No Show Deacs Get Shown Up
At Wake, perhaps moreso than most schools, the keys are the three E’s.
“We have to play with effort, energy and emotion,’’ coach Jeff Bzdelik just said after the Deacons salvaged seventh place in the Old Spice Classic with a 71-60 victory over Texas Tech.
It was the same sermon coach Jim Grobe gave last night. His football team showed little effort, less energy and even less emotion and was summarily whipped by a middling Vanderbilt team 41-7 on its own homefield.
There are very few schools playing major college sports that can mail an effort in without it ending up in the dead letter box. But for all the various reasons we could spend a whole day recounting, the margin of error is smaller at Wake than at most places. Anything less than the Deacons best is almost never going to be good enough.
“We’ve got no shot, absolutely no shot with the people we play against,’’ Grobe said. “I guess there are some places where you play some people on your schedule where you can have a bad performance and get a win – and come back on a Monday and get upset with the players because they didn’t play good and still won. But with our schedule it’s not going to happen. We’ve got to play good football. And typically during the season we’ve played on one side better than the other. Tonight we didn’t play good on either side.’‘
A question I invariably ask after watching Wake come out uninspired is why? I rarely get a good answer, but last night was an exception.
“They were hungrier than we were,’’ Chris Givens explained. “For some reason we were just content on being in a bowl game and being 6-5 and all that stuff. We came out and showed it today. We really didn’t play with any intensity or enthusiasm.’‘
His quarterback agreed.
“Going into the game it seemed like we were OK with just making a bowl,’’ Tanner Price said. “And I think that’s terrible.
“We have too tough of a schedule. The teams that we play are too good and you can’t come out like that and expect to be in the game. We’ve got to play hard every week, or that’s going to happen.’‘
The same conclusions were drawn after Bzdelik’s basketball team failed to show up Friday night and were manhandled by Arizona State 84-56. That Herb Sendek’s Sun Devils had been cold-cocked by mighty Fairfield 55-44 only one night earlier only reinforces the point that a Wake team without all three of the E’s is a ripe target for anybody.
Grobe and his staff failed to get the job done of having the Deacons ready to play against Vanderbilt and he admitted it.
“I think its going to be real hard for us to go back and find any individual players that are going to feel like they played their best football tonight,’’ Grobe siad. “And that starts with us. I don’t ever want to take the responsibility away from the coaches because it starts with us.’‘
But earlier in the same postgame address, he noted that there was plenty of blame to go around.
“I just thought we were a football team tonight that didn’t have a spark,’’ Grobe said. “And that’s my fault, that’s the coaches’ fault.
“It starts with the players. It’s the players fault No. 1 because they’ve got to be ready to go. They’ve got to go out and play hard every week.’‘
As I typed the second part of that quote, I realized I would hear the inevitable charge that Grobe was throwing his players under the bus. Accused of such a breach of coaching decorum last season, Grobe, as is his practice, cracked a joke.
“Those who say I’m throwing my team under the bus don’t know I’m already under the bus,’’ Grobe said. “I’m pulling them under there with me.’‘
HOUSEKEEPING: There was a Josh Harris sighting against Vandy when he returned a couple of kickoffs. He looked good, returning one for 20 yards and the other for 35.
“He had really a couple of nice returns,’’ Grobe said. “I thought the one he popped up inside was pretty good, and when he got it outside he covered ground in a hurry. So it was nice to see him get some snaps tonight.’‘
Which begged the question I asked next. Was there any thought about getting Harris back in the running back rotation by the bowl game? After leading the Deacons in rushing the first five games, Harris has played sparingly since being sidelined by an injured hamstring.
“No, I doubt it. I doubt it,’’ Grobe said. “If he gets healthy, but I don’t know when he’ll get healthy.
“So we’ll see.’‘
Back to the main page.
By Dan Collins on 11/27/2011 (2:41 pm)
Comments
Bluedeacon1:
First of all thank you for the “young man”......being well north of 60, that’s the nicest thing anyone has said to me all day.
My point was that a lot of our “fans” seem to think we should be able to recruit and play consistently on the same level as the “factories.” Your point about Vandy is right on….they are one of us and they kicked our hindside. We also beat one of the factories this year i.e Florida State. We have to be realistic about the depth of talent we are able to attract and the fact that we are always going to be on the edge when it comes numbers of wins and losses. I also said that I don’t condone quiting or not being prepared…..if you are always on the edge you can’t afford to be unfocused aganist any opponent.
Deacon23 on 12/01/2011 (10:38 am)
One quick comment: Young man, I have known “college football factories” and Vanderbilt is no “college football factory”. We got embarassed by one of our own.
