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October 19, 1998 The Demon Deacons have enjoyed plenty of success away from home in the ACC thus far in 1998, winning at Clemson and Maryland, but have lost their last two dates on their home turf. Wake Forest hopes to end that home field streak this Saturday as it entertains North Carolina in a regionally televised (ACC/JP Network) contest.
Kickoff time in Groves Stadium is 12 noon.
Team Data
WAKE FOREST (3-3 / 2-1 in ACC) NORTH CAROLINA (2-3 / 1-1 in ACC)
Offense: Multiple Offense: Pro Set
(19.7 ppg / 330.2 ypg) (23.0 ppg / 296.0 ypg)
Defense: Multiple Defense: 4-3
(22.3 ppg / 353.0 ypg) (23.4 ppg / 332.6 ypg)
Head Coach: Jim Caldwell (6th year) Head Coach: Carl Torbush
W-17, L-44 (1st full year at UNC)
same record overall W-3, L-3 (includes bowl win in '97)
0-5 vs North Carolina 6-11 overall (2nd year)
1st meeting with Wake Forest
THE SERIES WITH NORTH CAROLINA - Intercollegiate football in the state of North Carolina began in 1888 (October 18th of that year) when teams from Wake Forest College (then located in the village of Wake Forest) and the University of North Carolina met at the State Fairgrounds in Raleigh. The rules were slightly different, as evidenced by the final score (6-4 in favor of WFC), but history was indeed made. Those same two schools meet for the 95th time this week. The Demon Deacons have lost eight in a row to their longtime rival and trail in the overall series, 63-29-2. Wake's last win over the Tar Heels came in Kenan Stadium in 1989, 17-16, a win that concluded a three-game winning streak for the Deacs over Carolina. Here in Groves Stadium, UNC holds an 11-4 advantage with four straight wins and five wins in its last six visits. The last Deacon win over the Heels in Winston-Salem came in 1988 (42-24).
LAST YEAR VERSUS THE TAR HEELS - The Demon Deacons led the nation's 5th-ranked team at halftime, 6-3, but North Carolina erupted for three touchdowns in the third quarter and went on to hand visiting Wake Forest a 30-12 defeat in Chapel Hill last October 11th. The Demon Deacons built their early lead on a pair of Matthew Burdick field goals, but three lost fumbles and a blocked punt (that was returned for a Tar Heel TD) were too much to overcome. Wake managed just 23 yards rushing. Brian Kuklick completed 22 of 44 passes for 237 yards and a 19-yard TD to Jammie Deese. Desmond Clark totaled 102 yards on 11 receptions.
THE DEACS LAST WEEK - After dropping two straight close contests at home, Wake Forest got back on the winning track with a 20-10 victory at Maryland. The Demon Deacons played a terrific first half, outgaining the Terrapins 205 yards to 99 in total offense in building a 17-0 lead at intermission. A 46-yard field goal by Matthew Burdick opened the scoring on the game's first possession, then Brian Kuklick and Desmond Clark teamed for touch-down passes of 26 and nine yards in the second period to account for those 17 points. Maryland staged a comeback in the third period, sparked by a 68-yard pass from running back Lamont Jordan to Jermaine Arrington. Other than that play, however, Jordan was the only real offensive weapon for the Terps, as he gained 132 yards on the ground. Wake's offense sputtered after halftime, managing only three first downs in the second half, but after the home team closed to within 17-10, DaLawn Parrish's interception of a Randall Jones pass set up a 34-yard Burdick field goal with 3:27 remaining to clinch the win. Kuklick finished with a respectable day, completing 22 of 34 passes for 225 yards with one interception to go along with those two TD passes to Clark, who caught 8 balls for 112 yards. His second catch of the day, of course, set a new ACC record for career receptions (it was his 194th). Defensive leaders for the Deacs included Jeffrey Muyres (8 tackles, 2 PBUs), Parrish (5 tackles, 1 int) and Mat Petz (1 sack, 1 TFL, fumble recovery).
