Why Wake’s Defensive Front May be the Key in Pulling off Big-Time Upset

Georgia Tech's powerful run game demands the full attention of the Demon Deacon front

Demon Deacon defense takes down Western Carolina quarterback | Evan Harris/Wake Forest on SI

In Week Two of the season against Western Carolina, the Deacs managed to put up a stifling five sacks and 14 tackles for loss. The Deacs held the Catamounts to just 34 rushing yards. After the game, Coach Dickert praised the defensive front and said they have a chance to be the strongest and deepest overall unit on the team.

This excitement was warranted at the time, but it ended up being short-lived, as the following Thursday, Wake only managed to sack CJ Bailey one time while being out-muscled by a physical NC State running attack. The Wolfpack rushed for 205 yards and 4.7 yards per carry.

Now we arrive at a critical juncture for this defensive front. Are they the team we saw dominate the line of scrimmage against weaker Western Carolina? Or are they the team that was sloppy and out-physicalled by a hard-nosed NC State rushing attack? This week, we will have our answer clearly as the Deacs will play one of the best rushing attacks in the country in the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.

The Yellow Jackets are led by their senior quarterback Haynes King. He has been one of the most solid quarterbacks through the season so far. In three games, King has 515 passing yards with a 69.7% completion rate and an average of 7.8 yards per reception. However, the passing numbers do not tell the full story of King. He is a very dynamic runner, already accumulating 274 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns. He averages 5.3 yards per carry.

What separates King is that he has the traits that do not get shown on the stat sheet. He is a relentless competitor, and his toughness is unmatched. He has already helped the Yellow Jackets knock off multiple highly ranked teams in his tenure as quarterback. Stopping King through the air and on the ground will be a very tall task for this Deac defensive line.

King is not the only dynamic playmaker for this Georgia Tech offense. Senior running back Jamal Haynes is having another very productive season so far for the Yellow Jackets. He has already knabbed 290 rushing yards this season on a very efficient 5.9 yards per carry. He has a lot of speed, and the combination of him and King in the backfield presents plenty of challenges for opposing defenses.

Sep 11, 2025; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack wide receiver Terrell Anderson (9) catches a pass in second half against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Luke Jamroz-Imagn Images | Luke Jamroz-Imagn Images

So how does this Deacs defensive front contain such a dynamic rushing offense? Well, coach Dickert talked about it in his weekly press conference and said the guys up front have to use their eyes effectively to watch where the ball is going.

The combination of a dull threat quarterback and a speedy running back means the front has to get a big push up front and stop the run game in the middle. They have to put pressure on King when he goes back for pass attempts to make their offense more one-dimensional. Clogging the middle of that line will force Georgia Tech to get creative on the outside.

Another major key is finishing tackles at the line of scrimmage. Too often, against NC State, the runners would be able to break tackles and bounce outside for big runs. To prevent this, the Deacs must tackle well and not give Georgia Tech opportunities for yards after contact.

Overall, this week will definitely be a tall task for the Deacs as Georgia Tech has established itself as one of the most solid teams in the ACC and in the country to this point. To have a chance, Wake will have to be able to play a clean game. Avoiding the penalties and missed tackles from that defensive front will go a long way in trying to secure an upset victory.