College Football
Previews - NCAA Football Handicapping - Preview 2006 Betting
Wake Forest
Demon Deacons 2006 Preview
Online
Predictions By:
Matt Fargo Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Football Preview Matt Fargo remains the NUMBER
ONE handicapper in 2005 at the Professional Handicappers
League --- get
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Spring practices are in the books and fall camps will be
here before you know it so that means getting
an early jump on the 2006 NCAA football season.
Knowing the teams now will save you time in August
and Matt Fargo is here to help you get a grasp
of what to expect this upcoming year. We go from
worst to first in this 2006 College Football Preview.
Fargo’s Take
- Underachieving is becoming the norm at
Wake Forest as some excellent talent has come
and gone over the last three seasons without a
postseason appearance to show for it. Jim Grobe
is in his 6th season as head coach and after leading
the Deacons to two winning seasons in his first
two years, expectations ran high. Three straight
losing seasons have deterred some of those outlooks
but this is arguably the best team he has ever
had at Wake Forest. He needs a quarterback to
step up as well as the defense to become more
aggressive to start winning some close games.
Over the last three seasons, 11 losses have been
by eight points or fewer so getting over that
hump is a good start. The Deacons return the most
starters of anyone in the ACC so if there is a
year for Wake Forest to move up into the upper
ranks of the conference, this is the year. The
big question is if they can actually play with
the big boys. We’ll soon find out.
Returning Starters
on Offense – 8 Last season was the
first since 2000 that the Deacons did not rush
for over 200 ypg but they still finished 28th
with 197.6 ypg, a very respectable number. The
loss of Chris Barclay looks to be devastating
for the running game but it isn’t going
to step back very much, if at all. Micah Andrews
takes over at tailback and if his game against
Vanderbilt is any indication, as he rushed for
254 yards, he is another star in the making. The
offensive line is above average with four starters
back so getting some production through the air
to provide balance is important. That falls on
the arm of junior Ben Mauck, who started last
season but was benched after four games. He obviously
needs to improve and what could help is the fact
that the top three receivers are back as is the
starting tight end.
Returning Starters
on Defense – 10 Wake Forest wasn’t
horrible on defense last season but it was bad
enough to let some close games slip by. The Deacons
were 92nd in the country and last in the ACC in
passing defense a season ago but that should change.
All four starters return including two senior
possible All-ACC starting safeties and one of
the nation’s best corners in Alphonso Smith.
Stopping the run was the strength last season
and replacing the interior on the defensive line
is a priority. As is generating some sort of pass
rush as Wake Forest had just 15 sacks last season.
Overall, 13 of the Deacons top 14 tacklers are
back this season and if the defense does not show
improvement in 2006, it likely never will.
Schedule
- The schedule sets up well for a quick start
but a very tough finish. Wake Forest has the ability
to start the year with a 5-0 record if it can
win swing games at Connecticut and Mississippi.
The three home games over that early stretch are
against Syracuse, Duke and Liberty, all sure wins.
The ACC schedule then fully kicks in with a tough
home game against Clemson followed by back-to-back
road games at NC State and North Carolina. The
final four games are all difficult with home contests
against Boston College and Virginia Tech and road
games at Florida St. and Maryland. Miami and Georgia
Tech did not make the schedule. The Deacons will
somehow have to pull off two upsets in order to
become bowl eligible.
You can bet on…
With the most starting experience of any team
in the conference returning, Grobe is going to
likely need to get back to a bowl to retain his
job. Another losing season won’t be tolerated
at the Deacons were flirting with a big move up
after his first two years. The first two games
of the season will see Wake Forest laying points
and that is not a good thing. The Deacons are
just 1-9 ATS as a home favorite over the last
two seasons including going 0-5 against the number
the last two campaigns. They are also just 3-9-1
ATS in non-conference games over the last four
years making the games at Connecticut and Mississippi
even more difficult. Overachieving is a must for
Wake Forest as there is little margin for error
in 2006.
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