Wake Forest Defeats Liberty: Takeaways and Statistics
It came down to the wire, but Wake Forest found a way to defeat Liberty 37-36, moving to 3-0 on the season. Here are five takeaways from yesterday’s game:
Sam Hartman was off, but got the job done
After a solid 14/22 first half with two touchdown passes, it appeared Hartman and Wake Forest were on their way to another comfortable victory. In a third quarter where the offense was held scoreless, though, Hartman looked like he was spiraling out of control all over again. He threw one poor interception in the quarter and made several other questionable throws.
Despite the hiccups, the redshirt junior responded to the pressure and found a way to win. He led the team to two fourth quarter touchdowns, including a 75-yard drive that gave Wake the game-winning score. Hartman’s fourth-quarter touchdown throw to Jahmal Banks was an “absolute dart,” according to head coach Dave Clawson. Hartman’s performance was ugly at times, no doubt, but a veteran QB finding a way to bounce back and lead the team to a win is monumental. And remember, this is only Hartman’s second game back from a long-term injury.
Jahmal Banks and Ke’Shawn Williams stepped up
All season, Clawson has said that his top five receivers are interchangeable and he has equal confidence in each of them. Those words rang true on Saturday, with Banks and Williams combining for the same number of receptions (11) as the starting group of A.T. Perry, Donavon Greene and Taylor Morin.
Williams has been an integral part of the Demon Deacon offense over the past two seasons — his 27 receptions in 2021 were fourth-best on the team. Regardless, his five receptions for 129 yards proved he is a viable threat for the Deacs this season.
Banks, on the other hand, put his name on the map with five catches and two touchdowns. He’s already surpassed his 2021 catch total (five), and he’s now the Deacs’ touchdown leader this season.
The Wake Forest defense kept the team in the game
The Deacons’ offense usually gives the team a spark, but it was the defense that did so against the Flames. Along with the game-winning goal line stand on the two-point conversion, Wake Forest forced four turnovers. The three interceptions were fantastic, but the fumble recovered by linebacker Ryan Smenda Jr. put a struggling Deacons offense in a position to put points on the board.
The 373 yards and 36 points allowed is a less than encouraging stat, but a lot of that can be attributed to the Wake Forest turnovers and Liberty chunk plays — the mid-air touchdown taken out of Mustapha’s hands and Isaiah Wingfield’s blown coverage late in the fourth come to mind. The Deacons will also need to do much better against the rush to beat Clemson — Wake gave up 181 yards on the ground.
Safety Malik Mustapha is the real deal
Mustapha was the best player for the Wake defense last night, notching 13 tackles and two sacks. The third-quarter fumble recovered by Smenda was caused by Mustapha as well. His speed coming up from the safety position up to the line to make plays is phenomenal, and he seldom misses open field tackles.
“He's fast,” Clawson said of Mustapha after the game. “He's explosive. He's a good tackler. He's a really good football player.”
With his performance against Liberty, Mustapha now leads the Deacs in tackles and is tied for the lead in sacks.
Wake Forest needed this experience
Saturday was no easy watch — Wake Forest mightily underperformed and nearly paid the ultimate price for it. But, this experience will do a lot for the team moving forward. Now, the Deacs are a team that has looked defeat in the face and come out with a win. The defense had to make a stop, and they did. Their quarterback was visibly spiraling on the field and flipped the switch to lead a game-winning drive.
“I think we got a lot more from this game than if we won 47 to 20,” Clawson said. “You have to have games like this to develop as a team. The last two games were over by the time we got to the fourth quarter. Teams have to be pushed, and you have to play four quarters. We’ll be a better team because of this game.”
With Clemson coming to town on Saturday, Wake Forest was humbled and shown their weaknesses. Now, they can take that experience and prepare for their biggest test thus far.
Key Statistics
QB Sam Hartman: 26/44, 325 yards, 3 touchdowns, 2 interceptions
WR Jahmal Banks: 6 receptions, 55 yards, two touchdowns
WR Ke’Shawn Williams: 5 receptions, 129 yards
TE Blake Whiteheart: 3 receptions, 20 yards, 1 touchdown
DB Malik Mustapha: 13 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble
DB Chelen Garnes: 12 tackles, 1 interception
LB Ryan Smenda: 11 tackles