Bluedeacon1 on 11/30/2011 (6:52 pm)
Former Wake player here who, in 3 varsity seasons (freshmen not eligible when I was in school), played on teams that went a combined 4-29-1. Sophomore year, we scored a combined 73 points over the entire 11 game season. Improved to 74 points my junior year and a tremendous 88 total points my senior year. I will tell you that my teammates worked hard, practiced hard, had the desire to win every Saturday, but we were quite frankly overmatched week in and week out. With rare exceptions, this has been the pattern of Wake football for decades. All things being equal, the team with the most talent is generally going to win games. Wake, because it will always remain true to its’ calling as first and foremost an institute of higher learning, is never going to attract athletes who can immediately come in and make a huge difference. So, in my humble opinion, Jim Grobe and his staff are geniuses. When you look at the history of Wake football, what they have accomplished is unbelievable. Every time a high profile coaching job opens up somewhere else, I say a prayer that Grobe will not be made available as a candidate. Because if he goes, I truly believe that we’d fall back into old, very ugly patterns. Again, one man’s opinion, but Grobe is the best football coach in Wake history.
David on 11/30/2011 (5:08 pm)
To Raymond Whitlock, I’m glad you didn’t have to drive as well. My son is in school at SMU so I know how far it is from Dallas to Winston. I’m proud of Nate, just as I know you’re proud of Nikita. And you have a great deal of which to be proud. Second-team All-ACC as a sophomore is not to shabby. My full expectation is that he’ll be first-team, and maybe even All-American, by the time he leaves. He’s got the motor.
I look forward to seeing you at the bowl.
Dan Collins on 11/30/2011 (4:24 pm)
Congratulations to Bud Noel for being named the ACC rookie of the year. It’s a much-deserved honor. With only one noticeably poor game (against UNC), I think that Noel was one of our more consistent performers all year.
He also strikes me as one of our more competitive players who won’t be satisfied with this award. It’s certainly an accomplishment to lead the nation in passes defended. But just think about what kind of cornerback Noel can be with a little more physical development and improved technique and anticipation.
It will take a lot of hard work to improve to the point where he can intercept some of those defended passes, but that improvement will help Noel become one of those players who can provide the spark necessary to perhaps turn around games like last week’s debacle against Vanderbilt (think Alphonso Smith’s pick-six against Maryland in 2007 when we were down 24-3).
DC on 11/30/2011 (3:30 pm)
“Offensively, we had nothing all (game). When you’re a throwing offense and you’re not throwing and catching real well, it can make for a long evening.”—Coach Jim Grobe, on Wake Forest’s 183 passing yards against Vanderbilt. It marked the third time in the last four games that the Demon Deacons didn’t reach the 200-yard mark in passing yards. And the fourth game was against Maryland that had what 25 playes leave the program this year…its the same answer every year over and over and over..and although I have gold metal flake in my blood stream I am not sure if I can pay to see this live and in person again.
Doug on 11/30/2011 (1:57 pm)
I am happy that Jim Grobe is our football coach and want him to stay as long as he wants. But I was very surprised that none of the coaching staff didn’t notice during the week preceding the game that the team was flat. Still, it’s great that we are one of the 70 BCS schools to get invited to a bowl.
Deac 69 on 11/30/2011 (1:18 pm)
I really never cease to be amazed at “fans” and I am one…...“saying that they qualified for a bowl game may be good enough for 3 or 4 star recruits.”
When is the last time we were able to attract a 5 star recruit? We are talking about Wake Forest not LSU, Alabama, USC, Oregon, Oklahoma State etc. 5 stars are going to factories where there are nothing but other 5 stars and where the “benefits” are a lot more than a first class education. My guess is that most would prefer as little time in a class room as possible.
At the end of the day we are competing for the best 3 stars players we can get and a 4 star every now and then. If a trip to the Independence Bowl pushes them our way I’ll take it.
There is no way I condone quiting or not being prepared to play. We need to compete and compete hard…but some people need to get a grip on reality. Urban Meyer couldn’t attract 5 stars to Wake Forest…..most of them couldn’t get in plus I am not sure how many tabloid press disasters Wake is willing to tolerate in comparison to the big boys. (basketball was bad enough)
The thing you constantly hear from knowledgeable football people around the country is that Jim Grobe gets more from less than any coach in the country.
Should we have more good seasons than not in a mediocre football conference…..yes. Should we be able to win a conference championship periodically….yes. Will we ever have the depth of talent to compete consistently for national recognition with the “factories”......not unless there is a major change in the mission of the institiution.
Deacon23 on 11/30/2011 (11:00 am)
We all have opinions and here’s another of mine. We have a lot of fickle fans. Let’s see…criticizing Grobe for only having a good team every two years or so. Before he came, we went decades between “good” teams. Upset at us going to a bowl. How many bowls did we go to before Grobe…and since he’s been here? A lot of 6-6 teams go to bowls. WF didn’t invent the system. Criticizing the motorcycle and the kids jumping around…kids do that because they are excited and getting pumped for the game. Well, my opinion is no better or worse than anyone else’s.
Jim on 11/30/2011 (9:25 am)
Hi Dan, I came down from Texas for the Vandy game, man I am glad I did not drive this time, it would have been a long drive back afther that let down.I do not no much about the coaching staff but I am sure that was not thier game plan. It looked like the kids just did not have any motivation about this game for some reason.I just want to thank them for the effort they gave for the majority of the season.I would have love to have a few more wins,but thanks for 6 and 6 and not 3and 9. See ya at the bowl game. PS congrad to the All ACC Deacs.
