The Defensive Stand that Propelled Wake to Victory over Virginia Tech
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A goal line stand by the Deacs' defense halfway through the 3rd quarter in Saturday's game against Virginia Tech set the course for the Wake Forest victory.
The Deacs were not in an unfamiliar position at halftime in Blacksburg. A second-quarter scoring barrage led to Wake carrying a 10-point lead into the break. For most fan bases, this first half would instill confidence. However, Wake fans had seen back-to-back blown halftime leads in the prior weeks and were worried about making it three in a row.
The third quarter started shaky with Virginia Tech getting a field goal right out of halftime. The Deacs then went back on offense without their star back, Demond Claiborne, who was ruled out for the remainder of the competition with an injury. The first drive out of the half resulted in a quick three-and-out. Doubt began to creep into the minds of the Wake fans.
Things went from bad to worse quickly, as after getting a field goal on the next possession, the Deacs were pinned back at their own two-yard line, and disaster struck. Ashford threw an interception that gave the Hokies the ball at the Wake Forest four-yard line. All hope looked lost, and another second-half collapse seemed inevitable.
Despite facing some immediate adversity, the Wake defense walled up and forced the Hokies into settling for a field goal after just three plays. Second and goal for Virginia Tech was at the Wake 1-yard line, and the Deacs stepped up and made a huge play to stop Kyron Drones for no gain. The next play resulted in a Virginia Tech penalty that backed them up 15 yards.
Giving up a touchdown in that situation would have been devastating, but because of the strong defensive stand, the Deacs were able to maintain their lead. This was a huge confidence booster and certainly helped secure the victory for the Demon Deacons. This defensive line has now shown that they are capable of answering the bell and making big plays in big moments. They were able to keep the Hokies out of the end zone for the entire second half.
Despite Wake having some very good defensive linemen in the past, this unit is clearly the strongest the Deacs have had in some time. They have lots of guys they are able to rotate in and out, which allows the guys to stay fresh when rushing the QB. Dallas Afalava had a huge interception near the line of scrimmage in the first half, and Nuer Gatkuoth had a key sack in the second half to knock the Hokies back into a missed field goal. This is clearly a very capable unit that has shown great depth throughout the first half of the season.
Going forward, Wake's D-line has certainly established itself as a strength for the team. The goal will be to stay healthy and continue to dominate the line of scrimmage to make it hard on opposing quarterbacks. If this happens, the Deacs should have a very solid defense that could propel them to bowl eligibility. We'll just have to wait and see what the future holds for this Demon Deacon team!
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Justin is a student at Wake Forest University. He is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and aspiring finance major interested everything sports. In his freshman year, Justin completed an internship with the Wake Forest Ticketing Department where he gained some valuable insight into the sales and operations aspects of collegiate athletics. Before working with Wake Forest On SI, Justin was a contributing writer for Wake Forest’s student publication The Old Gold and Black. Currently, Justin serves as a student manager on the Wake Forest Men’s Tennis team. In his free time Justin enjoys spending time with his family and friends on the golf course and traveling.