COMMENTS from COACH JIM CALDWELL
(On the win at Maryland) "It was a game we had to win and we had a lot of individuals who stepped up, played hard and played with enthusiasm. Our overall execution in the first half was very good. We moved the ball on offense and played effectively on defense, and really could have been ahead 20-0 or 24-0 without a fumble late in the half. Maryland fought back, which we expected, and we were able to withstand their best shot. I really can't say enough about our guys on defense. With all the injuries we've had on that side of the ball, I was especially proud of the way they fought and scrapped all day long, and simply refused to lose." (On North Carolina) "In North Carolina, we're facing a team that has some exceptionally talented players at almost every position. Like us, they have lost a couple of close games, games decided in the final minute, or else their record would be much better. But they appear to have gotten on track in their last two games, and with the week off and extra time to prepare for this game, I'm sure they will be ready. We need to prepare to play the best game we've played this season--for an entire 60 minutes--if we hope to win." NOTING THE DEMON DEACONS TWO ACC ROAD WINS- With its win at Maryland this past weekend, Wake Forest now can claim two ACC victories away from home for the first time since 1992 (Wake also won at Clemson, 29-19, on September 26th). The Demon Deacons won three times on the road in conference play in '92--at Maryland, at Duke and at Georgia Tech--all as part of a six-game midseason winning streak. Wake Forest has actually now won three of its last four ACC road dates, defeating Duke in Durham last October before finishing the 1997 campaign with a loss in Tallahassee to Florida State.
TWO STRAIGHT OVER THE TERPS - This past Saturday's 20-10 win in College Park, combined with last year's 35-17 decision over the Terrapins, gives Wake Forest back-to-back victories over Maryland for the first time since 1967 and 1968. It's also just the third time in school history that the Deacons have beaten the Terps in back-to-back years (the other coming in the 1958 & 1959 seasons). TAMING THE TIGERS & TERPS - Wins over Clemson and Maryland this season for the Demon Deacons are noteworthy in that this marks only the second time since the formation of the ACC (in 1954) that Wake Forest has defeated both of those schools in the same year. The other occasion came in 1992 when the Deacs won at Maryland (30-23) and downed the Tigers in Groves Stadium (18-15). FIRST QUARTER SHUTOUT - For the first time this season, a Wake Forest opponent did not score in the first quarter when the Demon Deacons held Maryland scoreless on Saturday. Wake's 3-0 lead after the first period this past weekend marked just the second time this year that it has held the upper hand after 15 minutes of play. The other came at Clemson when the Deacons were ahead, 10-7, entering the second quarter. TWENTY-EIGHT YEARS AGO TO THE DAY - On October 24, 1970, Wake Forest recorded one of its most dramatic and meaningful wins. On that date, the Deacons defeated North Carolina in Groves Stadium, 14-13. The victory came after Wake drove 93 yards in the game's final 3:01, eventually scoring on a three-yard run by All-ACC running back Larry Hopkins (now Dr. Larry Hopkins and a member of the WFU Board of Trustees) with 0:12 remaining in the game. The 1970 Deacons, of course, went on to win five of six ACC contests that year and capture the only league championship ever won at Wake Forest. North Carolina, by the way, was then coached by Bill Dooley, who would later win two ACC Coach of the Year awards (in 1987 and 1992) at Wake Forest.
MORE RECENTLY IN GROVES - Wake Forest has beaten North Carolina only two other times in Groves Stadium since that memorable 1970 contest, those coming in 1984 (14-3) and 1988 (42-24). In recent visits, the Tar Heels have dominated the Deacs. In four trips to Groves since that 1988 WFU win, Carolina has scored over 30 points on each occasion and averaged 40 points per game. On the last two Wake-UNC meetings in Winston-Salem, the Deacs have been over-whelmed -- 50-0 in 1994, and 45-6 in 1996.
