Dec. 12, 2001

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WAKE FOREST FOOTBALL
2001 Season Review

Overall Record: 6-5
ACC: 3-5/7th

2001 Highlights
* Wake Forest posted a winning season and became bowl eligible for the second time in three years.
* Four of the Deacons' five losses this season came by a total of only 22 points.
* All five of Wake's losses teams came against teams who are headed to post-season bowls, including Maryland, which earned a BCS berth.
* Four Wake victories came on the road - East Carolina, Duke, Virginia and North Carolina - and the Deacons won three consecutive games (all ACC contests) on their opponent's turf.
* Nine of 11 Wake games this season were decided by 10 points or less, including seven of eight ACC contests.
* Compared to the 2000 season, Wake Forest improved its scoring margin against every ACC opponent.
* WFU finished the season ranked first in the ACC in rushing offense (221.6 ypg).
* Wake Forest averaged its highest amount of total offense since 1986 (390.2 ypg).
* The Deacon offensive line allowed just 13 sacks all season - a mark which ranks first in the ACC.
* A Demon Deacon earned ACC Player of the Week honors 11 times.
* Senior John Stone became Wake's career leader in kickoff return touchdowns (3) and yardage (1,906).
* Junior Tarence Williams had seven 100-yard rushing games and became the eighth player in WFU history to record a 1,000-yard rushing season.
* Senior Michael Collins was named first-team All-ACC, while Nate Bolling, John Stone, Calvin Pace and Tarence Williams were selected to the second team.

WAKE FOREST closes 2001 campaign on a winning note
Wake Forest (6-5, 3-5 ACC) posted its second winning season in three years by closing out the 2001 campaign with a 38-35 victory over Northern Illinois in Groves Stadium on Nov. 24. Although the win qualified the Demon Deacons for a bowl game, WFU was not situated high enough in the ACC standings for a conference tie-in bowl and did not receive an at-large bid for post-season play.
Wake Forest head coach Jim Grobe put together one of the top seasons for a first-year head coach at the school, becoming just the eighth coach (and third since 1951) to post a winning record in his inaugural campaign. Only Bill Dooley recorded more victories in his first season, going 7-4 in 1987.
Although the performance of the 2001 Deacon squad was paced by several outstanding seniors on both sides of the ball, Wake Forest returns a solid nucleus next year. Of the 22 players who started the season finale versus Northern Illinois, 16 were underclassmen - eight on offense, eight on defense.

LAST time out
For the seventh straight week and ninth time this season, Wake Forest had a game decided by seven points or less. After engineering fourth-quarter comebacks for four straight weeks, the Deacons reversed their situation, building a big lead then withstanding a late Huskie rally for a 38-35 win over Northern Illinois.
The Deacons built a 17-0 lead early in the second quarter and took a 24-7 lead to the lockerroom at halftime. After Tyler Ashe opened the scoring with a 27-yard field goal, senior Ira Williams scored the first touchdown of the game, catching his first TD pass of the season. Fabian Davis then made it 14-0 when he caught a 47-yard TD toss from James MacPherson, the quarterback's second-longest completion of the season. Running back Fred Staton tacked on another touchdown when he scored on a two-yard run just seconds before halftime.
The Huskies refused to roll over, however, as they scored two quick touchdowns in the third quarter to pull to within three points. Wake made up for NIU's scores with two third-quarter touchdowns of its own - on rushes of 12 and 13 yards by Tarence Williams and John Stone - to go into the final stanza with a 38-21 lead.
Northern Illinois continued to keep the game interesting, as it scored two more TDs in the fourth quarter, including a 27-yard run by Michael Turner with 6:25 remaining.
As Wake Forest tried to eat up the clock, NIU got the ball for one final possession. The Huskies could not convert, however, going three-and-out to give the ball back to the Deacs, who ran out the clock for the 38-35 victory.
Wake's Williams accumulated 140 yards on the ground to surpass the 1,000-yard mark for the season. He also recorded his 17th career touchdown and 10th of the season. MacPherson finished the day completing 13-of-24 passes for 157 yards and two touchdowns.

