The 2007 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team represented Wake Forest University during the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Jim Grobe in his seventh season at the school and played its home games at BB&T Field. The team began its season with an Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) game on Saturday, September 1, 2007 against Boston College. Wake Forest played its first season since winning the 2006 ACC championship, their first in 36 years.
Preseason Following the most successful season in team history in 2006, the 2007 team was not widely predicted to win the ACC despite returning many offensive starters from 2006. Some sports writers stated that they believed 2006 to have been a fluke and that Wake Forest was not going to win as many games in 2007, especially because of the losses on defense, including the loss of linebacker Jon Abbate to the National Football League. Wake Forest was picked to finish fourth in the Atlantic Division of the ACC in the annual preseason poll conducted by the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association. Lindy's was the only major preseason magazine to pick Wake Forest as a Top-25 team.Wake Forest Picked To Finish Fourth In ACC Atlantic
Roster changes Linebacker Eric Berry was ruled academically ineligible for the 2007 season. Mike Rinfrette moved from fullback to linebacker in spring practice.
Recruiting On National Signing Day, Wake Forest signed 20 recruits in all, eleven defensive players and nine offensive players.
Award candidates Steve Justice (C)- 2007 Lombardi Trophy Watch List; 2007 Outland Trophy Watch List;Outland Trophy Preseason Watch List 2007 Rimington Trophy Watch List Zac Selmon (TE)- 2007 Wuerffel Trophy Nominee Riley Skinner (QB) 2007 Maxwell Award Watch List; 2007 Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award Watch List Sam Swank (P)- 2007 Ray Guy Award Watch List
Roster Bold indicates starter in last game
Quarterbacks 6 Brett Hodges – Sophomore 10 Zach MacDowall – Freshman 11 Riley Skinner – Sophomore 12 Skylar Jones – Freshman 13 Ryan McManus – Junior
Running backs 3 Micah Andrews – Senior 20 Lucas Caparelli – Freshman 22 Brandon Pendergrass – Freshman 23 Kevin Harris – Sophomore 27 Josh Adams – Freshman 34 Willie Dixon – Freshman 49 Jose Domenach – Freshman
Wide receivers 4 Demir Boldin – Junior 8 Marshall Williams – Freshman 8 Geoff Wissing – Sophomore 14 Kevin Marion – Senior 15 Delon Lowe – Senior 17 Christopher Langley – Sophomore 21 Kenneth Moore – Senior 22 CJ Washington – Freshman 24 Trey Schmidt – Senior 36 Casey Hill – Sophomore 36 Nicholas Schulz – Freshman 37 Max Opamuratawongse – Senior 48 Anthony Williams – Sophomore 80 Devon Brown – Freshman 81 Danny Dembry – Freshman 82 Jordan Williams – Freshman 86 Matt Hartford – Sophomore 88 Chip Brinkman – Junior
Fullbacks 18 De'Angelo Bryant – Senior 35 Rich Belton – Junior
Tight ends 83 Cameron Ford – Freshman 84 Zac Selmon – Senior 85 Ben Wooster – Sophomore 87 Ted Randolph – Sophomore 89 John Tereshinski – Senior Offensive Linemen 60 Mike White – Freshman 61 Barrett McMillin – Sophomore 62 Doug Weaver – Freshman 64 Jeff Griffin – Sophomore 65 Gage Crews – Sophomore 67 Trey Bailey – Sophomore 68 David Cox – Freshman 70 Chris DeGeare – Junior 71 Ryan Britt – Freshman 72 Russell Nenon – Freshman 73 Cannon Gaskin – Freshman 74 Steve Justice – Senior 75 Michael Hoag – Freshman 76 Joe Birdsong – Sophomore 77 Boomer Peterson – Sophomore 78 Louis Frazier – Senior 79 Matthew Brim – Senior
