Ending the season on the last play of the game, one that was so dramatic it was featured prominently on ESPN, makes for a tough post-game press conference. Having to talk about a gut-wrenching loss and a 4-8 season, and in some cases, the end of their football career makes for a tough 10 minutes. Nonetheless, here is what Wake Forest said after the Duke loss.
Dave Clawson
The head coach has made the distinction between this year’s subpar record and last year’s subpar record many times in recent weeks. Clawson has said that while last year’s team just didn’t show up late in the season, this year’s team never stopped playing hard. Saturday, he reiterated that while getting emotional talking about the players. “We have good kids here,” he said. “They always give us effort and they always play hard. And I wish I had done a better job for them. They played really, really hard and that’s all you can ask for.”
He noted how he felt about how the season ended, not so much for him, but for the players, especially the 34 seniors who took part in pre-game Senior Day ceremonies. “I’m sick for them that this is how they ended their season and their career.”
He reflected on the high number of one-score losses. Four of the losses were determined by one score. And one game turned into a 10-point loss only in the closing moments. Turn around just two of those and the Deacs would be preparing for a bowl game. “We’ll examine everything, what we’re doing and how you’re doing it. It’s two years in a row. You’ve got to do something better.”
After a contentious moment about the program’s big picture, Clawson addressed how tight the upcoming weeks are going to be, even without a bowl game to prepare for. The new version of signing day is this week. The transfer portal opens the following week. “I’ll get some time over Christmas break,” Clawson said. “And I’ll reflect on the season and what we did and how we did it and how we can get back.”
Branson Combs
The linebacker reflected on his time at Wake Forest. “It’s a special place with a lot of good people here,” he said Saturday. “That’s going to be the toughest part really, is leaving the people and not having these relationships like I have.”
He added, “I think in the next couple of days, that’s what I’m going to think about and look back at.” Combs said his thoughts won’t go to how many plays he made in any specific game, but to his teammates and the people associated with the program.
Talking about the last play of the game, Duke’s game-winning touchdown, Combs said Wake thought the Blue Devils would be settling in for a field goal attempt. “I’d have to go back and watch it to see exactly what happened,” he said. “I mean coverage-wise we were fine. It just kind of broke down and a guy got loose.” He added, “We had a field goal range kind of yard line that we were protecting. And they were just outside of it.”
Hank Bachmeier
The sixth-year quarterback has had quite a winding journey. The Southern California native spent the first four years of his college career at Boise State. In 2023, he was at Louisiana. And then, when he thought he was done with college football, albeit with one year of eligibility left, he found his way to Winston-Salem.
He echoed Clawson’s take that the game was a summation of the season as a whole. “We’re up 17-3 and let it get away from us. And then something crazy at the end.”
While Bachmeier is usually pensive while answering reporters’ questions, he had a lot to say Saturday about his one year at Wake Forest.
“I just want to say thanks to Coach Clawson and Coach R (offensive coordinator Warren Ruggiero), for this opportunity to attend such a prestigious university and play football at the Power Four level.”
Like any lengthy journey, Bachmeier’s has had its ups and downs. He told the media what he talked to Ruggiero about. “Football was fun again. I had lots of ups and downs. And the results don’t show, probably, that he had a lot of fun. It’s a result and performance-driven business. But personally, for me, he made it really fun. I’m incredibly grateful to him because he changed my perspective on this whole thing.”
On Clawson
He gave a lot of credit to Clawson, referring to him as a great coach. “I’m going to say that and I’m sure people are going to say this or that, but I think he’s a really good coach. And I have had a lot of coaches.” Bachmeier explained what it is about Clawson that draws the praise from him. “I think what he’s been able to do here is a big reason why I came here. It was because of the tradition that Wake Forest has had because of him.”
Still, ending the season and likely his career in this fashion was tough to talk about. “I feel for him, (Clawson), and I feel for the guys. It was definitely disappointing,, but we fought every single game, I feel like.”
He added the big picture part about what his year at Wake Forest has taught him. “Six years in college, I’ve done more college than most people. I can just tell you that this game has taught me about how I’m going to respond to adversity, how I am going to overcome adversity.”
Clawson plans on meeting with the team on Monday. From there it is full-time work on the signing class and the all-important revolving door of the transfer portal, which opens the Monday after the conference championship games.
