2007 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football
Meineke Car Care Bowl champion
ConferenceAtlantic Coast Conference
DivisionAtlantic Division
Record9–4 (5–3 ACC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorSteed Lobotzke (5th season)
Offensive schemeSpread
Defensive coordinatorDean Hood (7th season)
Base defense4–3
CaptainGame captains
Home stadiumBB&T Field
Seasons
← 2006
2008 →
2007 Atlantic Coast Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Atlantic Division
No. 10 Boston College x   6 – 2     11 – 3  
No. 21 Clemson   5 – 3     9 – 4  
Wake Forest   5 – 3     9 – 4  
Florida State   4 – 4     7 – 6  
Maryland   3 – 5     6 – 7  
NC State   3 – 5     5 – 7  
Coastal Division
No. 9 Virginia Tech x$   7 – 1     11 – 3  
Virginia   6 – 2     9 – 4  
Georgia Tech   4 – 4     7 – 6  
North Carolina   3 – 5     4 – 8  
Miami (FL)   2 – 6     5 – 7  
Duke   0 – 8     1 – 11  
Championship: Virginia Tech 30, Boston College 16
  • $ – BCS representative as conference champion
  • % – BCS at-large representative
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

The 2007 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team represented Wake Forest University during the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Jim Grobe in his seventh season at the school and played its home games at BB&T Field. The team began its season with an Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) game on Saturday, September 1, 2007 against Boston College. Wake Forest played its first season since winning the 2006 ACC championship, their first in 36 years.[1]

Preseason

Following the most successful season in team history in 2006, the 2007 team was not widely predicted to win the ACC despite returning many offensive starters from 2006.[1] Some sports writers stated that they believed 2006 to have been a fluke and that Wake Forest was not going to win as many games in 2007, especially because of the losses on defense, including the loss of linebacker Jon Abbate to the National Football League.[2] Wake Forest was picked to finish fourth in the Atlantic Division of the ACC in the annual preseason poll conducted by the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association. Lindy's was the only major preseason magazine to pick Wake Forest as a Top-25 team.[3]

Roster changes

Linebacker Eric Berry was ruled academically ineligible for the 2007 season.[4]
Mike Rinfrette moved from fullback to linebacker in spring practice.

Recruiting

On National Signing Day, Wake Forest signed 20 recruits in all, eleven defensive players and nine offensive players.

Award candidates

Roster

Bold indicates starter in last game

Quarterbacks

  • 6 Brett Hodges – Redshirt Sophomore
  • 10 Zach MacDowall – Redshirt Freshman
  • 11 Riley Skinner – Redshirt Sophomore
  • 12 Skylar Jones – Freshman
  • 13 Ryan McManus – Junior

Running backs

  • 3 Micah Andrews – Redshirt Senior
  • 20 Lucas Caparelli – Redshirt Freshman
  • 22 Brandon Pendergrass – Freshman
  • 23 Kevin Harris – Redshirt Sophomore
  • 27 Josh Adams – Redshirt Freshman
  • 34 Willie Dixon – Freshman
  • 49 Jose Domenach – Freshman

Wide receivers

  • 4 Demir Boldin – Redshirt Junior
  • 8 Marshall Williams – Redshirt Freshman
  • 8 Geoff Wissing – Sophomore
  • 14 Kevin Marion – Redshirt Senior
  • 15 Delon Lowe – Redshirt Senior
  • 17 Christopher Langley – Sophomore
  • 21 Kenneth Moore – Redshirt Senior
  • 22 CJ Washington – Freshman
  • 24 Trey Schmidt – Senior
  • 36 Casey Hill – Redshirt Sophomore
  • 36 Nicholas Schulz – Freshman
  • 37 Max Opamuratawongse – Senior
  • 48 Anthony Williams – Sophomore
  • 80 Devon Brown – Freshman
  • 81 Danny Dembry – Freshman
  • 82 Jordan Williams – Freshman
  • 86 Matt Hartford – Sophomore
  • 88 Chip Brinkman – Redshirt Junior