DEACS FROM NORTH CAROLINA - It should not be surprising that more members of the current Wake Forest team are from North Carolina than any other state. In fact, 24 Demon Deacons are "Tar Heel" products--that's twice the total of any other state (Florida is second with 12). Five North Carolinians presently start for the Deacs, including one side of the offensive line--tackle JEFF FLOWE (Charlotte/Independence HS) and guard BRIAN WOLVERTON (Winston-Salem/North Forsyth HS). Star wide receiver JAMMIE DEESE is from Lumberton (Scotland County HS), and placekicker MATTHEW BURDICK is a product of nearby Mt. Tabor HS in Winston-Salem. On the defensive side, just one Tar Heel state native is a starter. That's cornerback DAMEON DANIEL (Ellenboro/East Rutherford HS). Some other Deacons from North Carolina play quite a bit. They include JIMMY CALDWELL, KELVIN JONES and BRAD SMITH (all from Winston-Salem and Mt. Tabor HS); MICHAEL COLLINS (Hickory/Hickory HS); MARQUIS HOPKINS (Fayetteville/71st HS); and DAVID MOORE (Smithfield/Smithfield-Selma HS). Desmond Clark
CLARK ATTAINS ALL-TIME ACC MARK - Demon Deacon wide receiver DESMOND CLARK became the ACC's all-time leading pass receiver this past Saturday at Maryland when he grabbed his second reception of the afternoon. It did not take the senior from Lakeland, FL, long to gain the record against the Terps as it came on the fifth play of the contest. Clark had caught a 19-yarder from Brian Kuklick on the game's second play from scrimmage, then on 3rd-and-3 from the Terp 49, he picked up a Deacon first down with a six-yard catch. On the day, Clark had another outstanding all-around effort, totaling eight receptions for 112 yards and most importantly a pair of touchdowns. The week before against Duke, Clark had become the Wake Forest all-time leading receiver, moving past Ricky Proehl (now with the St. Louis Rams), who had 188 catches during his brilliant career from 1986-1989.
ACC Top Five Receivers -- All Time
(1) DESMOND CLARK 200
(2) Jermaine Lewis, Md 193
(3) Clarkston Hines, Duke 189
(4) Ricky Proehl, WF 188
(5) Geroy Simon, Md 185
As noted in the chart above, the top four receivers in ACC history prior to DESMOND CLARK were all grouped fairly closely together (with eight receptions of each other). The Demon Deacon star has the potential to not only surpass this talented foursome, but shatter the existing record. Clark is presently averaging slightly over seven receptions per game. If he maintains that rate of produc-tion the remainder of the 1998 season, he'll finish his career with 235 receptions -- 42 more than any other player in the 35-year history of ACC Football.
ON THE WAKE FOREST LISTS - Clark, of course, is rapidly ascending the other Wake Forest career receiving lists. He became only the fifth Deacon ever to surpass the 2,000-yard mark in receiving yardage earlier this season against Navy and advanced into 2nd-place on that chart this past weekend at Maryland with his 112-yard performance, moving past Wayne Baumgardner (2,431 yds) and Ricky Proehl (2,466). Wake Forest Career Receiving Leaders NUMBER ONE IN THE ACC THIS SEASON, TOO - After this past weekend's contests, DESMOND CLARK ranks 1st in the ACC in receiving in 1998 with his 43 receptions (7.2 per game). Clark, of course, led the conference in receiving last year, too, with a Wake Forest single season record 72 receptions. TEN GAMES OVER 100 YARDS - DESMOND CLARK has gone over the 100-yard mark in receiving in three outings this season (with two others at 89 & 98 yds). He totaled 110 yards in receiving at Clemson (on five receptions), established a new career high with 138 yards on 10 catches against Appalachian State, then recorded his 112-yard outing at Maryland this past weekend. 100-Yard Receiving Games for DESMOND CLARK FIVE STRAIGHT GAMES--FIVE WITH TOUCHDOWNS - In the last five Wake Forest games, DESMOND CLARK has caught a touchdown pass. Those plays have included a 19-yard TD vs Navy; a 56-yd TD (longest catch of his career) at Clemson; a 43-yard TD vs App State; a 35-yard TD vs Duke; and then for the third time in his career, a two-touchdown performance in the win at Maryland. Previously, Clark had registered two-TD contests against Northwestern and Duke (both in 1996).
FORGETTING THE FALCONS - In the 1998 opener at Air Force (a 42-0 Wake Forest loss), DESMOND CLARK was limited to only 4 receptions for 15 yards. Since that time in the last five Deacon outings, Clark has averaged 7.8 catches per game for an impressive 109.4 yards per contest.
