They say life is lonely at the top. But if you ask the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, they will probably tell you that life is just as lonely at the bottom.
For a squad that won just two conference games in coach Jim Caldwell's first two years at the helm, there is certainly nowhere to go but up. Wake Forest has managed just three winning seasons in the last fifteen years. Last year's edition of the Demon Deacons (1-10, 0-8 ACC) stumbled through one of the most frustrating seasons in school history, winning just a single contest against Navy.
This year, the Deacons have already equaled that paltry win total, having edged Appalachian State 19-13 in last week's season opener for their first winning start since 1991.
Reality may smack the Deacons in the face Saturday, however, when the 13th ranked Northwestern Wildcats visit Winston Salem. If Wake Forest hopes to prove they are the upstart of the ACC, they will have to do so by knocking off the Cinderella team of 1995.
For the Demon Deacons, progress will be measured by the improvement of their ground game. As a team last year, Caldwell's crew averaged an anemic 51.0 yards per game rushing-a total that ranked them 108th in Division I.
"I don't think you can win football games, or at least win them consistently, without being able to establish a running game," said Caldwell-and he should know.
Without a proven rush offense, the Deacons pass-happy attack became so one-sided last year that quarterback Rusty LaRue averaged over 40 attempts per game.
"I don't think there is any question about it; you have to be able to control the line of scrimmage. Football is a game of attrition," said Caldwell.
"What we did in spring [practice] was simply run the football all spring. We took those fifteen days and just dedicated them strictly to the running game. I don't think anyone has any questions about whether or not we can throw it. But if we can couple our running game with that, we can be a pretty successful football team."
Just how successful remains the question. With a solid nucleus of returning offensive linemen, the Deacons should be strong enough up front to control the ball in a more effective style. For a team that did not have a single 100 yard rushing performance all last season, last week's 140 total yards on the ground was, at the least, an indication of potential.
Meanwhile, the more proven aspect of the Wake Forest offense remains the air attack, despite the departure of three-sport star LaRue. Believe it or not, however, losing a quarterback who set school records for attempts, completions, and yards in a single season may not be as bad as it appears.
Brian Kucklick, a sophomore who made two appearances last year, assumes the lead under center with high expectations and high praise from his coaches.
"His arm is so much stronger than Rusty's, it's like night and day. To give you an example, they are both pitchers [for Wake Forest's baseball team]. Brian throws between ninety two and ninety four miles per hour, while Rusty was somewhere around eighty-two to eighty-five."
Caldwell also noted that Kucklick has outstanding field vision and superior footspeed to LaRue. Kucklick demonstrated this mobility last week when he scrambled in for a touchdown from the two yard line--something LaRue failed to do all last season.
For the most part, however, the revamped Wake Forest ground game centers around one man: the experienced senior tailback John Lewis. Although he gained just 304 yards on 110 carries last year, the tremendously strong Lewis led the Deacons in both categories. Lewis, who at 233 pounds can bench press nearly 400, will be expected to shoulder a much larger load if Wake Forest hopes to balance their shaky offense.
The defense will be anchored by linebacker Kelvin Moses (6-2, 216), a sophomore who tallied 101 tackles as a redshirt freshman last year. The inexperienced Deacon defense will return just 6 starters from last year1s lineup which allowed an embarassing 32.7 points per game (eighth in the ACC).
"Last year, we were, if not the youngest team in the ACC, one of the youngest. This year we will be even younger," said Caldwell, who noted that experienced players like Lewis and Moses will have to become leaders for the young squad.
The 1996 schedule certainly favors Wake Forest, as the Deacons will play only four road games<plus a neutral-site matchup with Florida State in Orlando. Conference foes Virginia, North Carolina, and Duke will all visit Winston Salem after Northwestern, giving Wake Forest every opportunity to make 1996 their return to respectability.
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