Fullbacks

  • 18 De'Angelo Bryant – Redshirt Senior
  • 35 Rich Belton – Redshirt Junior

Tight ends

  • 83 Cameron Ford – Freshman
  • 84 Zac Selmon – Redshirt Senior
  • 85 Ben Wooster – Redshirt Sophomore
  • 87 Ted Randolph – Redshirt Sophomore
  • 89 John Tereshinski – Redshirt Senior
  

Offensive Linemen

  • 60 Mike White – Freshman
  • 61 Barrett McMillin – Redshirt Sophomore
  • 62 Doug Weaver – Freshman
  • 64 Jeff Griffin – Redshirt Sophomore
  • 65 Gage Crews – Redshirt Sophomore
  • 67 Trey Bailey – Redshirt Sophomore
  • 68 David Cox – Freshman
  • 70 Chris DeGeare – Junior
  • 71 Ryan Britt – Freshman
  • 72 Russell Nenon – Redshirt Freshman
  • 73 Cannon Gaskin – Redshirt Freshman
  • 74 Steve Justice – Redshirt Senior
  • 75 Michael Hoag – Freshman
  • 76 Joe Birdsong – Redshirt Sophomore
  • 77 Boomer Peterson – Redshirt Sophomore
  • 78 Louis Frazier – Redshirt Senior
  • 79 Matthew Brim – Redshirt Senior

Linebackers

  • 28 Cyhl Quarles – Freshman
  • 35 Lee Malchow – Sophomore
  • 39 Chantz McClinic – Redshirt Junior
  • 40 Kyle Jarrett – Freshman
  • 43 Stanley Arnoux – Redshirt Junior
  • 44 Mike Rinfrette – Redshirt Sophomore
  • 45 Mike Simmons – Redshirt Junior
  • 46 Matt Woodlief – Redshirt Freshman
  • 49 Michael Potteiger – Sophomore
  • 52 Dominique Midgett – Redshirt Sophomore
  • 55 Tristan Dorty – Freshman
  • 56 Hunter Haynes – Redshirt Freshman
  • 57 Gelo Orange – Freshman
  • 59 Aaron Curry – Redshirt Junior
  • 63 Andrew Conroy – Junior
  • 66 Collin Granger – Freshman
  • 94 Tripp Russell – Redshirt Freshman

Cornerbacks

  • 2 Alphonso Smith – Redshirt Junior
  • 5 Marcus Williams – Redshirt Freshman
  • 17 Brandon Ghee – Redshirt Sophomore
  • 24 Channing Schofield – Redshirt Sophomore
  • 25 Josh Bush – Freshman
  • 29 Kerry Major – Redshirt Junior
  • 41 Mike Williams – Freshman
  

Safeties

  • 7 Alex Frye – Redshirt Freshman
  • 9 Chip Vaughn – Redshirt Junior
  • 10 Kevin Patterson – Redshirt Junior
  • 25 Andrew Wright – Junior
  • 26 Jonathon Jones – Redshirt Sophomore
  • 28 Peter Grimm – Freshman
  • 30 John Stamper – Freshman
  • 32 Aaron Mason – Redshirt Senior
  • 37 Junior Petit-Jean – Freshman

Defensive ends

  • 34 Antonio Wilson – Redshirt Junior
  • 42 Matt Robinson – Redshirt Senior
  • 90 Will Wright – Freshman
  • 93 Anthony Davis – Redshirt Junior
  • 94 Tripp Russell – Redshirt Freshman
  • 97 Kyle Wilber – Freshman
  • 98 Jeremy Thompson – Senior

Defensive tackles

  • 50 Teddy Tomlin – Redshirt Freshman
  • 51 John Russell – Redshirt Sophomore
  • 58 Michael Carter – Redshirt Freshman
  • 91 Dennis Godfrey – Freshman
  • 95 Zach Stukes – Redshirt Senior
  • 96 Boo Robinson – Redshirt Sophomore
  • 99 Michael Lockett – Redshirt Sophomore