VERSUS THE ACC - Research compiled by the astute ACC Office media relations office (and director Brian Morrison) last week revealed that DESMOND CLARK has caught 20 passes or more against five of eight ACC opponents. The three who he has not topped the 20-reception mark against are still to be faced in '98, too, including this week's foe, North Carolina. Clark has also scored at least two touchdowns against five conference schools. He has yet to reach the endzone against the Tar Heels. Desmond Clark vs the ACC FIFTH AMONG ACTIVE RECEIVERS NATIONALLY - Entering last week's game at Maryland, DESMOND CLARK was the 5th-leading active career receiver in America. (Updates from Saturday's games were not available as of this writing Sunday but will be available during the week.) Only 24 players in NCAA history have caught 200 passes during their careers. The Demon Deacon standout became the 24th this past weekend. NCAA Active Receiving Leaders DEACONS VERSUS CAROLINA - Here's a review of individual highlights for some current Demon Deacon players previously in their careers versus North Carolina: Reggie Austin - turned in an outstanding effort last season at UNC, breaking up three passes and intercepting another also had 4 unassisted tackles. Matthew Burdick - kicked field goals of 37 and 45 yds last year in Chapel Hill. Desmond Clark - has 17 catches for 175 yds the past two years but has yet to catch a TD pass vs the Tar Heels (they're one of just two ACC teams who can make that claim) caught 11 passes for 102 yds last year 6 rec for 73 yds as a sophomore. Jammie Deese - accounted for team's only TD last year in Chapel Hill with a 19-yd TD catch had 5 rec for 55 yds on the day. Kelvin Jones - turned in one of his better performances of '97 last year at UNC with 5 tackles, including two for negative yardage. Morgan Kane - has experienced little success running the ball vs UNC in fact, carried only one time in Chapel Hill last year for no gain did catch a 26-yd TD pass from Brian Kuklick in '96 to give Wake its only points in a 45-6 loss. Brian Kuklick - mixed results vs the Tar Heels the past two years completed 22 of 44 passes for 237 yds last year at UNC with a 19-yd TD to Jammie Deese had to leave the game after being sacked three times, however threw for 251 yds (21-31) in Groves as a soph but was intercepted three times.
DURABLE DEACS UP FRONT - Two of the aforementioned North Carolina natives now playing for Wake Forest comprise two-thirds of a threesome in the Demon Deacon starting offensive line who have been on the field for all 423 plays during the 1998 season. They include tackle JEFF FLOWE, along with guards SAM SETTAR and BRIAN WOLVERTON. Settar, in fact, now has a string of 1,227 consecutive offensive plays, having taken part in all 804 plays during the 1997 season. Center MARLON CURTIS had been in on every offensive play in the season's first five games before suffering a sprained shoulder against Maryland. He was replaced by redshirt freshman VINCE AZZOLINA, who filled in very capably in his first varsity action as a Deac. Curtis will hopefully be back for the UNC game.
THE ACC'S MOST ACCURATE PASSER - The season-long ACC leader in passing accuracy has been Wake Forest's BRIAN KUKLICK, who has completed 61% of his passes through six games (122 of 200). Only three other starting QBs in the league are currently completing more than half of their passes, with the second-best passing percentage (to Kuklick) belonging to Georgia Tech's Joe Hamilton at 55.6%. KUKLICK NOW AMONG TOP EIGHT ALL-TIME IN ACC - With his 259-yard performance against App State two weeks ago, BRIAN KUKLICK became the 12th quarterback in ACC history to pass for more than 6,000 yards in his career. The Demon Deacon signal-caller presently has thrown for 6,665 yards, good for 8th on the ACC all-time list (he passed Virginia's Shawn Moore's 6,629 this past week). He is also 8th in league history with 571 completions.
