Wake Forest's Defensive Line Must Wreak Havoc Again This Season
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One clear reason the Deacs' defense was so dominant last season was their ability to control the line of scrimmage. Stopping the run made opposing offenses become reliant on the passing game, which played right into the secondary's hands.
Standout performances from last season included holding SMU to just 75 yards on the ground en route to an outstanding home victory. It cannot be overstated how important the push up front was for the Deacs in establishing their defensive identity so successfully a season ago.
This season, Wake looks to turn the page while continuing this momentum along the defensive line. Several key pieces departed via expiring eligibility or the transfer portal, including Jayden Loving, Mateen Ibirogba (one of the top players in the transfer portal), and Nuer Gatkuoth. These guys all played pivotal roles in a defensive line group that was very deep.
The good news is that some big-name returners are back to fill out the front. These include preseason honorees Langston Hardy and Gabe Kirschke, along with interior guys Dallas Afalava and Zach Lohavichan.
Last season, Langston Hardy led the team in sacks with seven, and Kirschke was third on the team with five sacks. These two are primed to improve on those numbers and should wreak havoc off the edges for opposing offensive lines.
Afalava, who had a big interception against Virginia Tech, and Lohavichan were part of a four-man interior defensive line rotation with Ibirogba and Loving. This year, they will likely be tasked with shouldering more weight from a snap standpoint. The question remains: who will be the guys tasked with filling in the gaps left from a year ago? Let's get into that question.
The Newcomers
Some big names will be fighting for snaps along the defensive line this season. Langston's brother, Cam Hardy, took over a lot of first-team reps in spring ball while his brother was injured. Look for the sophomore to get some opportunities this season. Tyler Walton is another returner who showed promise in the spring and should get some snaps at the edge along with New Hampshire transfer DJ Johnson.
On the interior, there are a few different options the Deacs might turn to when trying to replace two monsters in Ibirogba and Loving. Kadear Dembele is a big name that comes to mind. The redshirt freshman played in three games last year, including the bowl game, where he got two tackles. He is a guy who is sure to take a step up. Freshman Josiah Pratt also had some good reps in spring ball as he looks to earn some snaps.
Two transfer additions also bring some more stability to the interior D-line group in Sydir Mitchell and Matt Herron. The LSU transfer, Mitchell, is a whopping 6'6, 355 pounds and can eat up space very effectively. Herron transfers in after three years at Weber State, where he had 30 solo tackles and three sacks a season ago. These guys look to carve out roles along the front as well.
As you can see, this defensive line group features some star-studded returners, young guys, and transfer additions and should definitely be one of Wake's deepest position groups. They leaned on the line heavily last season, and they are sure to do that this season as well.
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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.