Hokie ClubHeading into their first meeting since 2020, the Hokies and Demon Deacons each look to get back on track when they meet inside Lane Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET, with the game set to air on ACC Network.
Tickets to the Maroon Effect game are currently sold out, but fans still interested in attending the game can purchase tickets on SeatGeek, the official secondary marketplace of Tech Athletics. The official Maroon Effect shirt is available now for purchase.
Slow Mesh Success
Led by longtime head coach Dave Clawson, it's safe to say that Wake Forest runs anything but a traditional-style offense. Stirred by success over the past few calendar years, the Demon Deacons are well-documented to utilize their slow mesh offense with ease, creating quite a challenge for any opposing front.
Though there's been a change at quarterback this past offseason with Mitch Griffis now manning the keys, the 'Deacs have still been quite productive on the offensive side of the ball, with some old-school-style ball serving as a key reason why.
Though the numbers don't pop off the charts, Wake still averages 5.51 yards per play and can lull opposing defenses out of sync with a slow-developing mix.
"You have to have a little bit of patience," Tech head coach Brent Pry said. "But also there's times and places where we need to attack the line of scrimmage and prevent them from taking the time they need. … It's challenging.
"They only get in two or three formations. They keep it simple that way, and they're just very good at what they do. They don't do a lot, but they're efficient."
Coaching Connections
Going way back when. That's certainly a proper way to describe Pry and Clawson's relationship when it comes to the coaching circle.
Though facing off for the first time as opposing head coaches, Clawson actually coached Pry when the second-year head coach suited up as a defensive back for the Buffalo Bulls in 1991.
Pry then served on the Bulls' staff the following year as a student assistant in 1992, and Clawson had flipped to the other side of the ball to coach the quarterbacks in his second year in upstate New York.
Now, for the first time in 31 years, the two coaching foes will see each other on the gridiron once again and will do so for the foreseeable future, with the Demon Deacons slated as an annual opponent each and every year.
Red Zone Woes
Although having shown flashes, one of the major talking points Pry and company have harped on involves limiting opponents in the red zone when faced with adversity at their goal line.
As it currently stands, Tech is one of just four teams nationally to give up a score every time an opponent has entered scoring position, joining the likes of California, Kansas and Penn State. That's without a doubt something Pry has noticed, and there's an opportunity to improve this weekend.
The 'Deacs are 18-for-23 when scoring in the red zone so far this season and have only found the end zone eight of those times.
"When you're in the red zone, it's a mindset first," Pry said. "But then that's where the plays have to come. You need a minus-yardage play early in the possession to give you a chance to get them behind the sticks down there. We got to do better there. … We got to be a little more stout."
Outlasting A Generation
Though the Hokies have been in the ACC for nearly 20 years, Tech and Wake have only played each other seven times since 2004.
To delve even deeper, the Hokies and Demon Deacons have only met twice in Blacksburg since 1983 – the same season Tech last fell to Wake Forest inside Lane Stadium. It's been since the pre-Frank Beamer days since the Hokies have lost to Wake at home. And in those two previous meetings, Tech outscored the 'Deacs 88-38 during that period of time, showcasing the peak of the program in its heyday in the ACC.
Looking to make it three in a row against Wake Forest at home, the Hokies are aiming to keep a 40-year streak alive and improve to 3-4 on the 2023 campaign.