Wake Forest Football: Running Backs Preview

The departure of Christian Beal-Smith won't hinder this group's productivity

Head Coach Dave Clawson loves to keep his running backs fresh and use at least three guys. Christian Beal-Smith led the team in rushing attempts with 131, but Ellison and Turner were right behind him with 107 and 126 carries respectively. Following Beal-Smith's decision to transfer to South Carolina, the workloads for both Ellison and Turner should increase. And based on Clawson's patterns, another back will be heavily involved as well. 

Let's take a look at Wake Forest's running back room:

Justice Ellison

Starting in the backfield against VMI will be sophomore Justice Ellison, who rushed for 556 yards and seven touchdowns last season. He also pulled in one touchdown reception. Especially at the beginning of last year, those numbers were watered down due to the usage of Beal-Smith, but as the season went along, Ellison became more of the go-to guy. His 63-yard run against Virginia in September was the moment where he really enhanced his standing with the coaching staff, and started to get more work

He. Was. Moving.

Career long for @JusticeEllison1 😤 https://t.co/Epusz0ycUf pic.twitter.com/3QzDambQfc

— Wake Forest Football (@WakeFB) September 25, 2021

Ellison’s performance in the win over NC State — two rushing touchdowns and one receiving — put his name on notice in the conference. His elusiveness to get through the line up front, and mastery of the Wake Forest “slow-mesh” style of offense, makes him a great fit to lead this group of backs. Entering the season, Ellison was listed as a preseason third-team All-ACC pick by Phil Steele.

Christian Turner

The second-string, but more so the 1B back, is Christian Turner, a redshirt junior in his second season with the Deacs. Turner transferred in from Michigan before last season. As the third piece of the three-headed monster last year, Turner rushed for 506 yards and five touchdowns, including a two-touchdown performance against Norfolk State. At 5’11, 200 lbs, he's bigger than Ellison, and will likely be the top option in short-yardage situations.

Christian Turner rumbles into the ZONE for @WakeFB. pic.twitter.com/UwEYD1FBXT

— CBS Sports Network (@CBSSportsNet) October 23, 2021

Demond Claiborne

Demond Claiborne, a former four-star recruit, is bursting onto the scene at just the right time. His next level speed and explosive cuts have been earning him many big gains throughout the latter portion of fall camp. The imminent release of the team depth chart will confirm this, but it appears probable that he's replaced sophomore Quinton Cooley on the third-team offense.  It could only be a matter of time before he earns even more playing time.

Quinton Cooley

Cooley, in his own right, was a solid piece for Wake Forest down the stretch. In the regular-season finale, he recorded a season high 14 carries, which he took for 46 yards. He also scored a touchdown against Clemson. He finished the season with 184 snaps. 

Other Depth

At the back end of the running back room, redshirt freshman Will Towns, who appeared in four games during 2021 is likely next in line. Fellow redshirt freshman Zach Igwebe, who has not seen any game action, is an even lesser proven quantity. True freshmen Tate Carney is almost a guaranteed redshirt, but if he’s anything like his brother Cade, (2446 yards and 21 touchdowns in his WF career), this program is in for a treat in future seasons.