The secondary position at Wake Forest is like the entire Demon Deacon team in a microcosm. It may be like a lot of teams in the current college football environment. Get a mix of veterans. Add some guys from the portal who you expect and need immediate impact. And use Spring camp to develop some younger players for depth, and you have yourself a position room. Add in some critical guys working their way back from injuries, and you have a Wake Forest position room.
Safety in Numbers at Wake Forest
Safeties coach and co-defensive coordinator Freddie Banks said this week that, more than halfway through Spring camp, the progress has been very strong. And his players need every day left to get better. “We have a long way to go until we have to play a game, so that’s kind of on our mind,” Banks said. “But we’re getting better every single day.”
The safety position was a bright spot for the Deacs in 2025. The group, led by sixth-year senior Nick Anderson, had a dramatic turnaround from the year before. But a new year comes with new expectations and new ways to get there. Banks said last year is in the rear-view mirror. “You’ve got to start over. You’ve got to start over with the fundamentals, technique, and our communication. You’ve got to start over,” he said. “Last year was last year.”
What Progress Looks Like
Banks said the position group is ahead of where it was at the same time last year. That seems to be a theme that is being repeated throughout the coaching staff, from head coach Jake Dickert on down.
Versatility in the secondary is key. That gets us immediately to Myles Turpin. He is having a good Spring camp. But Banks says his ability to play different positions is making a big impact. “I don’t know what we’d do without him,” Banks said. “He’s playing nickel, he’s playing free [safety], he’s playing strong [safety]. One of the smartest dudes I’ve ever coached.” Banks added, “He’s going to play reps for us at all three positions.”
Time Well Spent
More is going to be expected of Braylon Johnson as well. He will be in his second season at Wake Forest after two years at Virginia Tech. He had 44 tackles last year while seeing playing time in all 13 Wake Forest games.
“We’ll want him to take a big step in his man coverage,” Banks said of Johnson. As he did with Turpin, Banks referred to Johnson’s ability to pick things up quickly. “He’s super smart. So whatever we tell him, he’s applied it.”
Taking a Leadership Role
Johnson said one of the roles he is looking to take on as well is that of off-the-field leader. He said the coaches always have more than plenty to say. So he tends to check in with his teammates about how they are doing outside of the football facility. “For me, it’s like how are you doing outside of this? How’s your girlfriend? How’s your family? You know, a lot of guys are away from home. So, what is that you need help with outside of school?”
Johnson said in terms of taking on the role of leader, he prefers to focus on the mental aspect of things. While going into his fourth year of college football, Johnson will be a grad student already. With most of his grad school classes being online, he said it gives him the time to check in on his teammates.
He also has the time to spend a moment, when asked, about what might have been. He has no regrets about his two years at VA Tech. But he said he sees a difference at Wake Forest. “When I got here last Fall, I didn’t really understand it. But now I do. The culture’s different. It’s not the same at Wake Forest. It’s different. Coach Dickert always talks about it,” Johnson said. “I wish I were here every day to see it.”
The Return of Davaughn
The last week-and-a-half of Spring camp is going to see something else change with the safeties. That would be the return of Davaughn Patterson. The senior has been working his way back from off-season surgery. About a week ago, he started taking part in the practices that were in helmets/jerseys/shorts. Now he is starting to take on some contact drills.
“With me being out, a lot of the other guys, they had to step up. They had to be put in this position where the rest of the team is depending on them,” Patterson said this week. His assessment from watching from the sidelines is that some of the younger players have made big strides by being forced into action. “This time and space of me being away has given them room to grow.”
Both Dickert and defensive coordinator Scottie Hazelton have talked this Spring about veteran players who have been injured (like Patterson and like linebacker Aiden Hall), helping coach up some of the other players at their positions. “That’s one of the main things we take pride in here at Wake, is, especially on the defense, just bonding with our guys and getting to know them,” Patterson said. “That definitely helps us when it’s time to go out on the field or in a meeting room when it’s time to push them.”
Hazelton said last week that he has even let Hall and Patterson call some of the defensive plays during camp. “It was definitely fun for me. The play I called worked,” Patterson said with a laugh. And Hall’s play call? “I don’t think Aiden’s call worked. But mine worked, so I’m good. I walked up to everybody and told them good job.”
Main Image: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images
