Previewing the Defense

Let's be honest here. The 2008 defense is going to be one of the best defenses Wake Forest has ever put on a football field. When all is said and done I won't be surprised if we can call it the very best.

No opponent is going to be excited about facing this defense. With nine returning starters there is plenty of experience to go around. Matt Robinson is coming back for a 6th year to play defensive end, and 7 other starters are seniors with lots of experience. Everyone knows their roll and based on what they've already accomplished I don't think we need to worry too much about anyone's ability to perform.

D-Line
Matt Robinson, as already mentioned, will be at one end with senior Anthony Davis at the other. If Robinson can get back to his level of play before the knee injuries, or even close to it, he will be a monster and a huge asset. Junior Boo Robinson is the only returning starter at a very deep tackle position. John Russell is expected to be his partner to start the season, but with so much talent behind them lots of guys will be playing lots of snaps. I expect to see good things from sophomore Michael Carter as well as contributions from Ted Randolph, Michael Lockett, and redshirt freshman Dennis Godfrey. This whole unit is deep and talented and will definitely make things difficult for opposing lines. Word on the street is they've even put on some weight. If it's muscle then that will make things even better.

Linebackers
We couldn't ask for a more experienced or talented unit than the one we have here. Three seniors return as starters - Aaron Curry, Stanley Arnoux, and Chantz McClinic. Curry is undeniably the leader of the front seven. No one on the team has more passion or energy on the field. Even in spring practices he brought the same energy level you'd expect a guy to have for an ACC Championship game. He clearly loves playing football no matter the situaiton. He's exactly the kind of guy you wantto lead your defense.

The guys who back these three up are pretty talented as well. Sophomores Matt Woodlief and Hunter Haynes will have a big impact for a few years to come but are definitely ready to provide major contributions right now.

All of these guys know the system, know their assignments, and are definitely ready to go. They're going to be flying to the ball all season long and I expect it to be fun to watch.

Defensive Backfield
The four starters here are another experienced unit, with three seniors and one junior. This is definitely the flashy side of the defense, with Alphonso Smith's ability to make interceptions (and return them for touchdowns almost half the time he does) and the playmaking abilities of Chip Vaughn and Brandon Ghee.

Depth is a bit more of a concern in this unit than it is in some of the others just becuase there isn't as much experience, but the younger players definitely have talent. Guys like sophomore Alex Frye are probably ready to step up now, but I'm excited to see what even younger guys like Josh Bush and Cyhl Quarles will do in the next couple of seasons.

Intangibles
Almost everything you look at with this unit is postivie. There aren't really any weaknesses to speak of and it's almost hard to come up with something to be worried about. Nonetheless, I feel like I've got to say something and there is one little thing that we should probably keep an eye on. Dean Hood's departure for Western Kentucky is the first big coaching loss Wake has sustained in awhile. Brad Lambert should fill in just fine, but nonetheless it's a pretty big change that will take some getting used to. I really don't anticipate any problems, but it was worth mentioning.

That's it from me, so now it's up to you. What do you think about this defensive unit? Who are you most excited to see this season? Any major concerns I forgot to mention? Let me know.