Jake Dickert and the Demon Deacons gave Wake Forest fans plenty to chew on at the 2026 ACC Kickoff, but the rest of the league did some revealing talking too.
With the schedule loaded up with ACC opponents, the conference’s other podium sessions offered a useful window into what Wake Forest is about to face. Coaches and players from around the league laid out their expectations, and a common theme kept surfacing: confidence, hunger and a belief that the details will decide who wins.
That message wasn’t unique to Wake Forest. Louisville coach Jeff Brohm talked about a difficult schedule and a team eager to take the next step, stressing consistency and the need to win games together. Those ideas lined up closely with the tone Dickert struck when he spoke about how he wants his team to play.
Virginia coach Tony Elliott echoed a similar mindset. After a strong season, he said his team has to handle success the right way and understand that nothing is guaranteed. In his program, everyone has to earn it, from the walk-on to the top recruit, and that approach has helped build a hungry culture in Charlottesville.
NC State coach Dave Doeren took a more player-centered route in his remarks. He expressed confidence in third-year quarterback CJ Bailey, who threw 3 touchdowns against Wake Forest last year, and said the Wolfpack are focused on improving the pass rush and the defense overall in order to stack wins early.
There were also some notable quarterback comments that should matter to Wake Forest down the line. California’s Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele sounded confident about the Golden Bears’ new-look offense, pointing to new weapons Ian Strong and Cooper Perry. When Wake Forest heads to California later in the season, that side of the ball figures to be a real test.
SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings also sounded ready for a big year. Entering his third season with the Mustangs, he said his coaching staff gives him a lot of freedom in the offense. With his mobility and experience, Jennings shapes up as a tough matchup for defenses.
Taken together, the ACC Kickoff painted a clear picture: plenty of teams believe they have the formula, and most of them are talking about the same things Wake Forest is - hunger, consistency and the little details that decide games. For the Demon Deacons, the path through this conference won’t be easy.
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Jake Dickert Just Signaled Wake Forests Identity Shift This Fall
At ACC Kickoff, Jake Dickert and several Wake Forest players spent plenty of time talking about identity, and the message was clear enough: this is a team leaning into versatility, trust and a different kind of balance. Transfer quarterback Gio Lopez arrives with familiarity in offensive coordinator Rob Ezells system, and the expectation around the program is that his style will help tilt the offense more toward the pass while the defense brings back a veteran core and a group of starters who know what is being asked of them.
For Dickert, the bigger point seemed to be that Wake Forest wants to look more adaptable from week to week, with the staff confident it can shape the plan around the roster it has. That makes the season opener against Akron on Sept. 3 at Allegacy Stadium more than just the first game on the calendar. It is the first chance to see how much of this new look is real, how quickly the pieces fit, and whether the Deacons can turn that offseason talk into something more defined once the lights come on. [Read more 🡒]