Wake Forest Players Excited to Face Liberty
Wake Forest takes on Liberty Saturday evening, returning home after facing Vanderbilt in Nashville last weekend. It was clear from the players’ remarks at the podium this week that the Deacs have a lot of respect for Hugh Freeze’s team and the way they play. Even so, their message was clear: the team is prepared and eager for the challenge.
“We know this week is going to be a challenge,” said starting guard Sean Maginn. “We’re excited. This [Liberty] D-Line and linebacker group are going to be the best we’ve gone up against so far this season.It seems like every Power 5 team they play, they play them with guts.”
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On the other side of the ball, defensive tackle Kobie Turner is prepared for a dynamic, hard-hitting Liberty offense, also stating that Liberty would present his unit’s toughest test thus far.
“I have a lot of respect for their offense,” he said. “I have a lot of respect for their offensive line. They play very very hard and they’re physical. The thing that stands out right away is how hard they play.”
Wake has played well enough to win comfortably the first two games, but their performances haven’t been perfect. The Deacs struggled in short yardage situations at times against Vandy, getting stuffed at the goal line on three consecutive plays in the first half.
Though it’s important to correct these mistakes, remaining confident in the system is critical, Maginn said.
“We can’t overreact,” he said. “It comes down to everyone doing their one job. It’s definitely a priority, but just like anything else in this offense, if everyone can just do their job we’ll figure it out and get back on track.”
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Starting safety Malik Mustapha is returning to the lineup this season after tearing his ACL against Rutgers in last year’s Gator Bowl. He’s made a strong impact already, recording 8 tackles and a forced fumble. For him and the rest of the defense, this Week 3 matchup is all about keeping up the intensity from the Deacs’ first two contests.
“The key is not to get complacent,” Mustapha said. “I feel like everyone needs to avoid developing bad habits, whether that’s on or off the field issues. Everyone needs to buy into what we’re trying to achieve.”
Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. on Saturday at Truist Field.
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Ben is a managing editor and lead contributing writer for Deacons Daily. Ben has a year of experience as the Sports Editor for the Old Gold & Black, and a year of experience as the publication’s print managing editor. He has a journalistic profile of over 40 published news and sports pieces for the Dayton Daily News.