Fish Story
Of all the big ones that have gotten away from Wake over the years, few have been bigger than the one that got away today when ninth-ranked Clemson rallied for a 31-28 victory on Chandler Cantanzaro’s 43-yard field goal as time expired…
“I’m just very disappointed right now,’’ quarterback Tanner Price said. “We had it in our grasp and just to come up three points short is really frustrating.
“This is a tough loss.’‘
Inspired by the opportunity to compete for a division title this late in the season, the Deacons played some of the best football by a Wake team since the glory season of 2006. Brandon Pendergrass gashed the vaunted Clemson defense for a career-high 134 yards on 20 carries and two touchdowns, Michael Campanaro returned a punt 50 yards for a touchdown and the defense took away a fumble and two interceptions while holding the Tigers to 14 points through most of three quarters.
Later, after Dabo Swinney’s decision to go for a fourth-and-one in his own territory failed, the Deacons had the ball at the Tigers’ 33 with a seven-point lead, and only 10:25 remaining.
At that point it appeared to be the Deacons’ game to lose.
“We felt like it, but we let up,’’ senior linebacker Kyle Wilber said. “They’re a heck of a football team and you can’t let up on that team.’‘
Why, I wondered, did the Deacons let up?
” Maybe we weren’t making plays,’’ Wilber said. “I know I missed a lot of plays myself. We just couldn’t pull it out.’‘
Much will be made of Jimmy Newman’s missed field-goal attempt of 32 yards that would have provided Wake with a 10-point lead with 8:45 remaiing, and it was indeed a huge factor. Newman, who earlier missed a 43-yard attempt badly, said he was struggling to find proper footing on the playing turf of Memorial Stadium.
“For some reason it was real slippery, I’m not sure why,’’ Newman said. “I tried using a different cleat and it planted better but it raised me up a little and that kind of threw my balance off with that, raising my left leg up more than it normally was.
“The field was all right. I like ours better, but it was all right.’‘
Coach Jim Grobe noted that earlier this season Newman couldn’t miss. He drilled 14 in a row before missing a 42-yard attempt last week against Notre Dame.
“I just thought he didn’t hit the first one very well and we had a good snap and set,’’ Grobe said. ” And then I didn’t think he hit the second one very well. I don’t know what the answer is.
“He was on a streak there where he was hitting a bunch of them and we kind of kept doing the same things in practice. We have to look at what we’re doing as coaches and see if we have to have him kick more balls or maybe have more live pressure on him. He was just perfect on the extra points today and then I didn’t think he hit either field goal like he wanted to. So we’ll have to get with him and see what we maybe have to do to tweak our preparation.
“We know he’s got the ability. It’s a tough job, a tough environment, it’s tough to make those.’‘
But leave it to a coach, especially one as considerate as Grobe, to make the obligatory statement of how one player didn’t cost the Deacons the game. He mentioned how many Tajh Boyd passes the Deacons had a chance to intercept, but managed only the two by Zach Thompson and Josh Bush. As it was the Deacons took the game to the wire by winning the turnover battle 3-0.
“That’s going to be something that our guys, when they come in Monday morning and look at the film, are going to really, really kick themselves for,’’ Grobe said. “There were so many opportunities. That could have been another five or six turnover day for us today.’‘
As it was, it turned out to be another loss, the Deacons fourth in the last five games.
“We talked all week that if we were going to have any shot at Clemson we had to play four quarters of football, and I think our kids took it to heart,’’ Grobe said. “I don’t think we could have played any harder than we played today.
“We could have made a couple of more plays, but I don’t think we could have played harder.’‘
Which is what made the loss so hard to take..
.
Back to the main page.
By Dan Collins on 11/12/2011 (6:55 pm)
Comments
So many spot on comments to this article. It’s just soooo disappointing. I’m pretty tired of being “competitive” but not able to pull a win out. We’re back to where we were years ago. Close and no cigar. I can see much improvement and we played Clemson as about as good as could be, but should have won.
Dano on 11/14/2011 (7:33 pm)
Well another week and another disappointing loss. Another one we should have won. Despite the age of the offensive line this is a relatively young team that hasn’t learned how to win. It appears they actually expect to lose in the fourth quarter. I think the same is true with the coaching staff. They just don’t know how to coach this team to a win. Pendergrass was having a career day yet vanished in the 4th quarter. Towards the end of the game when Clemson missed their initial field goal try and we got the ball back with over two minutes to play and three timeouts did we run the ball at all even though our offensive line having a great game with respect to the running game? We have to trust what got us there and stick with it. That’s all part of learning how to win.