Place Kickers

  • 30 Shane Popham – Freshman
  • 38 Sam Swank – Redshirt Junior
  • 40 Zach Collins – Freshman
  • 69 Win Joyner – Freshman

Punters

  • 38 Sam Swank – Redshirt Junior

Long Snappers

  • 53 Greg Bechtel – Sophomore
  • 92 Nick Jarvis – Senior

Kick returners

  • 2 Alphonso Smith – Redshirt Junior
  • 14 Kevin Marion – Redshirt Senior
  • 21 Kenneth Moore – Redshirt Senior

Punt Returners

  • 21 Kenneth Moore – Redshirt Senior
     

Coaching staff

Position Name First year at WFU
Head coach Jim Grobe 2001
Wide Receivers Tim Billings 2006
Fullbacks / Tight ends Tom Elrod 2003
Defensive ends Keith Henry 2001
Defensive coordinator / Secondary Dean Hood 2001
Linebackers Brad Lambert 2001
Offensive coordinator / Offensive line Steed Lobotzke 2001
Defensive tackles Ray McCartney 2001
Assistant head coach / Running backs / Kickers Billy Mitchell 2001
Quarterbacks Jeff Mullen 2001

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendance
September 13:30 pmat Boston College
ABCL 28–3842,292
September 812:00 pmNo. 17 Nebraska*
ESPNL 17–2032,483
September 153:30 pmArmy*dagger
  • BB&T Field
  • Winston-Salem, NC
ACC SelectW 21–1032,142
September 223:30 pmMaryland
  • BB&T Field
  • Winston-Salem, NC
ESPNUW 31–24 OT31,964
October 61:00 pmat Duke
ACC SelectW 41–3620,134
October 117:30 pmNo. 21 Florida State
  • BB&T Field
  • Winston-Salem, NC
ESPNW 24–2132,906
October 201:00 pmat Navy*
CSTVW 44–2436,992
October 2712:00 pmNorth Carolina
  • BB&T Field
  • Winston-Salem, NC (rivalry)
LFSW 37–1033,023
November 312:00 pmat VirginiaNo. 21
LFSL 16–1760,106
November 1012:00 pmat No. 20 Clemson
ESPN2L 10–4482,422
November 174:00 pmNC State
  • BB&T Field
  • Winston-Salem, NC (rivalry)
ESPNUW 38–1833,052
November 242:00 pmat Vanderbilt*
W 31–1727,650
December 291:00 pmvs. Connecticut*
ESPNW 24–1053,126

Game summaries

@ Boston College

1 2 3 4 Total
Demon Deacons 14 7 0 7 28
Eagles 7 14 14 3 38

[12]

Nebraska

See also: 2007 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team
1 2 3 4 Total
Cornhuskers 3 10 7 0 20
Demon Deacons 0 10 7 0 17

[13]

Army

1 2 3 4 Total
Black Knights 0 7 3 0 10
Demon Deacons 14 7 0 0 21

[14]

Maryland

1 2 3 4OT Total
Terrapins 10 7 7 00 24
Demon Deacons 3 0 7 147 31

[15]

@ Duke

1 2 3 4 Total
Demon Deacons 7 17 10 7 41
Blue Devils 9 0 14 13 36

[16]

Florida State

See also: 2007 Florida State Seminoles football team
1 2 3 4 Total
Seminoles 0 14 0 7 21
Demon Deacons 0 7 7 10 24

[17]

@ Navy

1 2 3 4 Total
Demon Deacons 14 13 10 7 44
Midshipmen 10 7 7 0 24

[18]

North Carolina

See also: 2007 North Carolina Tar Heels football team
1 2 3 4 Total
Tar Heels 0 3 0 7 10
Demon Deacons 10 7 6 14 37

[19]

