Bend, Don't Break - What Did We Learn From Wake Forest In Week Two

Like a building, you have to test the integrity, ensuring it can bend, but it won't break

Wake Forest Quarterback Robby Ashford carries the ball during the win over Western Carolina on September 6, 2025. | Evan Harris/Wake Forest Demon Deacons On SI

Welcome back to another edition of "What Did We Learn." In what has become a two-year tradition now on other On SI sites, where at the end of every weekend, I release my weekly "what did we learn"—an opinionated editorial detailing what Demon Deacon fans can take away from the week before that might not show up in the box score.

Week Two has come and gone now, and for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, they got their first comfortable win of the season after defeating Western Carolina 42-10 in front of the home crowd. Aided by the return of Demond Claiborne, the offense finally found the rhythm that they failed to establish in Week One.

But, what exactly did Demon Deacon fans learn from the win?

Bend, Don't Break

Oct 26, 2024; Stanford, California, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons running back Demond Claiborne (1) breaks a tackle by Stanford Cardinal linebacker Tristan Sinclair (8) during the second quarter fr a first down at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images | Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images

I talked about it last week, in the first "What Did We Learn," that things will take time to develop and come to fruition in the Jake Dickert Era. This week, they took the step forward, aided by the return of Claiborne, who is proving himself to be one of the best running backs in the ACC.

The game started slow, and it looked like Demon Deacon fans could be in for the same slog from the offense they saw the week prior, but it took ten minutes for the offense to figure it out and deliver their first score of the game. Then after that, the horses were off, scoring on their next two possessions.

For the defense, they held strong, allowing a field goal in the second quarter, and a garbage-time touchdown after being up 42-3 to give the Catamounts their first touchdown of the day. Despite that, though, they didn't play perfectly, allowing nearly 250 yards of offense, but they still only allowed one touchdown.

That's the motto, though, especially in year one of the Dickert reign: Bend, don't break. There will be problems, failures, and injuries, but you can't give up. The buildup is only beginning, and to get to a point where they can reasonably see themselves getting, they have to weather the storm.

With a quick turnaround in Week Three, and beginning ACC play against North Carolina State, the games will start picking up in competition level, and with that, the expectations for the 2025 season will raise and lower. The ability to know that losses are bound to happen, but enjoying watching the talent of Claiborne and a veteran-led defense, should be the focus.

Because at the end of the day, being a fan, no matter the struggles, is about bending, not breaking.