That being said there’s a lot to like about this team. I think we have some of the best talent we’ve ever had. Next year should be a fun and exciting season as long as we learn how to win.
GO DEACS!
Deac Fan on 11/13/2011 (10:21 pm)
If you are a Wake fan, all the close losses are frustrating, but this one hurts the most because how can you let up as Wilbur stated when you are playing for a spot in the ACC Championship game?! I do not understan how they can be so competitive during most of the game against really good teams, and NOT want to finish the game! Grobe can instill some of that confidence, but the players have to buy in, and they seem to expect to lose by their comments. Lobe is pitiful-2 chances to move the ball to score and they get 5 yards in 2 series of 3s and out! Why not throw the hail mary to Givens- we have a better chance than the crap Lobe called the last 6 plays we had to win. It would be a travesty if this team cannot win again and go to a bowl, but that could really happen now with their confidence totally shot!
Bobby on 11/13/2011 (1:11 pm)
Another close loss and every 4th quarter we put no pressure on the quarterback and they pass it down the field at will. Wake always seems to go into that prevent defense knowing they are going to pass.anybody ever hear of blitz. On another matter Clemson had the ball with 2:31 and we used no time outs to save some clock. Obviously we were not going to play agressive defense so why let them run the clock completely down. Wake ends the game with one timeout left. No excuse for that.
Ed on 11/13/2011 (12:10 pm)
A Clemson grad and fan, but still love your blog. One point of clarification though; the Tigers do not have a vaunted defense; statistically one of the worst we’ve had in many, many years. Was a great game, even with the JV officiating crew. Good luck with MD and Vandy and your bowl game.
Brad on 11/13/2011 (12:01 pm)
Unfortunately we are getting the same reasons for our loss week after week. We lost focus,or we missed opportunities to score. Our offense can not be counted on to hold the ball or score when needed thus putting the pressure on our defense rather than on their offense. We really shot ourselves in the foot this game. Our new co-offensive coordinator has helped but we still need better ideas or plays that work when we need it.
dellis on 11/13/2011 (11:14 am)
As far as Kevins comment on the touchdown, you are correct. The right heel was on the line out-of-bounds before the catch.I had it on the 52in. hi-def screen and it was obvious, even Danny Kanell saw it, heck I rewound it 15 times and he was still out.Bogus call, but what I cant figure is why with about 1:30 left in the 1st half, on the road with nothing to lose and 3 timeouts do you make no effort to move the football? The worst that can happen is a fumble, a pick and a Clemson score, I don’t get it. The defense on the tying score made Sammy Watkins look like the 3rd best receiver on the squad. Unreal! much like the mule flogging they took at UNC, a team that couldn’t score against a laughable NC State team? This is a great game that has gotten away from the guys on the field and focused on the coaches and how much $ schools can lavish on them and who’ll be the next guru to take me to the promised land. Hey Jim,TOB,Nick Sabin,Dabo-Bobo whatever,let ‘em play.
Glennard on 11/13/2011 (10:27 am)
why do we continue to have Noel returning kicks? we averaged 11 yards yesterday..The final return left us in a hole that we could not overcome..Then, poor play calling..The call for the behind the line of scrimmage pass to Reynolds that loss 13 yards was a ridiculous call..took us out of field goal range for all practical purposes. our team, including the coaches don’t have that “killer” instinct. we seem to be content to playing better teams close. It could have been a win for the record books, but instead was another close loss..
beach deac on 11/13/2011 (10:26 am)
I would like to congratulate the coaches and players for playing their hearts out .... I am a huge fan ... drove from Columbia S.C. wearing every bit Demon Deacon gear I own and was terribly disappointed to see literally less than 100 fans in the corner of Frank Howard Stadium ...Alumni and Fans You have GOT to learn ownership and get behind your team ... they played in an incredibly hostile environment with poise and purpose ... every Clemson fan admitted throughout the game that Grobe outcoached Dabo and the players were executing with precision. My heart goes out to the players and coaches .... I can promise you when I go to work tomorrow I won’t hear about the “one that got away from Wake” .. but rather the “lucky one the Tigers squeaked out” ... Good Job guys your moment will come !!!
PC on 11/13/2011 (10:15 am)
Dan
Would appreciate if you could ask the following questions:
1) Why was the TD as referenced above allowed to stand. WR clearly went out of bounds
2) Why did time expire when 3 seconds were clearly left on the clock yesterday?
