Wake Forest vs. Kennesaw State Preview - What The Stats Say
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Week One is finally here around the college football world, including for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, who get their season started on Friday night as part of a four-day marathon of college football returning.
The excitement within Winston-Salem can be felt as new head coach Jake Dickert prepares for his first season at the helm. With the return of one of the best running backs in the country, Demond Claiborne, fans wait with tepid anticipation for a better season than 2024.
Luckily for the Demon Deacons, they get to kick their season off with the Kennesaw State Owls, one of the worst teams in all of FBS last season, so what do the stats say about the week one affair?
Have To Have Better Run Offense and Defense
The Demon Deacons were unique in their play-call strategy last season, finishing at exactly 50 percent in both their rush and pass play percentage. However, it wasn't because both worked, but because neither one worked, and they needed to establish a footing in some way on the offensive side of the ball.
Last season, the Demon Deacons finished 117th in FBS at 3.4 yards per carry and 98th in rushing yards per game at 125.5. The Owls finished 2024 allowing 4.7 yards per carry and 178.6 rushing yards per game.
The bright spot here is returning running back Demond Claiborne, who should be the feature of the 2025 Wake Forest offense. He finished fourth in the ACC with 742 rushing yards after contact and fifth after forcing 45 missed tackles. Finding a rhythm on the ground will only benefit the Demon Deacons, who have question marks in their passing attack for the upcoming season.
Allowing Robby Ashford to Get Established
Ashford was named QB1 going into game week after beating out Charlotte transfer Deshawn Purdie in fall camp. He brings a ton of experience to Dickert's team, but not a ton of high expectations. As a talented rusher, he could work as an excellent tandem with Claiborne, but to keep opposing defenses on their toes, he has to find a groove in the passing game.
In nearly every recorded metric PFF uses to grade their quarterbacks, Ashford failed to finish any higher than the 30th percentile. While winning the starting job out of the gate, unless he can instill confidence early on with the coaching staff, I wouldn't expect his leash to be extended if he begins making mistakes.
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JD Andress is an accomplished sports writer and journalist with extensive experience covering a wide range of collegiate sports. JD has provided in-depth coverage of the TCU Horned Frogs and the Texas Longhorns. He looks forward to being part of the coverage of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. His experience spans various sports, including football, men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, rifle, equestrian, and others, reflecting his broad interest and commitment to sports journalism.