Whitlock on 11/30/2011 (12:24 am)
Dan- You bring up a great point about high school prospects wanting to play for schools that are on TV and go to bowls, however if we lose in the bowl game and have a losing record (6-7), that may not bode well in the recruiting process either. Also, losing 5 out of your last 6 regular season games, and only beating 1 team with a winning record all season is nothing to entice a high school player to attend Wake Forest. Grobe can still say they qualified for a bowl game, and that may be good enough for the 3 or 4 star prospects!
Bobby on 11/29/2011 (8:01 pm)
I am amazed that we alumni and fans continue to see the same circumstances play out over and over and over through the years. It seems like Grobe only has a competitiv team every two or three years and a power greater than any of us only knows what is going on in our basketball program. All I know is we keep hearing the same excuses over and over from both Coaches. Buzz has already repeated himself twice in three games. We can’t reboud because we are young, we are learning, we are not guarding, we are not shooting, we are not rebounding, well I have a question, how long are we going to allow our school to be the door mat of the ACC. Go hire quality coaches instead of buddies.
And for gosh sakes, loose the Deacon on the Motorcycle for crying out loud. It is getting too old and please tell the players to stop jumping around like jack rabbits during introductions like they are number one in the country. In my opinion you earn the right to do that stuff, and these kids and coaches aren’t there yet.
Tony C on 11/29/2011 (5:32 pm)
Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Lacey Chabert , Danica Patrick , Demi Lovato, Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Lacey Chabert, Danica Patrick, Demi Lovato…..o.k. I just ended the petty debate over the medicore scrimmage game. Time to move on.
Billy Jo Jim Bob on 11/29/2011 (3:51 pm)
No motivation! Playing in the Independance Bowl is a real jewel in the crown!
Dan on 11/29/2011 (3:23 pm)
A couple of observations:
1. While I have questioned play calling more than once in any number situations….the fact is that really good teams run the same plays all the time. The difference is “execution.”(the exception in the case of Wake is that non option, option play with no blockers…....some plays, that one in particular are un-executable!).
2. Declining a bowl game may make some fans feel vindicated for their criticisms over the year but in the real world one of the attractions to good high school players is to be on TV and go to bowl games. Whether you think we earned it or going to a bowl and being on TV is important for recruiting for the future. An 18 year old with visions of ESPN in his head is not going to give you any credit for doing what many may feel is the “honorable” thing.(unfortuately most are not going to give you any credit for offering them an outstanding education either).
Deacon23 on 11/29/2011 (11:34 am)
After losses like last week’s, there is certainly a lot of blame to go around. However, I see a high degree of a fallacy in blaming only the coaches for the fact that the players are not motivated. You can take a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink. I certainly don’t take issue with the play calls as often as many people here. But even if I granted you that there were some poorly selected plays, how can you ignore all the dropped passes, untimely penalities, missed tackles, dropped interceptions, etc.? They players had many opportunities to turn around the game on Saturday, and they didn’t seize a single one of them.
We have some outstanding players on this team, but none of them strike me as either (a) possessing the character to look his teammates in the eye and demand more (during practices and in games); or (b) possessing the innate sense of the moment and ability to come up with a big play that inspires his teammates to raise their level of performance.
The season is a long grind, and you really need a few players with either of those characteristics on the inevitable days when the team comes out flat or when the team is dragging mentally and letting a lead slip away. The absence of such character has really hurt us a few times this year. I’m hopeful that players like Tanner Price, Chris Givens, Bud Noel, and Nikita Whitlock continue to develop in this respect, which will really help this team go to another level.
DC on 11/29/2011 (11:08 am)
Jim, allow me to answer your question about not going to a bowl in this manner. This fall when you asked the neighborhood 13 year old that you would give him twenty dollars to rake your front yard of leaves. He agrees. Then his buddies ride by on their bikes he drops the rake, grabs his bike and rides off. Did you give him the twenty dollars?
Doug on 11/29/2011 (7:28 am)
As somebody once said to me-
Some of Grobes comments reveal the reasons that they have such a lack of enthusiasm on the field and on the side lines.How can they compete with an attitude like this? I am lost for words!!
jack mac on 11/29/2011 (1:03 am)
Country,
Just curious, but I read an article earlier this year that Wake was one of the only schools in the ACC to lose money in the athletics department.
Can you verify this?
Tom Willis on 11/28/2011 (9:06 pm)
Jim- You are right! The kids do deserve to go to a bowl, especially the seniors who have sat at home the last 2 seasons during bowl season! The Coaches definitely do not deserve to go to a bowl, because I think they shortchanged the kids by NOT coaching and motivating the players to their potential. We had the talent to so much better record wise, and they blew games against Syracuse, Notre Dame, and Clemson- and then as everyone has agreed the Vandy game was a disgrace to WF. I just hope that if the Deacs get down a touchdown or two in their bowl game, that they do not quit like they did this past Saturday! The players deserve more than Lobo calling plays and Grobe just watching and listening on his headset doing nothing to inspire his team!
Bobby on 11/28/2011 (8:54 pm)
