Wake Forest Writer Answers 5 Questions About the Demon Deacons

Cal and Wake square off for the first time on Friday night in Winston-Salem

Wake Forest wide receiver Taylor Morin / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

As is our weekly custom during the football season, we reached out to a beat writer who covers the team next up on Cal’s schedule to ask 5 Questions about that team.

Today we welcome John Dell, who covers Wake Forest for the Winston-Salem Journal. 

The Bears (4-4, 0-4 ACC) travel to play Wake Forest (4-4, 2-2) on Friday night. Kickoff is 7 p.m. on the ACC Network.

Here’s what Dell had to say: 

1. How well is Wake Forest playing right now? They’ve won two in a row, but the opponents were UConn and Stanford. Is that a case of fool’s gold?

"I’m almost thinking Dave Clawson would like to move this game to Cal because Wake Forest really has played better on the road. They’re 3-0 on the road this season.

“They are playing a little bit better because their defense is kind of shoring up. Also (quarterback) Hank Bachmeier is obviously a sixth-year player . . . they have a feeling they can win games because of Hank.”

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2. Cal has had a tough time in close games, losing its four ACC games by a total of nine points. But Wake’s past three wins were all close games, by 4, 3 and 3 points. How have the Demon Deacons found ways to win these games?

“They lost to Virginia in a close game early on. Then they lost to Louisiana. So they lost two close games and they kind of figured it out: If we’re going to win these close games we’re going to have to play better at the end. 

“Now that they’ve won three in a row, Dave Clawson says, `I don’t have a secret. The football gods nail you. When you think you have a secret you lose 13 in a row.'”

3. Tell me about quarterback Hank Bachmeier, who played previously at Louisiana Tech and Boise State. What has he brought to Wake? How well has he played?

“Both the offensive coordinator and coach Clawson are so impressed by how smart he is. He’s taken to this offense really well. He was there in spring ball . . . he’s 25 years old, he’s seen a lot of football. 

“And he just seems to grasp this offense very well with the run-pass option where they kind of stagger and either give the ball up or he throws it."

4. Jasheen Davis was a very effective pass rusher the past couple seasons but missed a couple games this year and has just two sacks. Is he healthy now and how much has the defense missed the player he in previous seasons?

“He’s back now and the problem is offensive lines are keying on him, whereas the past couple years he was able to kind of roam a little freer. They know how good he us. He’s healthy and he’s playing better."

“That’s who Cal’s going to have to watch out for. I think he’s ready to have a bust-out game.”

—5. Taylor Morin is the team’s top receiver with more than 200 career catches, but just how dangerous is he as a punt return man? 

“Taylor’s another sixth-year guy . . . he’s one of those guys you like to have on the team. He’s sure-handed He’s been a threat all year. He plays in the slot and sometimes they’ll move him around on offense.

“He’s just a sure-handed guy, a team guy, love to play football. . . . He’s really good at making big plays. You look at special teams — these teams are pretty even