Linebackers 28 Cyhl Quarles – Freshman 35 Lee Malchow – Sophomore 39 Chantz McClinic – Junior 40 Kyle Jarrett – Freshman 43 Stanley Arnoux – Junior 44 Mike Rinfrette – Sophomore 45 Mike Simmons – Junior 46 Matt Woodlief – Freshman 49 Michael Potteiger – Sophomore 52 Dominique Midgett – Sophomore 55 Tristan Dorty – Freshman 56 Hunter Haynes – Freshman 57 Gelo Orange – Freshman 59 Aaron Curry – Junior 63 Andrew Conroy – Junior 66 Collin Granger – Freshman 94 Tripp Russell – Freshman
Cornerbacks 2 Alphonso Smith – Junior 5 Marcus Williams – Freshman 17 Brandon Ghee – Sophomore 24 Channing Schofield – Sophomore 25 Josh Bush – Freshman 29 Kerry Major – Junior 41 Mike Williams – Freshman Safeties 7 Alex Frye – Freshman 9 Chip Vaughn – Junior 10 Kevin Patterson – Junior 25 Andrew Wright – Junior 26 Jonathon Jones – Sophomore 28 Peter Grimm – Freshman 30 John Stamper – Freshman 32 Aaron Mason – Senior 37 Junior Petit-Jean – Freshman
Defensive ends 34 Antonio Wilson – Junior 42 Matt Robinson – Senior 90 Will Wright – Freshman 93 Anthony Davis – Junior 94 Tripp Russell – Freshman 97 Kyle Wilber – Freshman 98 Jeremy Thompson – Senior
Defensive tackles 50 Teddy Tomlin – Freshman 51 John Russell – Sophomore 58 Michael Carter – Freshman 91 Dennis Godfrey – Freshman 95 Zach Stukes – Senior 96 Boo Robinson – Sophomore 99 Michael Lockett – Sophomore
Place Kickers 30 Shane Popham – Freshman 38 Sam Swank – Junior 40 Zach Collins – Freshman 69 Win Joyner – Freshman
Punters 38 Sam Swank – Junior
Long Snappers 53 Greg Bechtel – Sophomore 92 Nick Jarvis – Senior
Kick returners 2 Alphonso Smith – Junior 14 Kevin Marion – Senior 21 Kenneth Moore – Senior
Punt Returners 21 Kenneth Moore – Senior
Coaching staff Position Name First year at WFU Head coach Jim Grobe 2001 Wide Receivers Tim Billings 2006 Fullbacks / Tight ends Tom Elrod 2003 Defensive ends Keith Henry 2001 Defensive coordinator / Secondary Dean Hood 2001 Linebackers Brad Lambert 2001 Offensive coordinator / Offensive line Steed Lobotzke 2001 Defensive tackles Ray McCartney 2001 Assistant head coach / Running backs / Kickers Billy Mitchell 2001 Quarterbacks Jeff Mullen 2001
Schedule
Game summaries @ Boston College
Boston College 38 Wake Forest 28
Nebraska
Nebraska 20 Wake Forest 17
Army
Wake Forest 21 Army 10
Maryland
Wake Forest 31 Maryland 24
@ Duke
Wake Forest 41 Duke 36
Florida State
Wake Forest 24 Florida State 21
@ Navy
Wake Forest 44 Navy 24
North Carolina
Wake Forest 37 North Carolina 10
@ Virginia
@ Clemson
Clemson 44 Wake Forest 10
NC State
@ Vanderbilt
Wake Forest 31 Vanderbilt 17
Vs. Connecticut
Postseason honors Conference Steve Justice (C)- 2007 Jacobs Blocking Trophy All-ACC First Team Kenneth Moore (WR) Steve Justice (C) Alphonso Smith (CB)
All-ACC Second Team Josh Adams (RB) Aaron Curry (LB)
All-ACC Honorable Mention Chip Vaughn (S) Sam Swank (K) Kevin Marion (KR)
Josh Adams (RB)- 2007 ACC Rookie of the Year and 2007 ACC Offensive Rookie of the Year Matt Robinson (DE)- 2007 ACC Brian Piccolo Award
National Steve Justice (C) - 2007 Rimington Trophy Finalist 2007 AFCA First Team All-American Louis Frazier (OT) - 2007 ESPN Academic All-American
References