Nose to the Grindstone: Jake Dickert Press Conference Takeaways
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It will be 16 days from Wake Forest's Thursday night loss to NC State to kick off this Saturday against Georgia Tech. While nothing revolutionary happened during the bye, Jake Dickert did share how the team is preparing for the 16th-ranked Yellow Jackets.
Here are the biggest takeaways.
All Eyes on the Yellow Jackets
Georgia Tech is good. This is the first time the Yellow Jackets are ranked in consecutive weeks since 2015, when they were ranked for the opening four weeks of the season. Led by sixth-year senior quarterback Haynes King and redshirt senior running back Jamal Haynes, Georgia Tech has a sweet balance of maturity and skill.
Coach Dickert labeled Haynes King as one of the best players in the country and said that Georgia Tech does an excellent job playing to his strengths. He also said that their identity is centered around physicality and toughness, a major reason they find themselves in the national rankings.
The stage is set: this is not going to be an easy game for the Demon Deacons, but there is a path forward.
Keep Robby Comfortable
Coach Dickert praised Robby Ashford's performance when the team isn't pressed in sticky situations. The Demon Deacon's matchup against NC State is good supporting evidence of that claim; Ashford and the Deacs looked great in the first half, running a commanding offense, but when the heat was applied, all momentum vanished.
To combat this, Dickert plans to continue finding ways to play to Ashford's strengths, just like Georgia Tech does with King. One of Ashford's obvious strengths is his mobility, and Dickert plans to find more ways to get him moving in the pocket. Additionally, he wants to trim some aspects down with the offense, particularly in the run game.
Coach Dickert also mentioned the team intends to find different ways to get Eni Falayi the football after his promising start to the season. This is certainly something to keep an eye on, as a strong tight end presence usually bodes well for a quarterback finding his footing.
Blake's Take: Like I said in the "Keys to the Bye Week" article, there should be no discussion of benching Robby Ashford or involving Deshawn Purdie just yet—it is pure student chatter nonsense. Instead, Wake Forest needs to double down on their investment in Ashford, because he is all they have, and there is still potential for considerable return on investment. Coach Dickert's above comments align with those sentiments, which is a promising sign.
Don't Be a Hero; Do Your Job
Dylan Hazen made it known in the NC State post-game press conference that the defense tried to be heroes instead of doing their job in the second half. That was brought up again today, and Coach Dickert elaborated on that stance.
In a tense and exciting game like a Big Four matchup, it is easy to get caught up in what just happened and what is to happen. As a counter, Dickert said he has been emphasizing the importance of playing in the now, acknowledging mistakes happen, and focusing on the important thing: what is right in front of you. It might sound cliché or even like existential or philosophical life advice, but it's the right approach.
Dickert also highlighted Georgia Tech's speed and how that translates to a need for urgency and zero hesitation on defense. Essentially, rely on their preparation and training, trusting the "Built in the Dark" mantra. So far, the defense has been much better operating as a unit compared to last season. That success will be further tested as Coach Dickert announced that starting safety Rushaun Tongue is out for the remainder of the season.
Blake's Take: At this stage in the season, it makes the most sense not to make dire changes but to continue reinforcing the identity being created at Wake Forest. Not having instant results can be frustrating, but this team still has an upward trajectory, despite all the hiccups. Even with a loss on Saturday—pending the severity—there would still be plenty of positives to focus on. In other words, as so many teams have famously said (WVU and the Philadelphia 76ers to name a few): trust the process—at least for a little while.
It's the last of Wake Forest's homestand to start the year, and is their second consecutive gut check. Saturday could yield a plethora of outcomes, each one drastically sparking different media and coaching responses. The pressure continues when the Wake Forest Demon Deacons host the red-hot Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on ESPN.
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Blake is a Sophomore at Wake Forest University in North Carolina. When not living on campus, he resides in West Virginia, where he was born and raised. He is studying communication and is invested in all things related to sports media. In his Freshman year, he completed an internship with the National Sports Media Association, and also worked as a sports editor at Wake Forest's student-run newspaper, the Old Gold & Black. Currently, Blake does play-by-play broadcasting for Wake Forest Club Ice Hockey and holds a job at Learfield, working as a studio host. In a perfect world, he would spend his free time road tripping and attending concerts all across the United States.
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