ROAD warriors
Four of Wake's six wins this year came on the road, and the Deacons won three consecutive games on their opponents' turf - all ACC opponents.
After opening the season with a win at East Carolina in Greenville, Wake has also won its last three road games at Duke (Oct. 13), Virginia (Nov. 3) and North Carolina (Nov. 10). The Deacons' only road loss this season came at Florida State on Sept. 29.
The last time Wake enjoyed such a long road winning streak was during the 1992 season, when it won four straight road games - three of those against ACC opponents. The Deacons won at Vanderbilt (40-6), at Maryland (30-23), at Duke (28-14) and at Georgia Tech (23-10) before 13th-ranked NC State halted the streak in Carter-Finley Stadium, defeating the No. 25 Deacs 42-14.
The school record for a road winning streak is eight games, spanning portions of the 1945 and '46 seasons. Included in that streak is a Jan. 1, 1946 Gator Bowl victory over South Carolina. The Deacons were actually unbeaten for nine away games during that stretch, as they also tied the Gamecocks in a neutral site meeting in Charlotte during the 1945 season.
Wake Forest puts its road winning streak on the line early next season, as it opens up the 2002 campaign at Northern Illinois.

CLOSE calls
Spectators certainly got their money's worth at Wake Forest football games this season. Nine of Wake's 11 games in 2001 were decided by seven points or less, including seven of eight ACC contests.
After winning by two points (21-19) at East Carolina in the season opener, Wake Forest defeated Appalachian State by 10 points (20-10) in its home opener. The Deacs opened ACC play with a seven-point loss to Maryland (27-20) before suffering their largest margin of defeat of the season at Florida State (48-24). The last seven games - including six straight all ACC contests - were all decided by a touchdown or less, including a 17-14 loss to NC State, a 42-35 win at Duke, a 21-14 loss to Clemson, a 34-30 win over Virginia, a 32-31 win at UNC, a 38-33 loss to Georgia Tech and a 38-35 win over Northern Illinois.
In three of the close losses - Maryland, NC State and Clemson - Wake Forest had the ball with good field position and with a chance to go ahead or even the score late in the game. Two of those situations resulted in interceptions in the endzone.
This year's close games are a sign of improvement over the scores against these same teams last season. Against the eight ACC opponents this year, Wake Forest improved its scoring margin from its 2000 meeting with all eight teams.

GROUND GAME leads the ACC; offense puts up big numbers
Wake Forest closed out the 2001 season as the ACC's top rushing team, gaining an average of 221.6 yards on the ground per game. BCS-bound Maryland ranked second with 220.7 yards an outing.
The blossoming ground game was a new dimension for the WFU offense in 2001, as the Deacons have averaged over 200 yards rushing for the season only three other times since 1951. This season's average is the highest since Wake Forest set a school record for season rushing average in 1971 with 304. 0 yards per game. Wake's 2,438 total rushing yards this year ranks as the third best season total in school history.
Last season, Wake Forest finished the year ranked fifth in the ACC in rushing with 150.2 yards per game. This season's average is an improvement from last season of nearly 72 yards a game.
Wake Forest also averaged 390.2 yards in total offense, a figure which ranks fifth in the conference. It is the highest average since the Deacons set a school record with 401.6 yards per game in 1986. Wake Forest tallied four 400-yard games this season, and its 2001 total of 4,292 yards of offense ranks as the second-best season output in school history.

DEACON O-LINE stops the sacks
Wake's offensive line was one of the deepest, most talented and experienced position groups in the Deacon lineup, anchored by two senior All-ACC honorees - left guard Michael Collins and center Vince Azzolina - who closed out their careers with 38 starts apiece. Azzolina compiled a streak of 37 consecutive starts, spanning all four years of his career. Collins earned first-team All-ACC honors while Azzolina received honorable mention at the center position.
The offensive line was obviously instrumental in Wake's rushing success this season, but the "Hogs" could also take credit for another impressive statistic. Wake Forest led the ACC in fewest sacks allowed, giving up just 13 sacks (-114 yards) in 11 games.
The effectiveness of the line this season can be attributed to the philosophy of head coach Jim Grobe and offensive coordinator Troy Calhoun. Their gameplan was to play a number of linemen, keeping legs fresh while providing valuable experience at the same time. The Deacons played up to 10 different offensive linemen in five games this season (not including three tight ends employed by WFU).
In addition to the losses of Azzolina, Collins, the offensive line also graduates Michael Moosbrugger, a four-year contributor and team leader, and Seth Houk, a junior college transfer who saw significant action the last two seasons. But the Deacs return quite a bit next season, including junior Blake Henry, who started the last six games of the season at right guard. At the tackle spot, sophomore Tyson Clabo started every game this season on the left side, while underclassmen David Walters, Tim Bennett and Mark Moroz split starting duties at right tackle. Redshirt freshman Blake Lingruen saw some action in nearly every game this season as a back-up to Azzolina at center.