ACC Career Passing Leaders
Yardage Completions
1) Ben Bennett, Duke 9,614 Ben Bennett, Duke 820
2) Spence Fischer, Duke 9,021 Spence Fischer, Duke 786
3) Shawn Jones, GaTech 8,441 Steve Slayden, Duke 699
4) Steve Slayden, Duke 8,004 Shawn Jones, GaTech 652
5) MIKE ELKINS, WF 7,304 Scott Milanovich, Md 650
6) Scott Milanovich, Md 7,301 GARY SCHOFIELD, WF 640
7) GARY SCHOFIELD, WF 7,205 MIKE ELKINS, WF 609
8) BRIAN KUKLICK 6,665 BRIAN KUKLICK 571
Kuklick is also rapidly approaching the top spot on Wake Forest's career passing list in all three major categories as can be seen in the above chart where he is closing in on both Mike Elkins and Gary Schofield. Those two former Deacs also are the only ones to pass for more touchdowns as Deacon than Kuklick, who threw his 38th and 39th career Tds last Saturday to move past Jay Venuto's career total of 38. Schofield passed for 44 touchdowns at Wake Forest; Elkins threw for 43 scores. Demon Deacons in the ACC Statistics (through games of October 17) PARRISH MAKES BIG PLAY ON BIG WEEKEND - On a weekend in which he was honored by some very important people in his past, junior safety DALAWN PARRISH contributed a huge play in the present to help Wake Forest past Maryland. Parrish, who lists his hometown as Columbia, MD, but who spent a good deal of his youth in the Severn area near Baltimore, was honored by that region's youth football league on Friday evening for the positive influence he has made on current young people. Then on Saturday afternoon in Byrd Stadium before numerous friends and relatives, and with his team having seen a 17-0 lead shrink to 17-10, he came up with the key defensive play in the ballgame, intercepting a pass at the Maryland 28-yard-line to set up a field goal by Matthew Burdick that gave the Demon Deacons a much safer 20-10 advantage with 3:27 remaining.
DEACS SURPASS 1997 INTERCEPTION TOTAL - With that interception by DaLawn Parrish at Maryland, the 1998 Demon Deacons now have 10 "picks" this season. That is one more than the team's total for the entire 1997 campaign. NC State (with 13 interceptions) is the only ACC team with more "INTs" than Wake Forest.
MUYRES ENJOYS ACTIVE AFTERNOON AS WELL - Another key defender for the Deacs in their win at Maryland was senior safety JEFFREY MUYRES, who led the team in tackles with eight (3 solo) while also breaking up a pair of passes. The product of Stone Mountain, GA, also tied for the team lead in tackles in the previous contest against Duke with nine. He ranks 5th on the team in total hits on the year with 36.
COMINGS AND GOINGS - The Wake Forest defensive unit is now without three starters, including its two leading tacklers who had returned from 1997, linebackers KELVIN MOSES and DUSTIN LYMAN. Moses has been hampered by a sore knee throughout the fall since undergoing arthroscopic surgery in late-August. He has played a total of just 12 defensive snaps in two games and did not even dress at Maryland. Lyman, who was having a superlative 1998 season as the team's leading tackler with 62 (26 more than any other Deacon after five games), is lost for the season after sustaining a torn ACL in his right knee versus Duke. Moses and Lyman have combined for 553 total tackles during the past three-plus seasons at their inside linebacker spots (Moses with 321; Lyman with 232). The third defensive starter who is no longer available is tackle KELVIN SHACKLEFORD, who also suf-fered a knee injury (torn ACL) at Clemson and is out for the remainder of the '98 campaign. The Deacons did get a couple of veteran performers back against Maryland. Linebacker JON MANNON, a fifth-year senior who had suffered a concussion after just one play at Clemson and had missed the App State and Duke game, started in place of Lyman. Also back on the field was tackle KELVIN JONES, who had missed three games with a chipped bone in his right ankle.
WAKE KICKERS RANK AMONG NATION'S BEST - Wake Forest placekicker MATTHEW BURDICK and punter TRIPP MOORE are both included among the national leaders. Burdick is 9-of-12 on field goal tries through six games--his three misses have been from 45, 48 and 54 (blocked) yards. Moore is averaging 43.7 yards per punt. Those figures are good enough to place Burdick 5th nationally in field goal production (1.8 per game). Imagine where he might be had the Deacs not committed five turnovers this season inside the opposition 20! Moore is now 16th nationally in punting.
BURDICK'S BIG WEEK - Demon Deacon placekicker MATTHEW BURDICK had a very successful week even before converting both of his field goal tries in the win over Maryland, including a critical 34-yarder to clinch the victory with 3:27 left in the game. Burdick proposed--and that proposal was accepted--earlier last week to his high school "sweetheart", Fane Lineback, a current student at NC State. The couple have not set a date, unlike the Deacs' other kicking specialist, punter TRIPP MOORE, who is currently engaged and will be married this summer (July 10) to Wake Forest graduate student Christy Auburn.
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