What Stood Out at Wake Forest's Spring Fan Fest?

The Demon Deacons were back in action at Allegacy Stadium on Saturday for their Spring Fan Fest. This gave fans a chance to see this year's new squad in action.

The contest was between the Wake Forest offense and defense, with the defense ultimately coming out on top 47-38. The first half was played on half the field and was not full-out tackling, while the second half was full field with tackling. Some starters, including QB Gio Lopez, did not compete in the second half. Let's go through some things that stood out.

Lopez Comes out Firing

Gio Lopez came out at quarterback and, right away, showed his ability to take control of the offense. He completed some good passes on the outside and showed his mobility, which was utilized at South Alabama but not as much at North Carolina. Cam Shanks and Carlos Hernandez were both frequent targets for Lopez.

Gio's first drive did not end as planned, though. He tried to throw a deep ball to Jack Foley in the end zone that was intercepted by transfer corner Duece Blades II. This was a play Gio said he should not have made afterwards. Despite some uneasiness in the pocket at times, Lopez showed his ability to go through his progressions and complete routine passes, something the Deacs struggled at times with a season ago.

Gio's only touchdown came on a three-yard scramble. His mobility is certainly an advantage, but he is also more comfortable as a pocket passer than Wake QBs were a season ago. There were definitely some mistakes to clean up, but it seems Lopez is capable of leading a consistent offense this year for the Deacs.

Wake Forest quarterback Gio Lopez takes off running to the end zone | Wake Forest Athletics

Freshman Standouts

This past year, Dickert put together a recruiting class that was the best in Wake Forest history. It is starting to show on the field, as some freshmen are already fighting for playing time on this fall's squad.

A guy who really stood out from the start was receiver Elijah Otieno. He has been making plays in practice, but officially put his name out there on Saturday. He scored the first touchdown of the day for the offense, catching a pass from Steele Pizzella and taking it 30 yards for the score. He also had another catch; it looked like he was going to take it to the end zone, before being taken out of bounds a little short. His speed is a major weapon and compares to Chris Barnes a year ago.

Freshman tight end Dominick Barry also made some huge plays. He showed his ability to be a tight end active in the passing attack. He caught a little shovel pass from Steele Pizzella for another offensive score.

Always appreciate the amazing support of Deacon Nation 🎩 pic.twitter.com/f5iLB4c6yK
— Wake Forest Football (@WakeFB) April 18, 2026

Establish Physicality on Offense

One thing Dickert said this team needs to continue improving is its physicality on offense. It seemed like the run game could not get anything going, which might have been due to a lack of push from the offensive line. The weapons in the backfield are there, but for Wake to take advantage, they will need their blockers to open up gaps for the run game to flow.

Finishing on a positive note, Dickert said after the event that this is the healthiest he could have had this team through the spring. Cutting down on injuries is certainly a big need for the Deacs to be successful on the field this year, and health has not been a concern thus far. Guys who were out last season, like Rushaun Tongue and Sascha Garcia, are working their way back very well into the mix.

What's Next for Wake Forest Football

The Spring Fest concluded the Demon Deacons' spring practices. Fall camp will start in August. Wake Forest opens the 2026 season on Thursday, September 3, when it hosts Akron.

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