What Were the Takeaways from Wake Forest Football's First Spring Practice?
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The Wake Forest Demon Deacons will have a lot of new faces on the football field this year. Friday marked the start of spring ball and the preparation for the 2026 season. The energy in the facility was palpable, as returning players and new faces were all eager to hit the ground running. Let's take a look at some things that stuck out.
Comfort at the QB Position
This offseason, Wake Forest lost starting quarterback Robby Ashford, who was out of eligibility, and backup quarterback Deshawn Purdie, who filled in during Ashford's injury, to the transfer portal. To counter this, the Deacs brought in four-star freshman Grant Lawless, along with three-star freshman Gannon Jones and UNC transfer Gio Lopez.
Now, some fans may be skeptical of a former UNC quarterback coming into Wake Forest. However, this situation feels very natural since offensive coordinator Rob Ezell coached Gio at South Alabama just two seasons ago. After practice, Gio talked about his connection to coach Ezell and said it gives him an added layer of confidence, already knowing most of the offensive system in place.
It was very evident from the first practice that Gio Lopez is a capable passer, making several nice throws throughout the day and already showing comfort with the receivers. Coach Dickert said after practice that he was happy with how all the quarterbacks set the tone. In addition to Gio, Steele Pizzella showed growth at the quarterback position from his freshman year, and Grant Lawless had some strong moments as well in his first spring practice.
Added Depth at Receiver
Another huge question fans were asking going into the season was how Wake would deal with a receiver room largely depleted by the transfer portal, losing both Chris Barnes and Micha Mays. It is still so early, but it seems like the Deacs have some promising weapons at their disposal for next season.
Kam Shanks is a guy who stood out as very capable. The transfer from Arkansas may only be 5' 8", but he has a strong frame and is quite fast. He will be someone to continue monitoring going forward, as he has already garnered the attention of Coach Dickert. Freshman Elijah Otieno was also quite impressive in his first practice. He stands at just 5-9 and 160 pounds, but he is a speedster and reminds me a lot of Chris Barnes from a season ago.
Guys like Jack Foley and Bryce Kania continue to grow as redshirt freshmen. Finally, everyone knows what Carlos Hernandez brings to the table, as he continues to look impressive after a good season for Wake.
It starts today 😤 pic.twitter.com/1hpgfwYrHm
— Wake Forest Football (@WakeFB) March 20, 2026
There are more takeaways that we will continue to dive into throughout spring ball. It is just the beginning, so nothing can really be taken too seriously, but it seems like the Deacs are energized and are ready to have a solid spring of building and improving.
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.