Tom on 11/13/2011 (8:38 am)
I live in Spartanburg, SC. There’s nothing more that I want each year than to see Wake beat Clemson. Today’s game makes me wonder why I support this team. We make the trip to each home game, 2.5 hrs up and 2.5 hrs back part of the trip on the section of I-85 that Dan and I like least. Last week with Notre Dame the atmosphere couldn’t have been anymore exciting and we came up short. The team has been impressive this year except to not finish the game and the lateral play disasters. I’m tired of everyone expecting Wake to lose and the “we didn’t quite make the plays mindset”. I’m tired of the effort fans are making to support the team and the team not supporting the fans by finishing the game.
Sharon G. on 11/13/2011 (8:29 am)
Just another choke job by the Deacs. No reason at all we should not be sitting at 8-2 and in the driver’s seat for the ACC title game. As others have said on here, how can a team that has close loss after close loss say “they let up a bit”?? If any team in all of NCAA football has no business letting up it is the Deacs. It is all the more maddening to lose this game when you win the turnover battle 3-0. We sure can’t take MD lightly. They always give us trouble no matter what their record is and will be hungry for a win. And Vandy is sounding more and more like they are the real deal. This team needs to get its mess together now.
Patrick on 11/13/2011 (3:08 am)
Bottom line is that we were in position to win, but the kicker lost the game with his 2 misses. Missing one is bad enough, but 2 misses and we lose by 3 still puts this game solely on the foot of the kicker. Maybe he lost his “focus”... bah, he lost the game thats what… And 2 abysmal attempts at offensive play calling by Lobo in the last 2 drives didnt help… typical crap from Wake, I almsot hate to see us be in a game like this only to lose, its just too painful…
The Deacon on 11/13/2011 (2:53 am)
I have to agree with Tony- Wake somehow finds a way to lose so many close games. Grobe has stated he loves to be close in the last 5 minutes of every game and take his chances. Well, over the last 4 years, there have been more losses than wins in close games even with Riley Skinner at QB. We do not know how to finish games, and alot of that is on the players and not the coaches!
Bobby on 11/13/2011 (12:25 am)
In all my years on this earth I have never seen a team snatch defeat from the jaws of victory like Wake does. There are few things in life as frustrating as being a Wake fan. With a shot at the Atlantic division title on the line and Clemson ranked in the top 10 plus playing in Death Valley, what a historical win this would have been if the Deacs could have slammed the door on the Tigers today. Wake is a good team this year but history is repeating itself. At this point, nothing short of 7-5 is acceptable.
av8r on 11/13/2011 (12:18 am)
Dan: something is really haywire when a team loses games the way we’ve lost them all year. I can understand one comeback by the opposing team but, this goes beyond aggravating. And every time it happens, one or more of the Deacs says, “We lost focus,” or “We lost our intensity.” It has become almost like admitting, “We just can’t win our scragging games.” I hope that, someday, the WFU football team REALLY believes we can win and plays to win until the end. I was able to tune in today right as the game was tied 28-28. Clemson had the ball and threw two passes, and the Wake guys simply stood behind the receiver and pulled him down after he caught it closer to the goal line. Who taught these guys?
Lee Anglin on 11/12/2011 (11:32 pm)
As someone who thought that the Deacs were going to get whipped today, I’m darn proud of the team for really putting up a good fight and nearly pulling off an incredible win. Could they have won? Yes, there were opportunities that may have given the Deacs the W, but I’m unbelievably proud of how they played today considering that they have been in a downhill slide the last few games. Had they played this well against North Carolina or Notre Dame they would have won those games. So I’ll look on the bright side (even though part of me feels like I got punched in the guy by this loss) - the Deacs were 17-point underdogs to a team in the top 10 in the nation who had a bye week to prepare for the game and who had the game in their own stadium with the division on the line…and came up just short. Thank you, Deacs, for giving it everything you had. You nearly pulled off the miracle.
Matt on 11/12/2011 (11:21 pm)
Dan & Tony: Notre Dame and Clemson? How about Syracuse? And VT? Why would Wilber even mention the team’s letting up? That is ridiculous! Why would a team, having lost games it really should have won, “let up” against Clemson? This is really getting old. I am here in Nashville TN for a while and I am telling you, Wake had better not take Vanderbilt lightly, or we will be six and six.
Lee Anglin on 11/12/2011 (11:21 pm)
Losing 4 out 5 games and still in the hunt for a divisional before this latest loss is amazing and also telling. The ACC is in dire straits in football.
radio_smuggles on 11/12/2011 (11:12 pm)
Most disappointment I’ve experienced following a WF football game
thomas on 11/12/2011 (10:32 pm)
