Day two of Wake Forest’s Fall camp was better than day one, as head coach Jake Dickert said it would be. The defense is showing up and showing out already, as it is well ahead of the offense. And there is a new development on the quarterback front.
Wake Forest Defense Ahead of Offense
“I thought it was a big step forward today (Wednesday),” Dickert said after practice. He said it is 100% accurate to call the defense ahead of the offense for right now. “They are paying faster and freer right now.” He added that with so many new players, including a rebuilt offensive line, the offense is still getting massaged to get to where it needs to be.
Defensive back Rushaun Tongue said the experience of the secondary and the linebacker spots is a big reason why the defense looks to be ahead of the offense in the early going. He mentioned returning players like defensive backs Nick Anderson, Devaughn Patterson, and Zamari Stevenson as reasons for the play being what it is right now. “I feel like in my position right now, my confidence is up a little bit right now,” he said. “I feel like I have been improving a little bit. But it’s because of the guy around me.” He also talked about how there is a lot of interchangeability with the defensive backs able to play safety, corner, and nickel, creating more depth in the secondary.
Carrying the Ball
Part of the massaging of the offense that Dickert referred to was the reps at running back. There is no question that Demond Claiborne is RB1. Tate Carney and Ty Clark III are also getting their share of carries. But we are also seeing the emergence of Jamario Clements. The redshirt senior transferred from Duquesne in the Spring.
One More Quarterback in the Competition
Dickert also said, in the massaging category, there are “Three different quarterbacks getting reps.” You heard that correctly. Three. While the Spring and Summer were focused on fifth-year senior Robby Ashford and Deshaun Purdie, Wednesday saw an increased workload on first and second team reps for Steele Pizzella.
The freshman from Simi Valley, CA is listed as 5’-11”, 180 pounds. He looks bigger in the pocket right now and is playing with a consistency, albeit after only two days, that has been a challenge for Purdie and Ashford.
We put Dickert on the spot and flat out asked him if it was now a three-person quarterback competition. “Steele, I think, is a unique mindset individual,” Dickert responded. “He came back from Summer break just on it. Just one of those guys that does everything right, and we’re going to take a hard look at that.” Dickert said the offense changes a little bit with him throwing. But it is not the same offense between Purdie and Ashford either. “He’s playing his way right in there because of his consistency.” There will be a timetable to the experiment. By the time a team goes into game prep for week one they need to be down to two quarterbacks in the rotation to make sure both are getting sufficient snaps at practice.
Dickert added that he thought Purdie played much better on Wednesday than he did on Tuesday on day one.
Whatever It Takes to Relax
If players were a little tight on Tuesday, there was a certain sign of relaxation on Wednesday. As the players were getting loose at the beginning, with the music blaring out of the PA system, lineman Fa’alili Fa’amoe could be seen working on Electric Slide dance moves.
Dickert has seen it all before. Fa’amoe played for him at Washington State. It’s hard to miss the 6’-5”, 317 native of American Samoa moving gracefully around the field to the music. “He loves it,” Dickert said. “I’ve seen him do it in team meetings before.” Of Fa’amoe’s personality that comes out, Dickert said, “He’s just one of those guys that just has a joy about what he does. A little nimble out there.”
There is a wide variety of music played throughout practice, but Dickert said, “When ‘Big Lili’ walks on the field and says, ‘Hey, Coach, play the Electric Slide,’ it goes on.”
Fa’alili seemed sheepish that anyone had video of the dancing.
Main Image: Tony Siracusa
