader, we asked him about the various styles he sees on the offensive line. He laughed when we asked if there has to be a vocal leader. “Yes.” So who is it on this team? “Luke Petitbon, myself. We take the vocal route. I think Devo (Gordon), is going to make sure everybody likes him. And we need one of those also. And we need the people who will say some words to get people going. We have a good mix.”
