In week 1, the Demon Deacons opened the 2013 football season against the Presbyterian Blue Hose at home, winning 31-7, thanks to the Deacon defense forcing three fumbles and picking off three passes. The Wake Forest offense struggled early with both the running and passing game, but Tanner Price threw two touchdowns and finished 14-25, 219 yards and Wake rushed for 189 yards.
In week 2, the Deacons opened conference play traveling to Boston College and the Deacon offense really struggled in Chestnut Hill. Quarterback Tanner Price threw one interception and tossed two poor pitches in the game that were ruled as fumbles deep in Wake territory, both which led to Eagle touchdowns. Price finished with 18-30 for 191 yards in the 24-10 loss to BC. The game was almost too unbearable to watch at times. The true bright spot from the game was the defense that had its good moments and tried to keep Wake in the game. Nikita Whitlock and Michael Campanaro never seemed to give up. Wake had several chances to come back, but failed twice on BC’s goal line and came away with just three points late in the fourth quarter.
This week the Deacs are home against Louisiana-Monroe, a team that enjoys nothing more than upsetting teams in big conferences (including Arkansas in 2012 and Alabama in 2007). This won’t be an easy game for Wake and unfortunately, as a person who has been going to Wake Forest games since 2002, I have learned a great deal about our fan base and I can truly say, “If we aren’t winning, they aren’t coming.” Of course there will be fans there who love college football, no matter if the Deacons lose this week, but the cheers will be further apart and replaced by boos and the calling for the heads of AD Ron Wellman and Head Coach Jim Grobe. Summer may be coming to close, but for those two, it will be hot all season long if the football Deacs don’t get things turned around.