@ Virginia

See also: 2007 Virginia Cavaliers football team
1 2 3 4 Total
Demon Deacons 3 3 7 3 16
Cavaliers 3 7 0 7 17

@ Clemson

See also: 2007 Clemson Tigers football team
1 2 3 4 Total
Demon Deacons 7 0 3 0 10
Tigers 10 17 10 7 44

[20]

NC State

1 2 3 4 Total
Wolfpack 0 3 15 0 18
Demon Deacons 7 14 7 10 38

[21]

@ Vanderbilt

1 2 3 4 Total
Demon Deacons 7 7 17 0 31
Commodores 3 0 0 14 17

[22]

Vs. Connecticut

See also: 2007 Connecticut Huskies football team
1 2 3 4 Total
Huskies 7 3 0 0 10
Demon Deacons 0 0 14 10 24

[23]

Postseason honors

Conference

Kenneth Moore (WR)
Steve Justice (C)
Alphonso Smith (CB)
Josh Adams (RB)
Aaron Curry (LB)
Chip Vaughn (S)
Sam Swank (K)
Kevin Marion (KR)[25]

National

2007 AFCA First Team All-American[29]

References

  1. ^ a b "Wake Forest Wins First ACC Title Since 1970". Archived from the original on May 27, 2007. Retrieved July 16, 2007.
  2. ^ "2007 ACC football preview". Archived from the original on August 24, 2007. Retrieved September 1, 2007.
  3. ^ Wake Forest Picked To Finish Fourth In ACC Atlantic
  4. ^ Eric Berry Ruled Academically Ineligible for 2007
  5. ^ "Lombardi Trophy Watchlist". Archived from the original on November 4, 2007. Retrieved October 31, 2007.
  6. ^ Outland Trophy Preseason Watch List
  7. ^ "Rimington Trophy Watch List". Archived from the original on November 4, 2007. Retrieved October 31, 2007.
  8. ^ "Wuerffel Trophy Nominees". Archived from the original on May 16, 2008. Retrieved October 31, 2007.
  9. ^ "Maxwell Award Watch List". Archived from the original on September 28, 2007. Retrieved October 31, 2007.
  10. ^ "O'Brien Watch List". Archived from the original on November 4, 2007. Retrieved October 31, 2007.
  11. ^ Ray Guy Award Watch List
  12. ^ Boston College 38 Wake Forest 28
  13. ^ Nebraska 20 Wake Forest 17
  14. ^ Wake Forest 21 Army 10[permanent dead link]
  15. ^ Wake Forest 31 Maryland 24[permanent dead link]
  16. ^ Wake Forest 41 Duke 36
  17. ^ Wake Forest 24 Florida State 21[permanent dead link]
  18. ^ Wake Forest 44 Navy 24
  19. ^ Wake Forest 37 North Carolina 10
  20. ^ Clemson 44 Wake Forest 10
  21. ^ Wake Forest 38 North Carolina State 18
  22. ^ Wake Forest 31 Vanderbilt 17[permanent dead link]
  23. ^ Wake Forest 24 Connecticut 10
  24. ^ "Wake Forest's Steve Justice named Jacobs Blocking Trophy Recipient". Archived from the original on November 20, 2008. Retrieved November 25, 2007.
  25. ^ "2007 All-ACC Football Teams Announced". Archived from the original on May 15, 2008. Retrieved November 26, 2007.
  26. ^ "Wake Forest's Josh Adams Claims ACC Rookie of the Year Honors". Archived from the original on July 23, 2008. Retrieved November 27, 2007.
  27. ^ "Wake Forest's Matt Robinson Named ACC's Piccolo Award Winner". Archived from the original on November 20, 2008. Retrieved November 30, 2007.
  28. ^ Justice Named Rimington Trophy Finalist
  29. ^ "2007 AFCA Coaches' All-America Team". Archived from the original on October 16, 2008. Retrieved November 29, 2007.
  30. ^ Louis Frazier Named Academic All-America
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