If Wake Forest is to have any shot at repeating last season\u2019s success, the defense is going to have to improve from last year. The offense has enough weapons back to rightfully be expected to perform at the same level as 2021. While the defense has to replace a few key elements, it is the change in staff that is what is being honed in on. Whether it is the personnel or the staff, the spotlight is on Wake Forest\u2019s defense.<\/p>\n
The 2021 version of the Demon Deacons defense was ranked 91st<\/sup> in the country overall. The run defense was giving up a little over 195 yards per game. The pass defense was markedly better at 49th<\/sup> in the country, giving up 217 yards per game. Thus, the staff changes during the off-season. Brad Lambert<\/strong> takes over as defensive coordinator after a year as Co-DC at Purdue. The Boilermakers, by the way, were 43 spots better than Wake Forest when it came to total defense. Lambert brought along new linebackers coach Glenn Spencer<\/strong> and new safeties coach James Adams<\/strong>. The trio is going to be expected to produce significantly better results than what the Deacs got last season.<\/p>\n Head coach Dave Clawson<\/strong> likes what he sees through the first few days of Spring camp. \u201cRight now, it\u2019s going really well,\u201d he said after practice Tuesday. \u201cRight now, I think there is buy-in. To me, the enthusiasm and the excitement when a guy makes a play, you watch the sidelines. Those are all little indicators of buy-in.\u201d<\/p>\n It is only the third work out of 15 this Spring<\/a> so there is still work to be done. Part of getting to the desired result is adjusting the offensive tempo to allow the defense to get up to speed with the new schemes brought it in by Lambert. \u201cWe also at times slow down the tempo of our offense to help the defense get aligned,\u201d Clawson said. \u201cSo we have different periods with different tempos.\u201d<\/p>\n Clawson compared the progression through the camp to a game of checkers eventually moving on to chess. \u201cThe first seven to eight days is about installation,\u201d he added. \u201cRight now, we\u2019re still playing checkers. In the next week or so, it starts becoming a lot more multiple, [the increase in installation], more complicated. That\u2019s where you don\u2019t want guys to slow down their tempo because they\u2019re thinking and processing.\u201d Clawson said the transition from checkers to chess should begin somewhere in the third week of the five weeks of camp.<\/p>\n Two people who are already engaged in their own master chess match are receiver A.T. Perry<\/a> and defensive back Caelen Carson.<\/a> They have been going head-to-head on a regular basis. Under the old coaching adage of iron sharpening iron, the hope for the team is that they are making each other better through the daily competition.<\/p>\n Carson said on Tuesday, \u201cHe [Perry] got me today. When I\u2019m going against him, I don\u2019t even get mad or anything. I don\u2019t get in my head because I know he is the best in the ACC. I\u2019m not going to get competition like that other than at practice.\u201d<\/p>\n Clawson said he talked to both of them about the advantages of competing against each other. \u201cI told Atorian that one of the best things for you at Wake Forest is that every single day you have an opportunity to go against one of the best corners in the ACC. If you ever don\u2019t show up, he\u2019s probably going to embarrass you.\u201d He gave the words of wisdom to Carson. He said he told them, \u201cYou two are the best things that you have going for each other, and you\u2019re going to make each other better.\u201d<\/p>\n Clawson said there are times each of them is going to have the upper hand on any given day and he expects that to make each of them ready to face the ACC competition. \u201cTo me, if they are making plays consistently and getting open all the time, it\u2019s probably too easy and they are not getting better.\u201d<\/p>\n Carson is going to be expected to go against the best receiver on any of the teams throughout the schedule. It\u2019s going to be a necessary step for the defense as a whole to get better. And it\u2019s going to be necessary for the defense as a whole to get better if Wake Forest is going to have a chance to repeat the success of the 2021 season.<\/p>\nWhich Board Game?<\/h3>\n
One-on-One Chess<\/h3>\n
The Competition<\/h3>\n