Staying in the Dark: Jake Dickert Press Conference Takeaways
In this story:
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons (3–2, 1–2 ACC) came back home from Blacksburg, Virginia, with their first ACC victory in the Jake Dickert era, defeating the Virginia Tech Hokies 30–23.
The next team on the schedule is the 0–6 Oregon State Beavers. Despite their floundering record, Coach Dickert is making sure his team is ready for the unexpected on their trip west this weekend.
Here are your Jake Dickert press conference takeaways.
Breakthrough Promise Fulfilled
In last week's press conference, Coach Dickert said that the Demon Deacons' breakthrough was coming. Today, he said they achieved that mark. While he acknowledged it was far from pretty, that is part of what made it a breakthrough.
Offense
Dickert said the offense did "good enough," and their fourth-quarter time of possession was a critical component to icing their victory.
If you were unable to watch Saturday's game, you should be made aware that Demond Claiborne appeared injured from the jump and was ruled out in the third quarter. Robby Ashford also appeared injured all game, but managed to play through the pain.
Coach Dickert highlighted four offensive players today: Sawyer Racanelli, Carlos Hernandez, Chris Barnes, and Eni Falayi.
Sawyer Racanelli
Coach praised Sawyer Racanelli for continuing to show up when his number is called. Against Georgia Tech, he hauled in a contested pass for what could have been the game-sealing play. This past week, he led the team in receiving yards (3 receptions, 88 yards).
Carlos Hernandez
Through the first four games of the season, Carlos Hernandez managed only 8 receptions for 59 yards. He was bumped down on the depth chart, and many fans lost faith in him. Against Virginia Tech, Hernandez grabbed 5 passes for 51 yards. Coach Dickert expressed that he had never lost faith and that this is great growth for the transfer wideout.
Chris Barnes
Over the past two contests, Chris Barnes has 12 total touches for 83 yards—underwhelming compared to the high standard set earlier in the season. Coach Dickert mentioned that they need to get him more involved, but that he was also dealing with an injury against Virginia Tech.
Eni Falayi
Coach Dickert said that he expected Eni Falayi to become more involved heading into the Georgia Tech game, and that's exactly what has happened. Falayi had his best game as a Deac against the Hokies, reeling in 4 receptions for 50 yards and his first touchdown of the season. It appears huge things can be expected from their stud tight end going forward.
Darkness Breeds Success
Make no mistake, Jake Dickert is proud of his team, but he knows the road is long. There are many things to work on—like their 11 penalties last week—that require effort and attention from all parties on the team. To do this, Dickert wants to get his players' minds "back to the dark."
When they travel to Oregon State, it is not only a large time adjustment, but, as it was for Virginia Tech, this weekend is homecoming for the Beavers. Even being winless on the year, Dickert expects the crowd to be rowdy, and that the entire situation will create a good maturity test for his team.
In the injury world, Coach Dickert did not provide any updates on Ashford or Claiborne. Little is known about Claiborne, but Ashford appeared in great spirits in the post-game interviews. On a broader level, Dickert emphasized the importance of bringing a fresh team to Oregon State.
If either or both of Wake Forest's staples are unable to go this weekend, they will become even more reliant upon the defense. Coach Dickert said they were lights out against the Hokies, and their goal-line stand late in the game was their calling card and encapsulates their identity.
It is clear that the Wake Forest Demon Deacons were tired of being just close and channeled their frustration into action. They found a way to win last week, and that will likely be needed going forward. While the Oregon State Beavers are far from a formidable opponent, their scrappy nature must not be underestimated.
Recommended Articles
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.
Follow BlakeARobison