The college football world has gone from Spring games being showcases for fans to see the latest recruits, to being gone during the Covid years. During the early years of the transfer portal, schools did away with them because they did not want other schools poaching their players after Spring camp. Now, with the only portal window being in January, we are at a hybrid of playing a ramped-down scrimmage in front of fans and having a large-scale fan-fest.
Wake Forest Spring Scrimmage
Wake Forest has its Spring Fan Fest on Saturday at Allegacy Stadium. If you are looking to watch some football, there will be a semblance of a scrimmage to catch some of the players for the upcoming season. If you are looking for a variety of events to keep you busy, and maybe watch a few plays from the scrimmage, there are events there for you as well.
The Fan Stuff
Prior to starting their own play, Wake players and coaches will host a youth football clinic for kids in grades K-5 (starting at 11 am).
The day’s event will also include food trucks and your chance to take photos with the Mayo Bowl trophy. No, Tubby, the Mayo Bowl mascot will not be there. There are face painters, presumably for the kids in attendance, and children’s t-shirts, and schedule posters available. There is also a mobile bus scheduled for video game playing.
After the scrimmage (which starts at 1:30 pm), players and coaches will be available for autograph signing and photos.
Winston-Salem, Nc, USA: Aerial view of Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium shows Wake Forest’s 31,500-seat football home, nestled near Gene Hooks Field, with the Demon Deacons’ historic West Campus athletic complex in view. (Image: © Walter G. Arce Sr./ASP via ZUMA Press Wire)
The Scrimmage
There is going to be some football played in a very modified format. For one, Wake will only be using half the field. There is actually going to be a youth flag football tournament being held simultaneously on the other half of the field. There is no telling what happens if a Wake player thinks they have a pick-six during the live scrimmage. There is also going to be a youth football skills competition at halftime.
As for the football, no team is going to show too much of its offense during an open Spring scrimmage. Starters will be limited in how many snaps they see. And of course, a major injury in a Spring exhibition would be season-altering, so contact will also be limited.
The first half is likely to be “thud” play…no live tackling, and the play stops upon certain contact. There will be two 15-minute quarters with a running clock. The second half will have two 10-minute quarters will running clocks. Fans are likely to see mostly backups at that point.
Figuring Out the Scoreboard
Offensive points will be counted in all of the normal ways. Someone made up a system for points on defense. There will be one point awarded for a three-and-out stop; two points for a safety; four points for forcing a punt (presumably added to the one point for the three-and-out stop); the defense also gets four points if the special teams misses a field goal; and the defense gets seven points for a takeaway.
Last Word will have full coverage of the scrimmage and post-game interviews with coaches and players throughout the weekend. The Demon Deacons have two more practices next week to wrap up the Spring session.
Wake Forest Spring Scrimmage Details
Gates open: 11 am for flag football check-in
Flag football: Begins at 11:30 am
Team arrival: 12 noon
Scrimmage Begins: 1:30 PM
Admission: Free
TV: There will be no live television coverage of the event
Main Image: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