HEAD COACH Jim Grobe
The 2001 season marked the debut of new head coach Jim Grobe on the Wake Forest sideline. After opening the 2001 campaign with wins over East Carolina and Appalachian State, Grobe joined an elite group of first-year Deacon coaches. Only six coaches in school history have opened their WFU careers with two straight wins.
Grobe also gained some national recognition after guiding the Deacs to the biggest comeback in school history with a 32-31 win over UNC on Nov. 10. He was named the National Coach of the Week in ESPN The Magazine's online column by Gene Wojciechowski. That same week, he was featured in an ESPN.com column by Mel Kiper.
Grobe is no stranger to the Atlantic Coast Conference. After beginning his collegiate career at Ferrum Junior College, Grobe went on to the University of Virginia, starting two seasons for the Cavaliers and and earning Academic All-ACC honors. He earned both a bachelor's and master's degree from Virginia.
Grobe came to Winston-Salem from Ohio University, where in six years he resurrected a program that had previously been considered one of the worst in Division I football. Inheriting a team that was winless the previous season, Grobe turned the Bobcats into perennial conference contenders in the MAC and posted a 33-33-1 record during his tenure.
Prior to Ohio, Grobe served as an assistant coach at the Air Force Academy for 11 years under legendary coach Fisher DeBerry. The Falcons produced a record of 84-50 and went to seven bowl games during Grobe's tenure. He also served as an assistant coach at Marshall (1979-83) after beginning his college coaching career at Emory & Henry.
After one season at Wake Forest, Grobe's career record as a head coach now stands at 39-38-1. His 6-5 mark this year makes him one of just eight WFU coaches (and third since 1951) to post a winning season in his first year.

COLLINS named first-team All-ACC
Senior offensive guard Michael Collins, an integral part of Wake Forest teams that posted winning records in 1999 and 2001, was named first team All-Atlantic Coast Conference.
Collins, 6-6 and 292 pounds from Hickory, N.C, is the first Wake Forest player to earn first team honors since linebacker Dustin Lyman in 1999. He is the first Deacon offensive player to earn first team honors since Ben Coleman, Todd Dixon and John Henry Mills in 1992.
Collins anchored a veteran and talented Wake Forest offensive line in 2001. The Deacons rushed for 221.6 yards and passed for 168.5 yards per game for an average of 390.2 yards of total offense per contest. Deacon quarterbacks were sacked just 13 times in 11 games.

COLLINS, McGRUDER named to All-America Teams
Senior offensive guard Michael Collins and redshirt freshman Marcus McGruder were named to The Sporting News All-America and Freshman All-America teams.
The 6-6, 292-pound Collins was named third-team All-America after helping the Deacon offense rank first in the ACC in rushing yards (221.6 ypg) and fewest sacks allowed (13). He was the only Deacon to be named first-team All-ACC in 2001, as well as the first WFU offensive lineman since 1992 to capture the honor.
McGruder was named a third-team Freshman All-America after grabbing a team-best three interceptions in 2001, a mark which ranked fourth in the ACC. He ranked third nationally among freshmen in total interceptions. McGruder finished the season with 52 tackles, including three tackles-for-loss, two sacks and nine pass break-ups. He was named ACC Rookie of the Week for his performance against ECU in the season opener when he posted a sack and an interception.

COLLINS, BOLLING to appear in all-star outings
Michael Collins, Wake's only first-team All-ACC selection in 2001, and senior defensive end Nate Bolling, a second-team All-ACC pick, have been invited to participate in post-season all-star games. Both players will compete in the Blue-Gray All Star Football Classic on Christmas Day, while Collins will also travel to Hawaii to play in the Hula Bowl Maui on Feb. 2, 2002. Both games will be broadcast live to a national audience, as ABC will televise the Blue-Gray Classic and the Hula Bowl will be shown on ESPN (8:00 pm EST).

ANDERSON leads receiving corps; sets freshman record
Redshirt freshman Jason Anderson certainly lived up to his preseason billing as a player who could make an immediate impact on the Deacon squad. One of just two redshirt freshman to start every game this season, Anderson tallied a team-high 28 catches for 472 yards in 2001. He became the first freshman (true or redshirt) to lead the Deacons in receiving since Mike Mullen in 1978. Mullen had a team-best 22 catches for 307 yards that season.
Anderson broke the freshman single season record in receiving yardage, and finished three catches shy of breaking the freshman reception record, set by Jammie Deese (30) in 1996. Anderson is also one of only two Deacons to have recorded a catch in 10 of 11 games this season.
Not only did Anderson catch a lot of passes, he made the big plays at key moments. His first career touchdown, a 42-yard catch in the fourth quarter against Maryland, brought the Deacons to within seven points of the Terps. Against Virginia he caught a 45-yarder from Fabian Davis which set up a late-game touchdown, then scored on a 64-yard reception for the game-winning TD against the Cavaliers. Anderson also caught passes on four fourth-down conversions for the Deacs.

