Winners and Losers From Wake Fall Camp So Far

Wake Forest recently had their second scrimmage of Fall Camp, and with the first game of the college football season approaching, coach Dickert and the staff must make decisions on who will start against Akron. Some players have shared their input on who to watch for, but at the end of the day, a player's performance in camp will be the deciding factor for who does and does not play.

While we know star returning players such as Davaughn Patterson will be featured in the Week One lineup, other positions are still up for grabs. Battles between different players in camp have left the coaching staff with difficult decisions.

With many players earning ACC preseason honors, the expectations for this season are significantly higher than they have been in recent years. The results of camp will be super important in Wake's journey to a solid second season under Jake Dickert.

Gio Lopez Continues to Impress Alongside Other Offensive Standouts

Wake Forest quarterback Gio Lopez throws pass in spring practice | Wake Forest Athletics

Gio Lopez continues to impress on and off the field early for the Demon Deacons. He clearly is getting more comfortable with his teammates and the offensive scheme every day. He has also shown off his wheels on several occasions, showing his versatility and ability to maneuver when plays break down.

In addition, the defensive line has been a major bright spot so far. The consistent pressure they have been putting on the quarterbacks during camp has made the secondary look even better and shows a lot of promise for a season in which they will face many offensively prolific teams.

Lastly, we know the production and pedigree of returning wide receiver Carlos Hernandez, but Drayden Dickmann, a transfer from Rice, has shown lots of playmaking ability and chemistry with Lopez early on. He will be a name to look out for early in the season.

Steele Pizzella Amongst Other Players Have Seen Better Days

Wake Forest running back Ty Clark III in the game against Virginia Tech | Evan Harris/Wake Forest on SI

While Lopez has shined, backup quarterback Steve Pizzella has had some inconsistencies, overthrowing receivers and missing on throws in general. However, it is clear that his confidence is high and he has good command of the offense, providing some good safety in case Lopez has to miss some time during the season.

Dickert has also made it clear that there will be multiple running backs who receive consistent carries, leaning toward having a running back by committee. This hurts the stock of Ty Clark III, as although he will definitely be the starter, he will not receive a workhorse workload of touches, despite the great season he had last year backing up Demond Claiborne.

In general, there have certainly been winners and losers from training camp so far, but despite the challenges facing the team this year, they have shown resilience and confidence that they can fix their problems on a week-to-week basis. It will be interesting to see how this camp will affect the Deacons' lineup against the Akron Zips in about a week.

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