Booi, Souza, Gallagher Chomping at Bit
Football coaches who advertise their game-plan to any upcoming opponent that might be interested don’t remain football coaches for very long.
Jim Grobe didn’t reveal Wake Forest’s move to the 3-4 defense before back-to-back games against wishbone teams Georgia Tech and Navy. And as an aside, I have to say the move was a masterstroke that should have, given the way the Deacons handled the run, been the ticket to at least one, if not two, victories. But both the Yellow Jackets and Midshipmen passed their way to wins, a tough pill to swallow considering how generally anemic their passing games are.
That said, Grobe hasn’t announced the Deacons will incorporate the 4-3 back into their defensive game plan for this Saturday’s game against Virginia Tech, but I’m sure it wouldn’t surprise Coach Frank Beamer of the Hokies if he does. If nothing else it would get the team’s bigger defensive linemen like Frank Souza, Ramon Booi, John Gallagher and Zach Thompson back in the game.
All stood and watched the last two games as Grobe and defensive coordinator Brad Lambert fashioned a three-man defensive line out of quicker, more agile players like Gelo Orange, Tristan Dorty, Nikita Whitlock, Derricus Ellis and Kevin Smith. Not since the Florida State game have Souza, Booi or Gallagher even played.
They can expect to on Saturday.
“Talk about great kids,’’ Grobe said. “You haven’t heard anything from them. Maybe the players have, but as coaches, we don’t hear anything from Frank or Ramon or any of those guys. They’ve been really good team guys.
“So they’ve got fresh legs now. They were bouncing around (Monday) night. They’re excited to get back on the field.’‘
It’ll be interesting to see what roles Orange and Ellis and Smith play should the Deacons rely predominantly on the 4-3 against Virginia Tech. Grobe has already said that Duran Lowe’s stint at linebacker is over, at least for the time being. He has been moved back to his original position of strong safety.
“I think we’re going to keep him at safety for now,’’ Grobe said. “But when we recruited him we thought `this is a strong safety, potential outside linebacker, edge backer, type guy.’ That’s what we used him at the other night.
“We’ve got him back at safety again. I think he will probably stay at safety the rest of the season, but in the spring we’ll look at it and see where we need to balance out the personnel.’‘