Wake Forest’s second fall camp scrimmage on Thursday night was less about style points and more about stress tests. The staff wanted to see how the team handled different situations, and the emphasis was clear from the start: execution.
The coaching staff opened things up by spotting the ball at the 25-yard line for a couple of reps and then letting the units try to move the ball. After that, it became a series of situational chances to see who responded and how.
“Execution, execution, execution.”
Head coach Jake Dickert said he was looking closely at the details on film, and he made it clear the staff owns part of what shows up on the field.
“I told the coaches I want to see the details on tape,” said head coach Jake Dickert. “What they see isn't the product of just the players, it's the product of our coaching.
I"m pissing off at myself. I'm not in season form, because we didn't spike the ball and we should have down here in a two minute drive.”
Dickert also pointed to a handful of recurring issues that showed up during the scrimmage.
“Some repetitive things, things we saw last year, holding on the perimeter held us back. Holding on the interior. We're doing things that are gonna end up stuffing our toes.”
Even so, the scrimmage didn’t leave the staff feeling like everything was falling apart. Dickert said some younger players continued to stand out, and he singled out quarterback Gio Lopez.
“Some young guys that keep showing up, I think Gio (Lopez) has been really super sharp, I think our defensive unit and rush units are going to be really strong.”
With several key players seeing only a few snaps or sitting out altogether, the night also served a practical purpose: sorting out who can help when the games start for real, and who may need more time. That kind of evaluation is part of the process, and in Wake Forest’s case, Saturday will bring another chance to clean things up.
In Other News...
Wake Forests Quarterback Battle Just Took A More Intriguing Turn
Wake Forests lighter practice session ahead of its second fall camp scrimmage still offered a useful snapshot of where the quarterback race stands. The focus was on the basics, from fumble recovery work to position drills, but there were enough live moments to suggest the competition is starting to sharpen. Center Will Way, receiver Drayden Dickmann and defensive linemen Cam Hardy and Tyler Walton all had their moments, adding to the sense that this was more than just a routine camp day.
Gio Lopez, though, was the name that seemed to matter most. He looked more comfortable operating the offense and delivered a couple of notable plays that will only add to the interest around the battle under center. With fall camp moving toward its next scrimmage, Wake Forest is still gathering clues rather than answers, but Lopezs progress at least gave the coaching staff something concrete to build on. [Read more 🡒]