What Two Players Must Step Up to fix Wake's Glaring Weakness from Last Weekend?

Why two players may be key to getting past the red zone woes and helping the Demon Deacons prevail

Sep 27, 2025; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons head coach Jake Dickert during the third quarter against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

Despite Wake's strong offensive performance, there was one glaring error in their tight loss to Georgia Tech that can certainly be improved this week. Despite entering the red zone five times, Wake was only able to come away with one touchdown. They had to settle for three field goals and one missed field goal attempt from 27 yards out.

Two of the field goals kicked were when Wake was at the Georgia Tech seven-yard line. Despite resulting in points, those possessions are definitely disappointing for the Deacs, as they were just less than ten yards away from punching it in for a touchdown. The other field goal was kicked while Wake was at the Tech 12-yard line. This is not that much further and is again just one play away from resulting in a touchdown.

Efficiency in the red zone is huge for a team trying to pull off an upset. If Wake had been able to punch in just one of those drives, they would have likely been able to come out victorious last weekend. The road does not get any easier this weekend in a hostile environment.

Despite the glaring weakness, the fix may be easier than expected. Wake has two solidified playmakers on the offense: Chris Barnes and Demond Claiborne. Ashford has also shown potential to use his legs to make plays at times and distribute well with big-time throws.

For any team to be successful in the red zone, they need to give the ball to their playmakers and let them make big plays to punch it in. This weekend, expect Wake to give Claiborne and Barnes some red zone touches to turn those field goals into touchdowns. These guys have shown they are more than capable of making big plays when called upon; the key is just putting them in the right positions to succeed.

What's Next

The Deacs have their first road challenge this weekend, so you can expect a challenging environment they'll have to face in Blacksburg. The noise will certainly complicate offensive operations, so it is key for Wake to be on the same page to be efficient.

The good news is Virginia Tech has already given up over 35 points three times this season, so the Deacs should get some good red zone opportunities to right the ship from last weekend. Yes, the road environment will be a new challenge, but this team has continued to grow and look more confident week after week, so I expect them to be ready for the moment, trying to get their first ACC win in the Jake Dickert era.