STATON steps up
Sophomore running back Fred Staton showed glimpses of greatness throughout the season; but as a back-up to the team's leading rusher, Tarence Williams, for the past year and half, he hasn't had many opportunities to showcase his talents.
With Williams sidelined with an ankle sprain at Virginia on Nov. 3, Staton got a prime opportunity and took full advantage of the situation. He earned his first career start and recorded his first career 100-yard game. He carried the ball 28 times for 151 yards, and scored his sixth touchdown of the season.
Third-team running back Nick Burney also got into the action against the Cavaliers, rushing 10 times for 67 yards, including a 19-yard touchdown, his first career score.
Staton finished the 2001 campaign ranked second on the squad and eighth in the ACC with 607 total yards on 137 carries (4.3 ypc). He averaged 53 yards per outing and scored seven touchdowns. Burney finished the year with 139 yards on 32 carries and two touchdowns.

WILLIAMS rushing up the charts
Junior running back Tarence Williams needed just 15 yards entering the Maryland contest on Sept. 22 to break the 1,000 career rushing yards plateau. He reached that milestone in the second quarter and finished the day with exactly 100 yards.
He became the 30th player in Wake Forest history to earn 1,000 career yards, and he currently ranks 11th among Wake's all-time rushing leaders with 1,729 career yards.
Williams also posted 1,000 yards for the season when he tallied 140 yards against Northern Illinois in the season finale. Williams is just the eighth player at WFU to record a 1,000-yard season as his 1,018 yards this year tied as the sixth-best season total in school history.
Williams finished the year ranked second in the ACC and 45th nationally with 101.8 rushing yards per game. That figure is also good enough to rank seventh in the league in all-purpose yardage. His 36 carries against ECU tied for sixth place on Wake's single-game rushing attempts chart and is also the top single-game mark in the ACC this season.

PACE'S sack attack
Junior defensive end Calvin Pace could make a serious run for first place on WFU's career sack chart next season. Pace recorded a team-best 10 sacks this season to move into second place on the list with 21 career sacks to his credit. Wake Forest's all-time leader, Mike McCrary, now with the Baltimore Ravens, recorded 30 sacks from 1989-92.
Pace's 10 sacks in 2001 ties for the second-best season total in Wake history. McCrary (1991) and Bryan Ray (1999) also posted 10-sack seasons. The school's single-season record is 16 by McCrary in 1992.

TWO sport deacons
Several members of the football team are participating on other Demon Deacon athletic teams during the offseason. Redshirt freshman R.D. Montgomery has joined the basketball team, and saw his first action last Friday against South Carolina State after participating in just one practice session with the team. Montgomery scored his first point in a Deacon basketball uniform (a borrowed uniform from injured player Dshamal Schoetz, nonetheless), banking in the second of two free throws. He also pulled down one rebound in three minutes of action.
Wake's punt and kick returners, Fabian Davis and John Stone, are spending this spring with the Deacon track team, and will compete in a several events. Stone was the 1999 ACC Champion in the 100 and 200 meters.

IRON deacs
The offense entered the 2001 season as the more experienced unit in terms of players with career starts. Going into next season, the offense will still have the edge, as the unit owns 155 career starts compared to the returning defense's 117. But the defense gained some ground this season, as next year it returns five players - Kellen Brantley, Marcus McGruder, Calvin Pace, Montique Sharpe and Quintin Williams - who started all 11 games in 2001. The offense returns two players - Jason Anderson and Tyson Clabo - who started every game this season.
This year, 18 different players got at least two starts on the offensive side of the ball, while the defense employed 14 different starters over the course of the year.

STRICTLY by the numbers
In 2002, Wake Forest will return the following...
* 62 percent of its scoring production (174 of 282 points)
* 88 percent of its rushing production (2,145 of 2,438 yards)
* 100 percent of its passing production (1,854 of 1,854 yards)
* 81 percent of its receiving production (1,506 of 1,854 yards)
* 93 percent of its total offensive production (3,977 of 4,292 yards)
* 77 percent of its all-purpose yardage (4,296 of 5,552 yards)
* 68 percent of its tackling totals (626 of 920)
* 62 percent of its sack totals (16 of 26)
* 58 percent of its tackles-for-loss totals (53 of 92)
* 77 percent of its interceptions (10 of 13)

LOOKING ahead
The returning members of the Wake Forest football team return to the field on Feb. 18 for the start of spring football practice. The 2002 Spring Game is slated for Saturday, March 23. The 2002 schedule begins the way 2001 ended - with a contest against Northern Illinois. The Deacons will travel to DeKalb, Ill. to take on the Huskies tentatively scheduled for Aug. 31. The rest of the 12-game fall slate will be released later in December.