Wake Forest
Wake Forest

Wake Forest Team Report

Updated: April 26, 2012 01:10 EST

There was no sense in running back Josh Harris waiting to answer one of the pressing questions facing the Demon Deacons.

"It's great to finally be full speed," said Harris, who'll be a redshirt junior for the 2012 season. "The fans, the first thing they ask me is about my health."

Not only was Harris' swag back, in addition to his ability to elude tacklers, but his motivation level, which sometimes has been questioned, seemed to be high as well.

He gained a game-high 40 yards on six carries in an abbreviated spring game. But more than the numbers, it was his ability to fit the part that might have been most encouraging to Wake Forest fans. He's coming off a hamstring injury that kept him mostly sidelined for the final couple of months and the bowl game in 2011.

"It looked a little bit more like Josh Harris," Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe said of what he witnessed during the spring.

Quarterback Tanner Price said Harris appears to have left his troubled season behind, much like he would like to do to opposing defenders in 2012.

"He's starting to come together," Price said. "I think he's finally starting to get his confidence."

So that ranks as one of the key developments for the Demon Deacons during the spring. They'll also be inclined to use rising sophomore Orville Reynolds in key roles as well out of the backfield. If nothing else, Reynolds' presence might be viewed as a threat to Harris, who seems to have taken it seriously.

Grobe wants Harris to be aggressive and use his powerful 206-pound frame. That's what he saw.

"He didn't try to bounce everything to the outside," Grobe said.

While considerable attention was focused on Harris' status during the spring, the continuation of upgrading depth on defense was another of the themes. Aside from the defensive front (where other than Nikita Whitlock being entrenched at nose tackle there are concerns), the Demon Deacons had more players emerge as potential starters at linebacker and in the defensive backfield. Good competition should continue into the summer, and the level of depth might bode as one of the positives for Wake Forest.

--The offensive line lost four starters from a year ago, and that brings immediate concern to the Demon Deacons.

"Not where we need to be," coach Jim Grobe said after the spring game. He pointed out that there's still sorting out on the offensive front, and he would like to have a situation where starters have solidified their roles.

It also has meant a chance to fully assess the personnel on the team. In that regard, Frank Souza, who was stuck behind NG Nikita Whitlock on the defensive front, has moved to the offensive line. Grobe said he liked what he saw from Souza on offense, though he noted that he has quite a bit to do to catch up because of the position change.

Much of the fallout on the offensive line could depend on if Dylan Heartsill, who has missed time with a back injury, becomes a factor.

--FB Tommy Bohanon goes into his final season with some tweaking to his role. He might move into more of an H-back role and could often line up as a tight end.

"It's out there in a lot more space," Bohanon said. "Get to run some routes."

This might be one way to offer QB Tanner Price more options in the passing attack.

SPRING MOVERS:

CB A.J. Marshall -- He became a forgotten player in the defensive backfield at times in 2011, but he left quite an impression with his spring outings. This should allow the Demon Deacons to be comfortable in several setups in the defensive backfield, and he could be lining up to push CB Kenny Okoro for significant playing time.

LB Brandon Chubb -- The coaching staff likes the physical nature he uses, and his stock grew during the spring. He'll be a redshirt freshman in 2012 and could forge his way into roles other than on special-teams units. With 2011 part-time starting LB Scott Betros missing spring workouts with an injury, it give Chubb ample opportunity to show what he can do.

WR Quan Rucker -- Rucker could fit into the plans at receiver because it's an area that needs replenishing. He has good speed and some good instincts, but like several other candidates for more playing time at wideout, there's concerns about consistency.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "I have to go with the offensive line." -- QB Tanner Price when asked if losing four offensive linemen or WR Chris Givens was a bigger obstacle to overcome for the Demon Deacons going into the summer.

2012 OUTLOOK: With QB Tanner Price orchestrating the offense, there's a degree of comfort for the Demon Deacons, who have to find a way for a complete season of success after the 2011 late-season breakdowns that tarnished an otherwise solid bounce-back campaign. There should be enough talent to get some things done. Opponents are aware that the Demon Deacons have made improvements, so they won't be overlooked, particularly with an offense that has a tendency for some big-play strikes even without WR Chris Givens in the mix any longer. With four of the first five games at home, another strong start to the season might be required in order for there to be success in the big picture. With some coaching changes among assistants, there tended to be longer evaluations of players at several positions during the spring.

SCOUTING THE OFFENSE: The Demon Deacons liked how RB Josh Harris re-emerged during the spring, and the rushing attack is bound to be critical to the team's fortunes. With QB Tanner Price entering his third season, he has further entrenched himself as a leader. There's plenty of confidence in him, and he has some strong weapons around him, perhaps most notably WR Michael Campanaro. There are openings for other receivers to emerge, and working with new tight ends will be another of the challenges. The line has been largely overhauled, and it's one of the overriding issues facing the Demon Deacons. Keeping Price well-protected could be a significant chore.

SCOUTING THE DEFENSE: There are seven returning starters on this side of the ball, and steady improvement will have to continue because there were still shortcomings at times. There are reliable players on this unit, especially with NT Nikita Whitlock and CB Merrill Noel, whose freshman season in 2011 turned plenty of heads. There's loads of experience at linebacker with Scott Betros (who's out this spring because of a shoulder surgery), Riley Haynes, Justin Jackson and Joey Ehrmann. Look for the coaching staff to mix and match some defensive backs between cornerback and safety, as there's a need to replenish the safety position.

SCOUTING THE SPECIAL TEAMS: K Jimmy Newman will be back for his final season, and gradual improvement from P Alex Wulfeck last season helped solidify that area. The Demon Deacons have been good at times but not spectacular in the kicking game, and so there's room for improvements. They also didn't gain as much from return specialists as they would like, so working in some more players to compete for those roles should be something that's evaluated during the offseason.

TOP NEWCOMERS:

TE Zach Gordon -- The Demon Deacons beat out several major colleges for Gordon's services, and his blocking ability and speed fit the mold of a potential playmaker. He could be the type of player who makes the Demon Deacons go back to finding more ways for a tight end to be a major part of the game plan. With the top two tight ends from 2011 running out of eligibility, Gordon could make a push to play right away.

DE Josh Banks -- He could be a project, but he already holds the size at 6-foot-4 and 250 pounds that the Demon Deacons like to work with on a defensive front that needs more depth. He has played on the interior of the line, so he should arrive with experience from competing in multiple roles.

QB Tyler Cameron -- He graduated from high school in December so he could enroll at Wake Forest, where he might be in line to be a dual-threat signal caller. The most intriguing part of his makeup could be that he's a left-handed thrower, which fits nicely behind incumbent southpaw QB Tanner Price. There's no clear-cut backup to Price coming out of last season, so this spot could be up for grabs. Still, it might be a stretch for him to avoid a redshirt season in 2012.

ROSTER REPORT:

--WR Michael Campanaro, who was a sidekick to Chris Givens as a big-play threat for the Demon Deacons in 2011, missed the spring game because of a chip fracture of his pinky finger on the left hand.

--LB Scott Betros, who was a starter for some games in 2011, goes into his final season after not participating in spring workouts. He underwent offseason shoulder surgery, though he's expected to be back in full conditioning and weight-lifting workouts by the end of May.

--FB Ben Emert underwent surgery on his right shoulder, causing him to miss the spring game. That will make it additionally difficult for him to expand his role beyond special teams as a redshirt sophomore because he remains behind senior FB Tommy Bohanon